The Tweed area is producing a huge catch rate at the moment, and if you’re into crabbing, you’re in for a good time. The muddies are out in numbers, and so are sand crabs, try using a dilly for the sandies – you’ll find them out toward the middle of the river, whereas the mud crabs tend to hang in the mangroves and weed beds.

I’ve mentioned pumping live worms and nippers for whiting, and it’s a good idea to get into this practice as there have been some crackers caught in the shallows. I chase whiting on poppers on the high tide in the shallows – it’s a lot of fun so give it a go. If you’re unsure of what to use, ask at your local tackle shop for some advice. It helps to have a stiff, light, graphite rod to skip the lure across the surface.

Bream are around in numbers, and the bigger fish have been caught up off the walls at Chinderah as well as both sea walls. What’s really surprising is the amount of yellowtail kingfish caught at the seaway. They aren’t big fish but boy, there’s a lot of them around. Big ZMan paddle-tails are my lure of choice. I haven’t caught any kings from the rocks, but I have from my yak. Look for the roughest water you can safely fish in, then wait for the swell to push in and cast right up next to the rocks and let it drop. Slowly reel the plastic in and you’ll have some good fun on light gear.

Flathead seem to be disappearing to Terranora and Cobaki, as I still can’t catch a decent one. I know they are around as I’ve seen them being caught!

So many of my mates are catching jacks right now – and big ones at that! I’ve been spending my time fishing Boyds Bay Bridge and the surrounding boats and trawlers in the middle of the night to chase the elusive trophy red devil, so far all to no avail. I know I’m in the right area as I remember seeing a photo that the previous writer for the Tweed, Roderick Walmsley posted on Facebook. I could clearly see he’d been casting from the shore next to the boats moored a few meters away. Those red devils are still around Chinderah way and Oxley Cove and I’ve heard the sand-pumping contraption in the middle of the river is fishing well on the first hour of the run-out tide.

Outside, I mentioned a mate of mine last month who hadn’t been able to use his boat outside because of the strong winds. Well, unfortunately for me the weather cleared during the week (when I was at work) and out he went to fish Fidos, Nine Mile and the Mud Hole. They managed to catch tuna, snapper and a massive cobia, which is quite a haul.