There have been positive reports coming in from everywhere with both land-based and boating anglers very happy.

For sometime there has been a plague of mullet; but no one is complaining as they are great on the table and also make great bait for all size fish.

Just before this report I came across Matt Toft who was with a mate and trying his luck at Pensioners Corner, which is inside the entrance at Anderson Inlet. This has been a very popular spot and, although they had just arrived, Matt had hooked into a size gummy shark that took a squid bait that was meant for a whiting or something similar. There were quite a few other land-based fishers trying their luck with most having some degree of success. The best time in this area is generally when the tide is not running too quickly, which makes sense as when then flow builds it is very hard to get to the bottom.

There have been very good reports further down towards the entrance, which should continue. Danny Graham is a regular visitor and has a favourite spot not far from the steps in an area known as the Bathing Boxes. I am quite often asked by visitors where they are – the Bathing Boxes have long since gone due to the heavy hand of authority but the name given to it by the locals remains. The area is located a short distance from the beach just inside the entrance.

Back to Danny though. He says that on his recent visits he has been catching very good numbers of whiting with some being to the 40cm mark, which have been bagged on Bass yabbies. He says that he has some trouble convincing his mates that the whiting have been this big but assures me that this is no fishing tale. He says that the salmon have almost been a nuisance when after whiting but I haven’t heard any other complaints. It is true however that there are plenty of salmon being caught with best results being at low water and of course mullet are everywhere and taking virtually anything they can get into their mouth.

In last month’s report I mentioned that the Inverloch jetty had undergone a face-lift. As a result and no doubt part due to the holiday season there has been standing room only as far as land based anglers are concerned. Mullet have been the main catch and have been well into the 30cm range, as well as a sprinkling of salmon and flathead.

There have been encouraging numbers of perch being caught further up the inlet where they have been to the 1.25kg mark and taking a variety of presentations with Bass yabbies being very successful and a mixture of sand worms seem to be a fatal attraction.

Inverloch fisherman Wayne Park is a mad keen lawn bowler but is always out on the water whenever he can. I came across him and a mate when I last visited Mahers Landing. They had just returned from a trip up towards the double Islands looking for whiting or whatever might come along. As is turned out they failed to trouble the weigh master as far as the royals were concerned but had a mixed bag of silvers, mullet, pinkies and flathead and were happy.

Land-based anglers have been reasonably successful when trying their luck to the left of the boat ramp. There have been mullet, silvers, flathead and, as the run-in tide reaches its peak, a few gummies have been making an appearance. The results will be that much better if this coincides with late evening or dark.

This maybe a bit late, but better late than never. There have been some positive reports from the Tarwin River, which is great news. Perch are being caught by boaters and land-based anglers with best results being above the highway bridge. The best time to try your luck has been on the run-out tide and to a lesser extent the first of the run-in water. Bass yabbies and soft plastic lures have been the best of the presentations.

For those interested in surf fishing, anyone of the five beaches at Venus Bay have been well worth a visit. The run-in tide has been giving up good numbers of 1kg salmon with whitebait and squid being the most successful baits. There have been a few reasonable size flathead making an appearance, as well as gummy sharks that are being caught on the run-in tide.

I like to keep in touch with Shallow Inlet where Karen and Andrew Starrett run the local caravan park and have up to date information. Andrew is out on the water whenever the opportunity presents and he says that there are very good numbers of whiting being caught to the 40cm mark. Bass yabbies, pipis, squid and silver fish have been among the most successful baits.

Salmon are also in very good numbers and being caught on both tides. Andrew says that he can’t help but notice the huge numbers of very small flathead that are in the shallow water. They are nowhere near size at the moment but what a great sign this is for the future. He also says that there seems to be similar numbers of small gummies everywhere, which is another great sign.

Outside the entrance in Waratah Bay is also very productive where big kingfish have arrived. There are also good numbers of whiting being bagged along with flathead. Just before this report I received a call from a regular visitor Ian Harvey who had just returned from a trip to Walkerville. He said that there was a bit of a battle to get a fish but did get a big fright. He explained that he and a mate were in Ian’s boat close into shore on what was a flat calm day. He said that suddenly out of nowhere came a huge wave that was on the verge of tipping them both into the water but for some reason they remained afloat. Ian said that he would like to pass onto others to never take your eyes off the water as the unexpected can happen when it is least expected. Thankfully everything turned out all right, but this is a timely warning to others.