The bass and estuary perch in the middle sections of the Hawkesbury have been pretty average with only a few fish caught on most outings. The main reason is the water is like mud and smells.

With all the rain we have had the muddy water comes down South Creek and Cattai Creek with all the new houses and industry being built in these catchments. As soon as we get a good down fall the water turns to mud.

On the brighter side, the bass fishing has been good above Windsor with plenty bass caught around the weed beds and under the trees on small diving and surface lures. Best colours have been green and yellow and purple in the divers and darker colours for the surface.

The Hawkesbury Bass club held its annual fishing comp with good numbers of fish being caught near the mouth of the Colo River. Most of the fish were caught on lures trolled down deep and spinnerbaits slow rolled over the bottom.

The bass fishing around Penrith has been good with plenty fish caught above and below the weir. Some of the locals have been walking downstream and casting to the edges of the weed beds and under the overhanging trees. Surface lures and small spinner baits have been working best.

In March the fishing in Sydney Harbour was slow with some kingfish, bonito and tailor in the main Harbour. Middle Harbour has been suffering from all the rain and stormwater run-off. There has been plenty of bait around but few predators

There are fish around the headlands and when the seas have allowed I have been trolling 15 and 20 Deep X Raps close to the washes and over drop-offs for bonito and kings.

There have been a few bigger kings around North Head. I hooked one in 22m of water and handed the rod over to a client and watched the line peel off the reel until the fish reached the bottom. No more fish, no more $24 lure.

Offshore there should be the last of the mahi mahi around the FADs and fish traps. I can remember a few years ago we were still catching them until early May so let’s hope that the warmer currents keep coming down.

The bream fishing has been good around moored boats and jetties, especially on Bass Minnows and Gulp Minnows fished on 1/32oz jig heads.

Cast as close as you can to the boat, post, jetty, pontoon or any other structure, let the lure sink while watching your line for any sudden movement that might indicate a bream having a bite.

Once the lure hits the bottom or is at the required depth, give it a twitch with the rod tip, let it sit, then work it back with a lift-and-fall retrieve.

If you feel a bite, drop the rod tip to allow fish to take the lure, then the lift the rod to hook up.

Small crankbaits are also catching their share of bream. Cast the lure past the structure so the lure can get down to the right depth as it goes past. When the lure is near the structure, pause it for a second and give it twitch before retrieving at a slow speed.

Remember not to strike the fish with the rod, let the rod load and ease your rod back to set the hook.

Sportsfishing Boats Australia sells Stratos and Ranger bass boats and is seeking expressions of interest from tournament angler in helping promote our boats in competitions around the State. Special pricing applies on a limited number of boats, call me on 0408 334 892.