It’s always an interesting start to autumn at Port Albert, with the hot northeasterly moving on and hopefully making way for more predictable weather and sea conditions.

The lack of rain and continuing fine weather has brought kingfish on for those keen anglers wanting to fish offshore. As the water cools, however, we will see a change in our fishing with some species leaving the area and some returning.

For starters, with the cool water, the snapper should make their return offshore. There are small schools of pinky snapper holding over the reef system at Manns Beach, plus the odd fish to 5kg. Local charter operator Marl Bryant on the ‘Tidal Princess’ had a great day recently with his crew bagging out on the pinkies before lunch.

Cliffy Island has started to produce small snapper, pike and good gummy sharks. Although the large numbers of bronze whaler sharks appear to have moved on there is still the chance of a good-sized shark for those prepared to put in the time and wait. Makos are still being caught offshore as the water is still warm enough for them.

In the months to come the offshore waters will cool considerably and with that will come the Australian salmon and seven-gilled sharks, plus there is always the reliable flathead to help fill the box.

Inside Port Albert the whiting have been very hit and miss. If you target them persistently, however, you will get a nice feed of whiting like Brian Spiteri of Traralgon did while fishing with his kids over the school holidays. Baits of bass yabbies fished on the last of the runout tide has been the right combination.

The Preston and Port Albert fishing clubs had their yearly competition recently with good numbers of large flathead, gummies and salmon being weighed in with Port Albert winning this year. Well done to all that fished.

There is a large number of rock flathead in the estuary at the moment, and if they are specifically targeted a good bag can be caught. Soft plastics thrown around the weed beds is the best way to catch this fine table fish. With a bit of luck there will be some good rains in the future to give the inlet a flush so we can have a good autumn fish.