We finally have to admit to ourselves that winter is nearly upon us. As much as we will miss hot sunny days and balmy evenings, and the fishing opportunities the warm weather offers, the cooler months offer some great fishing too. The bream season is in full swing and whether you target them for food (damn, they’re yummy) or as a sportfish, they really are the whole package.

Bream can be hunted from the beaches right up to the fresh water reaches of Sydney’s estuaries. I prefer casting small hardbodied lures at structure, be it a fallen tree or bankside snag, a rock bar or an artificial structure like a jetty or bridge pylon. My absolute favourite is boat hulls, as moored boats offer the bream protection from predators and a smorgasbord of fishy delights.

If you’re looking for fishing options this month I suggest you grab a handful of small lures. My box has a few Daiwa Double Clutches, Pro Lure 36 cranks, deep and shallow, and a bunch of plastics like Keitech Swing Impact and Easy Shiners, Gulp Minnows, Squidgy Wrigglers and of course Strike Pro Cyber Vibes. I use a light spin rod with some 4 or 6lb fluorocarbon leader and head down to the Hawkesbury or Parramatta rivers and cast away to anything that looks like structure. If you haven’t done this type of fishing before, give it a go. You will be very pleasantly rewarded.

If you are a devotee of the sweetwater (fresh) there has been some great fishing at Lake Lyall near Lithgow. Some awesome catches of bass and redfin have been had by anglers fishing the points either trolling or casting (points are the end of bays where the shoreline changes direction). Deep divers are the go here; my go-to lure is a Daiwa Tournament Spike in either lazer ayu or brown iwashi. Most deep divers will have a go. Don’t be too surprised if your lure comes up tight and a big rainbow trout takes to the air with your lure between its teeth. This is a great time to chase these great sportfish too.

Speaking of trout, this is Blue Mountains trout time. The trout season comes to an end on the Monday night of the long weekend in June. The lakes and many of the Blue Mountains rivers aren’t gazetted trout streams and are therefore open to fishing all year.

If trout are your thing or something you’d like to try, this is the right time to start. Options for trout are endless. Worms or PowerBait drifted off the bank or boat, lures spun or trolled or flyfishing are all productive methods. When choosing your lures, flies or baits for trout remember that there aren’t many insects about at this time of year. They’re feeding mainly on gudgeons and smelt (small fish) so choose your baits appropriately.

Places to try are the upper reaches of Lake Lyall, Farmers Creek or Coxs Arm, Lake Oberon (respect private property here), Thompsons Creek and Wallerawang Dam (Lake Wallace). Rivers including The Coxs River above and below Lake Lyall and all the associated streams are closed so check the Fisheries website before you head out.

• Peter Jacovides has been the owner/operator of the Australian Bass Angler tackle store in Penrith for more than 20 years and is available to offer advice or have a chat most days. If you want to know about the latest tackle or technique, kayak fishing, or tournament bass boats, drop into the store at 105 Batt Street, Penrith or phone (02) 4721 0455.