Well it’s that month of the year again. It’s probably my least favourite fishing month if I am to be totally honest. Don’t get me wrong, there are always fish to be caught and it’s true that you won’t catch them sitting at home, but there is something about August that makes it hard for me to get up and out there.

Generally the weather is not great, usually the fishing is far from its best, and did I mention the weather? Okay, it’s not that bad, I guess. The weather can be a little windy and it can be a little wet and it’s a pretty cold month compared to what we usually get, but after saying all that there is still some very good fish on offer if you target the right species.

the fishing has slowed In the lake and we really are at that in-between period during August. Winter is wrapping up and summer has not yet started. The good news is for those anglers chasing a feed of quality flathead fillets, well you are in luck as it’s a flatheadathon out there. There are loads of good lizards on the chew at the moment. There are plenty of good eating size fish in that 45-60cm range, and more than a few large ones as well, but I really encourage anglers to put back these larger breeding fish as we need to ensure we do our part to keep this great fishery going as strong as it is. My best to date is 85cm, but there is no shortage of larger ones around, so maybe this year I can upgrade my PB.

These fish are available in various bays throughout the lake and the key is finding good deep areas around the 8-10m mark that are showing a good bait presence. Things like tailor, salmon and company all chewing up whitebait and the like is what we want. These scraps then fall to the bottom and this is why the flathead are here. Make sure your gear is up to scratch; you don’t need the best reel on the market, but a smooth drag is critical, a reasonable leader of at least 10lb, and be prepared as there is sure to be a few mulloway landed as bycatch every season.

For my winter flathead and mulloway sessions I like soft plastics between 4-6”, with Pro Lure and Keitech Fats doing the trick for us lately. I like a jighead of around 3/8oz with a 3/0 hook. A 2-5kg rod is ideal for the lake and usually 6lb braid with 10-15lb leader will be fine. We don’t have much in the way of reef in these areas, so you’re not likely to be rubbed off on structure. As a rule, the fish will tire out after a few solid runs, so long as your gear stays intact.

Bream fishing is still going well for this time of year. Lure anglers fishing blades and soft plastics in the lower half of the water column are seeing the best results. It’s surprising, but there have also been a few good days on the shallows for the bream, despite the very cold water temperature. A few local ’yak anglers managed some nice bags over the shallows with shallow running hardbodies. For lure colours, I really suggest bright colour options when the waters are dirty from rain, and when the water clears again, switch to clear natural presentations. You will certainly see the difference in results. This action will really start to pick up again in the coming months as water temperatures look to rise once again.

Mulloway anglers are also scoring in the lake at the moment. Bait anglers are doing as well as those throwing lures around. They’re not overly big fish, generally in the 70-90cm range. They are in the same areas as the flathead and bait schools, but are often a little higher in the water column. I suggest working the edges of these bait balls, as these are often where the mulloway are waiting.

Offshore fishing has certainly been a mixed bag. Snapper fishing has been fantastic on occasions. Some very nice bags have been taken, with guys getting great results off the inshore reefs and rock cliffs fishing the washes after big seas. It can be a very productive method, but just take care as it can be a little risky if the seas are still up a bit. Slim profile stickbait plastics are working best, with Pro Lure Slim Minnows and Shads Flick Baits working well for our customers.

Kingfish results have really picked up and there are some great fish being landed over the 1m mark. The offshore reefs are firing up nicely with deep-set live baits, and deep water jigging again proving successful. The kings are biting offshore from places such as Texas right through to the Allmark Reef off Port Stephens. It can be difficult if the current’s raging, but when it allows the fishing is great.

There have also been some very nice deep water species such as blueye landed from our wide marks and they don’t get much better for those looking at a feed of fish, that’s for sure. Be prepared for the hard work though, as it is a very long way out there and it’s a long way to the bottom too. Electric reels are all the rage for this style of fishing and they are well worth the investment if you plan on doing some deep dropping for table fish in this deep water, particularly if you’re as fit as I am (or as unfit as I am, that should probably read).

Game fishos are playing the waiting game at the moment. Shark fishermen generally take a break over these few months as there generally isn’t much drift for them. Tuna fishermen have their ears to the ground for reports, but they are few and far between at the moment. There are some solid tuna being caught, but not in great numbers as this goes to print. The fish that are being encountered are very wide offshore, but as with every year we are always hopeful of seeing a few schools closer in, so keep an eye out for reports on social media and particularly game fishing club pages.