With the longest and the wettest time of year now behind us, the fishing is starting to go along very well with good reports coming from boaters and land-based anglers.

Outside the entrance at Anderson inlet there have been early reports of snapper being taken on a variety of presentations. Wonthaggi angler Rod Lyttle always takes out his 13 year old son Taj out with him whenever he goes out and on a recent trip was hopeful of bagging an early red. It wasn’t long before the young master had a bite that felt like a flathead enquiry but was still wanted to see for sure what it was. After a few nibbles the fish suddenly took off and the battle began. After a long fight the fish turned out to be an impressive 3kg snapper and Taj was very happy.

For those who know where to go, the area known as flat rocks is productive and Inverloch local Jules Tiziani has been bagging very good numbers of silvers and whiting. If you know where you are going the fish are generally very good quality.

Further out wider there have been a few reports of gummies and flathead being taken on pilchards and squid. No doubt other baits will also work alright such as a fresh salmon or silver fillets but as we all know it is a good idea to take a variety as the fish will change their diet for no apparent reason.

Back inside the entrance the fishing has been great near the bathing boxes. Just down from the steps there is a yellow marker where land-based anglers and boaters have been doing very well at low water on both sides of the tide. Whiting have been to 35cm as have been silver trevally and flathead that are being bagged on Bass yabbies pumped at low tide on the sand flats. They will keep in salt water that will last for the trip but must be changed on a regular basis as otherwise they will quickly die and smell awful.

Further up the entrance there has been very good fishing and in the vicinity of Stevies Gutter. Whiting have been to the 34cm mark along with silvers, salmon and flathead. The flathead seem to be on the small side and never grow but that’s one thing that we have to put up with and just release them back unharmed to swim and fight another day.

Mahers Landing is coming good after the long wet cold winter where land-based fishers are having a great time on the run-in tide. There have been a good variety of salmon, silvers, mullet and the occasional gummy shark has been making an appearance. The fish don’t seem to have a preference as whitebait, strips of chicken soaked in tuna oil as well as Bass yabbies have been doing the job. Gummies have also been taken on these presentations as well as whole pilchard.

The local estuaries have also been productive and at the monthly Wonthaggi Angling Club weigh in young Harry West weighed in a very nice bream that tipped the scales way down to 695g to win the junior male section.

The Tarwin River has been a bit on the slow side due to all the rain but there have been a few perch being taken along with mullet and the odd bream. Boaters have been doing reasonably well on the run-out tide and the first of the run-in. For the benefit of visitors or those who are not familiar with this part of the world just be aware that at high tide there is not much clearance between the bridge and water and we all know what that means.

There is also something for land-based fishers as far as the surf is concerned. Venus Bay has five beaches and they have been going along very well. The big blows have also added to the difficulties with plenty of seaweed being washed up but there is a bright side. Salmon has been the main catch where Tony Davis discovered when he decided to visit Number Three beach. Tony phoned me to say that he is a regular visitor from Endeavour Hills and on his last trip managed five very nice salmon that were to the 1kg mark and all taken on whitebait. Tony said that there were other anglers in the area who were also doing alright with one very nice gummy caught nearby but try as he might he couldn’t bag one.