A Good fresh is present in the Hastings at the time of writing after some heavy falls of much-needed rain.

Although the river ran chocolate, fresh, blue seawater is already pushing its way back into our river. Over the Summer some good angling has been on offer with lure and fly fishos certainly enjoying some great action. Bream have been very co-operative, smacking artificials without mercy.

Targeting bream with surface lures is becoming common place with fishos flicking all sorts of fizzers, small Jitterbugs and poppers type at structure.

Flathead too, have been quite active with some solid fish encountered. Soft Plastics are certainly great on flatties with plenty of different types available from the tackle shop. One thing is for sure, flatties will attack anything waved tantalisingly in front of their noses, so anything that will wiggle will do the job. Although the cooler months are on the way, don’t despair: Flathead are a year-round proposition in the Hastings system.

Lake Cathie has once again closed which, as usual, is a great shame. There is nothing better than seeing the lake with fresh ocean water flooding through on an incoming tide. The lake closure is certainly not beneficial to residents as it greatly affects the economy of the township. Nobody seems to have any answers to remedy the problem, with many bureaucrats willing to just brush the issue under the carpet. Certainly something needs to be sorted out ecologically and economically for the benefit of the lake and the community.

Some good angling has been on offer. The annual tailor run has kicked in with most headlands coughing up good numbers of choppers. Size has been mixed, with an odd greenback cruising the suds among the choppers. Tailor are great fun on poppers, smashing them with great gusto and providing the angler with some exciting visual stimulation. The next few months should see better fish on offer as they migrate to the north.

Bream have started to make a showing. Point Plomer, Big Hill and Racecourse have been yielding some excellent fish with strip baits of tailor and mullet doing the damage. With the Winter run just around the corner, all augurs well for a good season ahead.

Blackfish are still cruising the stones with good numbers available north and south of Port. The Summer months provided plenty of action and this month will certainly seen the run continue.

Bluewater fishos are still managing to knock out a feed with some good bottom fish on offer. Current has still been a pain but when it backs off, snapper, kings and a few samson fish have been on offer. Close-in reefs are still producing some good snapper with floatliners boating some corker fish to around 4kg.

Mackerel still remain scarce and the next few weeks will certainly set the trend on how this season will wash up. If the current form continues it will sit with the last few seasons of a virtual no-show of mackerel.

A few cobia are still poking about with Delicate Nobby and Barries Bay coughing up a few. Marlin are still about with small blacks on offer. Slow-trolling livies should get you action, so go and get into it before these fish disappear for another year.

A good haul of snapper and jewfish from the local Ocean Star Charters.