While the cooler weather in the past couple of months has hit hard and we have had a fair few cold fronts, the fishing has been red hot with offshore and the canals producing well.

As usual, the flathead are out and about, in slightly more impressive numbers. Trevally are still around busting up along most bridges and taking live bait. Big bream have been more common, with captured fish getting around the 40cm mark. And plenty more species on offer!

I love my lure fishing, but don’t mind my live baiting either. Best results for night fishing is to use live mullet and herring at an hour before the high and the receiving tide. You might be able to hook a school mulloway, tailor, flathead, trevally or, if you’re very lucky, a jack.

Solid tailor have been schooling up throughout the canals, and you’ll find them in better numbers towards the canal mouths. Trolling 75mm hardbodied lures around in a baitfish-like colour or casting soft plastics around should do the job – just find the bait and the fish won't be too far behind them.

In the next month the flathead will increase in good numbers and should start to see the big lizards getting around. This is already a good sign as we have the Flathead Classic in October. Hopefully the weather will warm up slightly, as well as the water temperature.

Along with flathead, there have been some mulloway getting around. They are taking the same lures as the tailor, 3-4” natural or white plastics with a rather heavy jighead. Keep the plastics on the bottom for the majority of your retrieve. You’ll find them in deep holes with plenty of the bait.

I have been starting to see some big bream in the local canals. Try fishing a small plastic with a very light jighead, such as a TT Lures 1/28oz, 1/20oz HeadlockZ. My favourite technique for bream is to get the best and most accurate cast onto your desired jetty/structure. I will either let the plastic sink right down to the bottom, then slowly wind it back with the odd, sudden pause. Or, I will cast a Z-Man 2” GrubZ parallel to the jetty, let it sink just under the lip of the jetty, then a very slow wind, with again an odd sudden pause.

I have found surface hasn't been the go-to technique in winter, but blades and vibes will be. My favourite blade and technique is a TT Lures 1/8oz Switchblade in a gold or green colour. It is as simple as getting a long cast, letting the lure touch the bottom, then either a slow lift or a few hops and returning it back to the bottom – although the retrieve is up to the angler. Drop-offs, sand flats and deep holes are just some of the good places to throw blades around!

I hope you will have a good and safe winter, and the fishing is kind to you! I reckon I will be able to tick off some PBs this winter! Until next month, Fish on!