As I write this report the first north-easterly winds of the season are blowing, a sure sign of the march towards Summer.

Although the air temperature is rising the ocean always lags a month or two behind and while October can produce almost Summer -like days, things can be cool and slow beneath the surface.

Inshore surface species often save the day with salmon, tailor and kings hot to trot right along the Central Coast. In years gone by you could add mackerel tuna to the list but unfortunately they appear to be a thing of the past here.

If you live in an area where they are prevalent, take care of them because you will miss them when they are gone. Their eating qualities are zero and their thick skins make them a second-rate strip bait but jeez they can fight! You'd drive straight through schools of other surface species to get one cast at a school of fast-moving macks.

With most fish between 6kg and 8kg,on lighter spin gear you could forget about anything else happening in your life for up to 40 minutes at a time. Early mornings and late arvos were prime times with small chrome slices and blindingly fast retrieves the go. Live yakkas and slimies would also draw their attention.

Some great catches of reds come in from the Central Coast’s numerous reef and gravel patches at this time of year and if you feel like a rush, put one out live on the surface for a mako shark.

From 60 to 80 metres is the preferred depth for the reds while drifting the 50-metre line should account for more flathead than you probably need. Long strip baits on paternoster rigs seem to do the trick. Striped tuna hopefully will show but they too seem to be going down the same path as the macks.

Salmon, tailor and a few bream and drummer should keep the shore-based anglers busy, along with luderick in the washes.

Fishing in the rivers and estuaries fishing is often quiet in October with a few flathead, bream, blackfish and the odd small jewie about. But this can all change later in the month.

Overall, if I gave October a 3 out of 10 for fishing, I would have to give November a 9.The fishing really is that much better.

My diaries show that last year the fishing picked up in the last week of October with multiple jewies coming in almost every outing for almost all of November, as well as kings and big flatties. So who knows what this year will bring?

I recently had the pleasure of testing one of my new Shimano Torsa 30s on a couple of kings to 10kg aboard my new boat wide of Broken Bay. Credit where it is due, these reels are nothing short of amazing. With a 5.8:1 retrieve and the ability to outcast just about anything anywhere, as well as a lever drag that can fish over 40kg of drag, they truly are a reel to die for. Be warned: if you use one you will want one.