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Peak performance
  |  First Published: March 2013



Whether you’re land-based or fish inshore or offshore, the fishing has been very productive. The water is at peak warmth and the fish have come out to play, keeping most anglers entertained.

Lake Macquarie has been very productive.

The large numbers of squid in the lake could be part of the reason for so many other quality fish being caught.

Those targeting the squid have had little trouble in securing great numbers of these tasty critters.

Whether for the table or the freshest of bait, the squid is a great little target. The channel from the bridge to the heads has been producing great numbers on a variety of jigs.

Bream have not been as prolific as we would expect at this time of year but there are still plenty getting around.

Targeting the moored boats with very lightly weighted soft plastics is working well. The northern half of the lake has been more productive than the usual southern spots such as Chain Valley Bay.

Night anglers are being rewarded with some top quality bags of bream. A most productive technique is to anchor around the sand islands and fish with light sinkers, long traces and fresh bait.

Anglers chasing a feed of fresh flathead are having a great time. Swansea Channel is producing some good fish, as are the Drop-over and Belmont Bay. Soft plastics around 3”-5” rigged on 1/6oz-3/8oz are doing well, as are pilchard halves.

OFFSHORE

Offshore action has really picked up over the past month.

There have been some great shark captures, with some boats getting up to six a trip. Not all are huge, with plenty around 60kg-100kg but there are bigger ones.

The marlin fishing has been worth the effort.

Early in the season there was an awesome showing of small black marlin and there are still plenty out there and there’s at least another month of marlin season to come.

One local game boat even hooked up to a little black at the Fisheries FAD when a crewmember threw a live bait out on a handline. It ended just how we all knew it would, but it was a quick bit of fun nonetheless.

Mahi mahi are also in good numbers, with the better quality fish out wider around anything that is floating down the current. If you happen to come across any ‘personal FADS’ out wide, be sure to have a flick because there are some great fish on them at the moment.

Beach fishing has also been producing the goods with fantastic catches of whiting on fresh worms.

The local beaches are also full of mulloway at the moment with fish to 20kg regular captures on fresh slab baits and fresh squid.

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