The wet season is well and truly in full swing and with the barra season open, it’s game on! The big influx of freshwater has really got the prawns moving and following close behind are the barras and threadies. The Mission and Pine rivers are really firing well with the bottom of the run out the best time as usual. The high tide has been producing some hot action along the mangrove edges as well.

Shallow diving hardbodies like the new Daiwa TD Minnow, gold bombers and even ultra light rigged prawn plastics are the lures of choice. The best water depth is often under 600mm, so fish slow and light. Be prepared for explosive bites and the odd rogue queenfish in the same locations.

Grunter have been showing in reasonable numbers with Gongbung Point throwing up consistent catches for land-based anglers. Prawns and fresh mullet fillets are a good bait. A few sharks are hanging about as well and every year they seem to be increasing – so much for them being on the decline.

Close offshore the shallow reefs have been good with grunter, cod, golden snapper and sweetlip in numbers (and sharks) and prawns are the gun bait at present possibly due to the influx of prawns flushed out of the estuary system. Some big black jew are about as well. A mate of mine landed a 121cm fish while I got dusted by five – not very fair!

Further offshore, longtail tuna, big queenies, grey mackerel and Spaniards are harassing bait schools around the beacons and a metal jig dropped under the bait and burned back to the surface has been getting the bites. Poppers have been getting a few explosive strikes as well from queenies and the odd GT.

Another bonus from the fresh is a few logs floating offshore that can attract nice fish. Baitfish hang around these objects and anything from tripletail to tuna can be around them. Hopefully we’ll get a bit more rain and the jelly prawns will be in full swing by the dry.