We are in the middle of the best bream season I have seen in a long time. These guys are coming in thick, with a lot going over 1kg – a bag of 1kg bream will get most anglers excited any day of the week.

Anglers are pulling bream from all parts of the passage at the moment, which should continue through spring. The best thing about it is you don’t even require a boat to get your quota; sand banks, weed banks, jetties, pontoons and boat ramps all hold fish. Tide isn’t an issue as long as it has plenty of run in it. Fish of this build don’t mind pulling a bit of line and having a go, so make sure your gear is in tip-top condition.

The duskies are also starting fire, with anglers easily filling their bag with small to average size fish. The bigger girls have taken a little more work. Whether they are smarter or there is fewer of them I’m not sure, but with a little persistence you should take a few this month and well into next month.

Flathead have a bag limit of 5 per person and size limit of 40–75cm. I don’t like to take anything over 60cm, as at this length they are nearly always full of eggs at this time of year. There is more than enough steak on one 60cm fish to feed two people, so don’t be greedy. The fight and photo of a 60cm+ fish well out weighs a feed, so next time you tangle with a big girl, take a photo and let her swim free – it’s one of the best feelings an angler can experience.

The tailor have been a bit hit and miss, but they can be seen busting up bait schools on the surface. If you work hard and search the waters, they are there for the taking.

The locals are getting amongst the yellowtail pike straight off the end of the boat ramp, but these dolphins do keep them thinned out and moving around a lot. It’s a dog-eat-dog world out there but it seems to be working.

The snapper have hung around but they are mainly just legal, or just under sized. We had a good run of 40–60cm fish early in the season, but they are now all gone and these little guys left behind are not worth your worry.

There has been a few jew around going legal length and if I know anything the passage should hold its quota before the water gets too warm. October will see the end of them but we will be focusing our efforts on those toothy, dirty fighting mangrove jack. No complaints here – bring it on.