After a slow start to the season the fishing should still be going well in April with good catches of Summer species continuing to be recorded.

The beaches in particular have been a bonus with whiting and a heap of jew taken over the past few months. There is no reason why this bonanza should stop but that cold current is just around the corner so get out and do it now!

The bonito are still in town. Most hard reefs are holding good numbers of these striped speedsters that respond well to a fish berley. A halved pilchard with a small pea sinker running to the hook is all that’s needed to hook one of these bullets.

Fishing a buoy off the coast from Broken Bay, Ron Kovacs scored a pile of mahi mahi around 2kg.

Just east of Newport Reef, Lance Jansen landed enough squid to feed the Australian Army and have enough left over for bait. Lance’s secret: Just leave the squid jigs working on their own with the rod in the holder. When the rod takes a bow, slowly reel in – it’s that easy.

Working off North Head, Andrew D’Ambrosio scored a couple of take-home morwong and a leatherjacket during a recent fish on the Harbour.

Off the rocks, undersize kingfish are grabbing baits and although they’re a nuisance, don’t knock it as it’s the only action some have had. Big yellowfin bream are close in to the rocks and these fish love an unweighted prawn.

Whiting are off the beaches but the big barrel-bodied torpedos are getting fewer. To target the bigger fish, use a larger hook crammed full of worms.

Night is the time to land good-sized yellowfin bream which are taking halved pilchards in the surf. Most fish are close to a kilo.

Using peeled prawns off the Barrenjoey rocks, Peter Storey found some drummer willing to come out and play. Although usually targeted in Winter, drummer, rock blackfish or pigs are there through the year.

Fishing the middle of Collaroy Beach, Jovan Zeljak nailed a 20.5kg jewfish on a small pilchard at 7.30pm as the sun settled over the back hills. He was so excited he called most of his mates on the mobile to broadcast his meritorious catch.

Some honker yellowfin bream have been patrolling the oyster leases of the Hawkesbury. Mullet Creek especially has been turning out consistent bream. The racks at Mooney Mooney, about 1km past Chero Point, are also yielding fish.

Light line and accurate casting are needed to get into the action. Make sure you are casting very close to structure otherwise the lazy bream will not make an effort.

Small soft plastic grubs on 1/16oz jig heads do the job – or try a peeled prawn on a 1/0 hook if you prefer bait.

Working Middle Harbour, Craig Wilson from the Outdoor Shack in Collaroy had a ball hooking tailor, flathead, leatherjackets and a huge bream.

Rob Jenkins slowly trolled slimy mackerel in the Harbour for a very respectable 4.7kg salmon. Bigger fish were hooked and dropped.

For those into blackfish, there’s plenty of quality stringy weed in Narrabeen Lake at the moment. Whiting are close in at the cricket nets and, as I write, small blackfish are everywhere.

A 2.5kg jewfish was taken in one metre of water at the Ocean Street bridge one evening last week on prawn bait.

Local rock and beach wizard Alex Bellissimo, of Bellissimo Bait, has landed another jewfish from Warriewood rocks. While it was a respectable 19.1kg, this wasn’t the biggest fish Alex has landed this year.

For all those who want to know Alex’s techniques, he now has a DVD out so you can share his secrets. It’s available at Narrabeen Bait and Tackle, Bohm’s Bait and Tackle Narrabeen, Fish Outta Water Manly Vale and the Outdoor Shack at Collaroy for around $29.95.

Remember, folks, this is your column. If you have any info, whether it be hits or misses, let me know. Email me at --e-mail address hidden-- If you have a pic, send it as an attachment with all the relevant information in hi-res format so we can print it.

The tournament bream boys are in town this month. If you want to see how the competition boats are rigged or talk to the soft-plastic gurus or see some monster fish weighed in, get down to Bayview Boat Ramp at Rowland Reserve on April 9 and 10 around 2pm. See you there.

Monthly tip: If there is one quality that makes for a good angler, it’s persistence. That never-say-die attitude, even when you have had a string of outs, will stand you in good stead for the future.

All experiences, good or bad, make up that learning curve and in fishing you never stop learning.