The majority of holidaymakers have now returned back home and the locals are back on the water where the great fishing continues.

A great variety of fish are being caught just inside the entrance at Anderson Inlet. Most land-based anglers had at least a few very good size mullet that were around the 35cm mark and were taking just about anything that they could get into their mouths.

Mullet are a much under-rated fish, as when properly prepared and cooked fresh they are well worth the effort. But like many fish, they are of no value after being frozen. They are best filleted and that awful foul tasting black stomach must be completely removed and you will have a very worthwhile presentation that will please the majority of critics. They also make very good baits for sharks and most other smaller species.

Stevies Gutter has also been firing very well. For those in the know, there have been quality perch and whiting along with the occasional flathead on both sides of the tide.

Just outside the entrance to Stevies Gutter whiting are being bagged in reasonable numbers; there can be a fair wait between enquiries but they are there and to the 35cm mark. Bass yabbies seem to be the best of the baits. There are also plenty of those mini flathead that are at this stage of their life a nuisance and can best be best described as fish thieves, but they are a good sign for the future.

The jetty at Inverloch has been renovated and just as the work had been completed there was a huge school of mullet that paid the area a visit. Of course the news quickly spread and there was standing room only with everyone taking home a very good bag of fish. They were being taken on both sides of the tide with the run-in flow being more productive. There was also a few good size salmon being bagged.

Mahers Landing is always worth a visit, as land-based anglers and boaters have been doing very well. For the benefit of those not familiar with this area the ramp has a shallow grade and best used at mid to high water. Experienced boaters will launch to the right or Inverloch side, which will make the task that much easier. There is also not as much tidal flow in this area, which is an added bonus.

There has been a mixture of fish being caught by those without a boat to the right of the ramp where mullet, silvers and flathead are being caught. The fish are not huge but well above the limit. As the run-in tide reaches its peak the occasional good size gummy will make an appearance. The results are better still if this coincided with dusk into darkness where the fish will move in closer under the cover of darkness.

Further up towards the double islands there has been very good results with silvers, flathead, mullet and a few quality pinkies being caught. For those who know where to look there are also quality perch being taken in the gutters.

The Tarwin River is worth a visit for perch. The best results have been on the run-out tide. They have been to the 34cm mark along with mullet and reasonable size silvers. To a visitor this stream looks as if it is running upside down with all the muddy water but this is misleading, as the quality of fish it produces is surprising.

Not far away is Shallow Inlet, which at this time of year is really firing. Andrew Starrett who runs the local caravan park with wife Karen says that everything is all good with a great variety of fish. Caitlyn who is staying at the park is 11 years old and a keen fishing lady. She has been catching quite a few fish and is very happy with her returns but not so happy when she hooked into and landed a spikey gurnard, fortunately she dodged the spikes.

There have also been very good numbers of pinkies to the 3kg mark as well as whiting and good size gummies. Andrew says that they are in pleasing numbers but really come on the bite when there is a full moon. No one seems to know why this is the case but it doesn’t really not matter as long as they do just that.

As with most inlets there is a sand bar that opens into the sea and this one is no different. The bar is very dangerous and shortly before this report there was a tragedy when a boat overturned and a man was drowned. The bar is very shallow, which makes it so dangerous and great care must be taken. Inexperienced boaters should not risk doing this unless they have an experienced boater with them. The best bag of fish is not worth your’s or someone else’s safety.