Nearly every outing over the past three months has involved getting out the full wet-weather gear and I’m getting sick of coming home with hands that look like a rotting apple and a boat that needs a week to dry out.

But those who have taken on the elements have been rewarded with some good fishing. Hopefully Mother Nature will be kind to us this month and send all her rain west of the range and give our estuaries a chance to settle down.

Those hitting the rocks and beaches recently have been rewarded with some tailor and with good formations appearing on the beaches, this month should be no different. Point Perpendicular and Grants Head will be good starting points.

I’ve had reports of fish favouring baits that have been allowed to sink then steadily retrieved back to the surface, indicating the schools are sitting deep.

I always like to fish in the reverse manner, retrieving fast across the surface for a few metres then gradually working the bait lower in the water column until the bites start to happen.

This time of year tailor bites generally last only a short time, generally at first light or late in the evening.

Those targeting bream and tailor off the beaches should fare well with worms, pilchards and pipis. Don’t dismiss throwing soft plastics, the 6” Berkley Sandworms should work a treat fished as you would a live worm.

Offshore action has been consistent when conditions allow for nice snapper and samson fish. Around the traps and the FAD, mahi mahi have been showing up and providing fun on light gear. Kingfish and cobia are still about.

If the big fella upstairs is kind to us this month the estuaries should be reasonably good.

Those working surface lures for bream are still being rewarded with nice fish which have been generally feeding all day when it’s overcast.

Flathead have been missing in action and the obvious reason is the fresh. Hopefully this month they’ll move back and start feeding up on the numerous baitfish appearing in the lower reaches on the run-in tide.

Mulloway will also be moving in and you’ll find them lurking for a feed in deep holes. Around the bridges and some of the deeper banks in the Maria should prove good at first and last light.

Good schools of bream should be on the walls and those using bait after dark should do handsomely. Fresh baits and light presentations will have you fooling some of those larger sea bream moving back into the estuary.

Luderick will also move into the groove. There have been some consistent catches all Summer on the coal walls.

Weedy areas will be worth a try for garfish. A small trail of breadcrumbs should get them interested, then present them peeled prawn pieces under quill floats and you’ll have fun and a tasty feed.

Surface and subsurface pencils, stickbaits and small bibbed minnow lures are working well for bream. Work the lure across the surface, getting the attention of fish in the area, then dip it below the surface with a slow pull and gently let it rise. I’ve found fish crunch the lure below the surface or on the pause.

Ideally you need to use a suspending lure, for this task but a simply applying a small amount of lead tape to the under belly can allow it to stay below the surface for a few seconds.

I’ve been using Bassday Sugar Minnows, shallow-running Jackall Chubbies, KP Presso Cranks, Tiemco Pencils and Stick Minnows and Lucky Craft Pencils and Bevy Props. Give the technique a try.