This past month’s weather pattern of wind, rain and more wind has made it extremely difficult to fish anywhere. I can’t recall a July like this with such extreme weather conditions.

Having said that, it is winter and we just have to grin and bear it and be ready to get out on the bays, or the surf beaches or the estuaries or lakes, whenever Mother Natures decides to let up for a day for a chance to go fishing.

I have had a couple of trips to Williamsons and Baxters Beaches and it was difficult fishing, dirty churned up water, sidewash, seaweed, wind and rain to top it off. Needless to say I asked myself a few times, “What the hell I was doing there?”

The answer was simple I just needed to fish somewhere and, because of the weather, most other options were out. So it was either stay in bed or get out and have a go. I did manage a couple of reasonable salmon on each trip. I think that catching them was a bit of a fluke because if I were a salmon I wouldn’t have been swimming around in that water.

There is still the odd whiting about and some decent size squid in the Cleelands Bight area, if you are brave enough to venture out.

Just before the big blow and heavy rain mid month, there were some good reports of some fishos bagging out on snapper up around Corinella and the top end of the bay. I have been out a couple of times since and have not turned a reel. However, there is still the odd one being caught if you are prepared to sit and wait. And this time of year when you do get a fish, it’s usually in the 5-8kg bracket.

The usual run of the big squid is with us once again although early reports coming in suggest that they are not about in big numbers yet. When fishing this area it pays to fish with both artificial and baited jigs as the bigger calamari usually favour the baited jigs.

Well, I am off to Bemm River to chase a few bream. It’s a great place to fish and the bream go like cut cats when hooked in the shallow water. I will let you know how we went next month!