December? That time of the year already? Good weather, holidays and Christmas all piled on top each other makes this a very hectic time of year!

Not to mention the distracting warm currents gushing into Tasmanian waters, firing up our sporty pelagic species while suburb summer days accompany clear blue water.

I guess the biggest excitement of the month is the long awaited arrival of our terrific mako sharks! The warmer sea temperatures bring an abundance of arrow squid and barracouta which is soon followed by these fearsome sharks. A lot of anglers will be dusting off the big boats, making/purchasing berley and making traces (if they haven’t done so already) and preparing for the start of a good shark season to come.

I don’t know about you, but I don’t think there is anything more exciting than a 100kg+ mako jumping 3m out of the water and going on blistering runs.

Good berley is essential! Throwing cubed pillies over the side simply doesn’t cut it (although it helps!).Frozen logs made up of mostly minced fish, tuna oil and also bread to add consistency is a sure way to get a few makos interested. Remember it is important to keep that trail going. Any breaks in the berley trail and you’re pretty much starting all over again on the next log!

Deep water is a must. A good baseline depth to start your berley trail is 50m. This is deep enough to ensure that you will have a good trail in prime depth no matter what the wind is doing. There is nothing worse than setting up a trail in 35m of water to have a northerly blow you in less than 20m!

Be patient! It’s all about luck. You can berley up four makos in the space of an hour or spend seven hours straight for one shark. If you put in the time, you will be rewarded.

Fish responsibly. Remember that we were pretty close to a total ban on mako fishing a few years back. It’s all right if you’re going to take one for a feed (especially around Christmas) – just try to make sure it’s a small one. Take a pair of bolt cutters with so you have the option of releasing them and even experiment with circle hooks (if you don’t use them already).

Don’t push the limits of rough seas and take risks. I know it may not be ideal weather on you’re only day off for the week but it’s simply not worth it. Play it safe and have a good December!