We’ve been having one active fishing season. Fish have been on the chew since well before Christmas and are still giving anglers plenty of action in the estuary, on the beach and offshore.

Along the surf beaches from Corringle Beach all the way to Yeerung Beach the fishing has been great. Big schools of salmon and tailor seem to be patrolling the coastline between both beaches all summer, allowing most anglers to get their share using surf rods and bait fishing, or using light gear and spinning with metal lures.

With the prawns still running, the fish in the estuary are still plentiful throughout the whole system. Flathead are in good numbers on the sand flats that run along the foreshore all the way down to Frenches Narrows. Flathead, being predator fish, lay in wait in the shallows for any unaware fish or prawn that comes in their range.

Anglers have reported one of the best ways of capturing flathead is by wading in the shallows and casting soft plastic lures. For dusky flathead, the minimum legal size is 30cm and maximum legal size is 55cm with a bag limit of five. In the same area close to the entrance anglers are having good results catching salmon and tailor using metal lures and hardbodied lures.

Bream are still being taken in most of the estuary, up both rivers and up into both lakes. Anglers have reported having success on a range of baits including sandworms, prawns, and pipis, black crabs and lures.

Luderick can be found schooling on the rock groins that surround the islands and riverbanks and along the mud banks on the edge of the rivers and lakes. The best results have been on sandworms or shrimp. Estuary perch are still holding on structures and snags along both rivers. The best results have been on live prawn or lures.

For anglers who prefer to fish offshore, the access to the ocean has diminished by half, as the Snowy River entrance has become too shallow and is dangerous to navigate. The single boat ramp and a small parking area at Cape Conran is the only access to the sea between Lakes Entrance and Mallacoota.

With the excellent fishery offshore in our area and the big schools of kingfish inhabiting the offshore reefs, as well as the usual local species of flathead, gurnard, pinkie snapper, morwong, squid, barracouta, salmon and gummy shark, boat owners have reported it is near impossible to launch their boats in a reasonable time. With marlin about to arrive, it will only get worse.