Rain would be nice, if it wasn’t just a sprinkle. We need a few solid days to flush the old Clarence, green the grass and get this end of the river in gear. As we all know, you just can’t count on normal weather patterns anymore.

Fishing in our part of the river has been fair this month with very nice whiting and flathead caught. Better flathead numbers are being seen around Harwood and up to Maclean. Jacob and Britney Benn weighed in two nice lizards, weighing 910g and 1000g. Both caught their fish around Moriarty wall. Tim Forest caught a 3.85kg corker at Browns Rocks on a Squidgy Prawn.

There have been some decently big whiting around, such as Tim Geide’s 410g fish caught on a popper around Browns Rocks. Mulloway catches have been quiet on our end. Reports of lovely fish taken around Maclean in some of the deeper holes have come through to us.

Tailor have been mostly quiet this year. There have been reasonable fish caught in the river. We weighed in a 1.6kg tailor caught off the bluff by local Dan Pianta. Snapper are still around close in. I took a 6.5kg fish only a few hundred metres off Woody Head. They are also being taken straight off the headlands with pillies as the preferred bait on early mornings.

Black Rock just north of Shark Bay has seen nice teraglin and snapper. Out wide to the 80m mark, we’ve seen great pearl pearch, snapper and teraglin. Spotty mackerel have been making a show on and off with the flipping northerly winds, which bring in the colder water currents and shut them down. We need more consistent southerlies and they should be on.

Local angler Miles Holmes caught a 20kg Spanish mackerel trolling with a pink squid skirt just off Woody Head. There have been some good morning catches of spotty mackerel, but not consistent. Longtail tuna won’t be far off! Have an awesome summer fishing in our beautiful area. Remember to grab your NSW fishing licence if you’re from interstate. You can now download your one and three-year licence to your phone through the DPI website.

• For all your fishing needs and up-to-date information and tips for spots and fish drop into the shop for a chat. Iluka Bait and Tackle is located at 3 Owen Street, Iluka NSW 2466. Give us a call on (02) 6646 5217 or 0402 997 572. We are available online at www.ilukabait.com.au or visit our Facebook page.