WINTER was slow to arrive in our area but, now it’s here, the weather gods are leaving us in no doubt as to what time of year it is.

Those cold north-westers blowing off the Barrington tops and the south-westers blowing off the snowfields down south sure know how to cool the old blood down.

However, all is not gloom and doom. The luderick are about in numbers around the rock groynes in Swansea Channel and the shallow seagrass flats around the shores of Lake Macquarie are also good places to try your luck on the striped fellows.

Drummer should be on the bite on the rock platforms between Swansea Heads and Catherine Hill Bay for rockhoppers game to brave the elements.

Lake Macquarie is still producing nice bream and flathead. Drifting lightly-weighted baits from the shallow water into the deeper holes is producing the best results for boaties.

Tailor are still turning up in the deeper waters around Pulbah Island. Get those lures down deep to hook up with those line-stretching greenbacks.

There are quite a few reports of good legal sized snapper coming from certain areas of the lake, but I’ve been tripping around the bush and haven’t had a chance to chase any of the reds. If I find out where they are biting I’ll pass on the info – at great risk to my arms and legs from local fishos.

Blacksmiths Beach has been producing good bags of tailor and salmon and I believe this trend will continue through August. Early mornings and evenings are the best times to chase them with whole pillies on ganged hooks.

The northern end of Lake Macquarie, from Belmont Bay north to Speers Point, seldom rates a mention as a high-profile fishing location. But there are plenty of interesting options in this area so here are a couple of places that could prove helpful for rounding up a feed of fish.

North from Belmont Bay, No 1 on the reference map, to No 2, Green Point, is mostly deep water, averaging around 10 metres. The area out from the rocky shores between Green Point and Valentine fishes well for bream, whiting and flathead.

Trolling the deeper waters from Belmont Bay to Green Point can produce some quality tailor and the odd jewie.

Between Valentine and Eleebana is Croudace Bay, where are numerous moorings. In Lake Macquarie moored boats usually mean big bream.

Casting lures to and around the moored boats can have some of these big silver critters heading for the landing net. The soft Vibrotail lures work well for this type of angling. Cast close to the moorings and let the lure sink to the bottom. The retrieve should be slow with a flick or two of the rod tip to get that extra action.

There is an excellent boat ramp in Croudace Bay that is user-friendly for most larger craft and two-wheel drive vehicles. During the Summer this area is popular for water skiing and PWC craft so take care in the busy periods.

If the fish are not on the bite, this area of the lake is a beautiful place for just cruising, or maybe dropping in a few dilly pots and catching a feed of blue swimmer crabs.

A majority of people from all walks of life take a lot out and put little back in. Not so with Pete Sanderson, from The Fishermans Warehouse at Marks Point.

Pete has put together an eight-week fishing course designed to teach people who are doing it tough how to fish and stay out of trouble. Score 100 out of 100, Pete – well done. Phone him on 02 4945 2152.

No 1.

A selection of softies that work on bream and flathead and sometimes get shredded by those toothy tailor. The soft lures are excellent for casting around moored boats.

No 2.

Moored boats around Lake Macquarie are great places to test your casting skills targeting wily bream.