With the footballs packed away and the weather improving, there have been more boats out and about – and they have been returning with some good catches of fish.

The inlet at Port Albert is producing some good catches of whiting, mullet and salmon. Whiting in particular are not only being caught in good numbers, but the quality of fish is also good, with some being over 40cm. The best spots to try for them are the Entrance and the Old Port area, with both Bass yabbies and pipis being the bait of choice to produce the fish.

The large flathead have made their presence felt, with the soft plastic fishers landing some nice fish in the shallows and around the drop-offs.

Salmon are in the inlet in large numbers and a range of sizes. Fish of 1–3kg are being hooked, which produce a great fight on light gear for the fisher that likes a challenge.

Offshore has seen some good catches of salmon and flathead, along with the occasional pinkie snapper and a few gummy sharks.

The flathead, as always, have been a good source of action over winter, and they will continue to bite well through spring, with waters from Whale Bay to the Island producing good fish. With only a few reports of pinkie snapper about, the diehards are waiting for the annual run of good reds. Manns to McLoughlins is worth a try, with squid, sauries and silver whiting being the baits of choice. A good by-catch has been some nice flathead and the odd gummy shark.

Gummy sharks are becoming a more common capture in Whale Bay and the inshore waters, with good catches being taken on cured eel and yakkas.

As the water warms up, the nuisance fish will disappear and the bronze whaler sharks and makos will move in.