The warmer conditions have brought out keen fishers and plenty of fish, including estuary perch, salmon, whiting and gummies.

The Inlet has been fishing very well recently with large numbers of silvers and salmon to 1.5kg calling the waterway home. Land-based anglers have been successful around the bathing boxes and whiting have been showing up in large numbers. The largest whiting have been around 35cm with most still undersize. This should all change, as the warmer months ahead trigger growth.

For boaters, the low water on both sides of the tides has been the most productive time to fish. Bass yabbies and squid have been the most useful baits for whiting. Whitebait and squid have been working well for salmon and silvers, which can be taken all the way up to the flood tide. Boaters will be restricted when the tide begins to rise and the flow of water increases, making it impossible to hold on the bottom. The same applies to run-out water.

Further up the Inlet in Stevies Gutter, smaller whiting are being caught on pipis and bass yabbies. Further up near Mahers Landing, silvers and gummies have been taken in reasonable numbers by boaters on the run-in tide.

The Tarwin River is still popular with boaters and land-based anglers. Wonthaggi angler Greg Beaumont has been doing very well with regular catches of perch to 33cm. They have taken a liking to bass yabbies, sandworms and soft plastic lures.

Venus Bay is still producing salmon to 1.6kg on a variety of baits. Beaches 4 and 5 seem to have the superior fish that are taking squid and whitebait. The other three beaches are worth a visit but the fish are slightly smaller with 800g the top weight.

Many locals and visitors are paying Waratah Bay a visit and the eyes and ears in this part of the world is Ray Spokes. Ray claims that salmon to 1.5kg have been taken mainly on the run-in tide and at night the bite is much more positive. It is then that the fish move closer into shore and attack the presentations.