For those fishing over the inshore reefs or out wide over the continental shelf, it’s been a case of getting out there when the weather has allowed.

The fishing over the closer reefs has been excellent with the peak bite for the kingfish and snapper happening around the full moon and new moon. These moon phases really get the current moving, providing the key to some good action. During the holidays the number of boats chasing kingfish made things bit tricky but over the coming months the pressure will settle down and the best fishing is yet to come.

Those fishing for feed of flathead and other inshore fish haven’t been let down with good catches of flatties, morwong, leatherjackets and snapper from the reefs between North Head and Morwarrie Point. There have also been good flathead from Disaster Bay and, to a lesser extent, inside Twofold bay.

Out on the shelf there have been yellowfin tuna, striped marlin, striped tuna and sharks. Trolling lures and switchbaiting has worked well on the striped marlin.

Along the beaches around Eden there have been the usual catches of tailor and salmon taken on pilchards and metal lures. Those using smaller baits of worms and prawns have been catching yellowfin bream and sand whiting in the washes and gutters. With some good-sized whiting nosing around, once a school of fish is located there can be non-stop action. For those chasing jewfish it’s worth trying the beaches on the north side of Twofold Bayand around Kiah Beach near the mouth of the river.

Flathead are still being caught from the Kiah River and the Wonboyn Lake system with anglers catching plenty on fresh fish baits and livebaits. Soft plastics have been as effective as ever.

Some good catches of sand whiting have been made with the best action occurring at night on squirt worms and freshly-caught prawns.

Jewfish to 6kg have been caught in the Kiah and Wonboyn systems and these fish should be around for a few months yet with a run of bigger fish around Easter.

Some good bream are being caught around the oyster leases at Wonboyn with the Strikeback Pygmy catching some quality specimens. Remember to fish with a tight drag and pull hard at the hook-up so you minimise the chances of the fish dragging your lure back into the racks.