July is really the depths of winter but this certainly does not mean the fishing in the southern bay stops. In fact this can be one of the truly great times to get out amongst the islands and into the fish.

For starters the run of snapper will be in full swing and anglers will be chasing them with all manner of offerings. If plastics are your game, you’ll find the snapper a touch larger than in previous months and likely a little more often. Fishing plastics from 3” through to 6” on light jigheads has been great for the snapper over the last few months and the cooler water will only increase your success. Look for areas that have a bit of hard structure and find the bait. It’s not that the snapper are sitting on the bottom, but the hard structure tends to force the currents into particular areas and where the current goes the bait follow. The snapper are always chasing the bait so I say again, find the bait and you’ll find the snapper.

There have been a lot of squid taken recently and I see this trend continuing through July. These tasty numbers are great fun to target in the shallows on a rising tide and you can walk the mainland banks anywhere there is loose rubble or weed and likely find a squid or two. The dark hours are great for chasing squid from the jetties and targeting the edges of the light seems to be the best trick.

The mullet run has come on with good report from the surf and the rivers as it is breeding season and that can only mean one thing, the mighty mulloway is here! Big mulloway are at the Pin Bar and coming inside fast to eat the mullet and tailor with report of fish in the 20kg range mixed in with hundreds in the 10-15kg range. These fish have been seen by divers in all the coastal bars and hanging on the walls or drop offs leading to the bars waiting to ambush their dinner. Areas to look include the Pin, Short Island, Salt Works, Marks Rock, Potts Point, Iron Stern, Giants Grave, Lamb Island, the Peel house boat wreck and artificial and Harry Atkinson Artificial. Live mullet, gar, pike or yakkas should do the trick but if you can get live squid they love it. And given the squid are now easier to catch you should not be lacking in livebait options.

Whiting are thick up at the Chain Bank and through the Rous Channel with reports of anglers getting their bag limit within 2-4 hours of fishing. That’s 50 fish each! Banana Banks, Pelican Banks and any banks leading to the Pin have been working well too so there are plenty of spots to try.

As you can see, winter does not mean that the fishing slows down in the southern bay. In fact July just may be one of the best months to get out there and catch yourself a great feed of snapper or mulloway, tangle with a squid or even get a good bag of whiting. The ball is in your court, go out and get it.

• For the latest reports, the best advice and the right tackle, drop into Victoria Point Bait and Tackle at 12 Colburn Ave in Victoria Point. You can also give us a call on (07) 3820 9581 or check out what’s biting and where on our Facebook page.