The last of the warmer weather is starting to fade as the days grow shorter and the oceans begin to cool. April is one of those magical months where just about every species available in Hervey Bay is up for grabs.

The Mary and Susan systems have had dirty brackish water from all the recent rain, which has made it tough going at times. The good news is that this has helped stir up the mud crabs and prawns that have been running the past month or so.

A few threadfin salmon and barra have continued to fish well on lures and live baits fished tight in the snags and eddies.

The reefs have been fishing well with good-sized red emperor, cod, trout and jobfish being caught off the 80m mark. The shoals has been the place to test tackle with GT smashing poppers and trolled skirted lures in the shallow parts of the reef.

Pelagics have been thick with plenty of tuna, mackerel, wahoo and billfish working the area. From the shoals heading north to the 13 Mile, sailfish, black marlin, mahi mahi and school yellowfin have kept the game fishers busy when the weather permits.

There have been good numbers of mac tuna and spotted mackerel working bait schools in Platypus Bay. As predicted the longtails have improved in numbers and have been feeding harder lately.

Soft plastics, lead slugs, trolled lures and rigged gars have all been effective on tuna takers, and the flyfisher have been giving them a touch up as well.

The local reefs have been performing well, with coral bream, blue parrot and blackall taking squid and crab baits, and cod, coral trout and golden trevally taking livies.

Moon Ledge, Sammys, Maringa Bommie and The Arty are all worth a try. The southern gutters have been a bit hot and cold with a few good coralies, parrot, cod and blackall on the reef.

There has been plenty of bait around the southern end of the gutters, keeping Spanish and school mackerel, longtails, cobia and mac tuna in the area.

The 25-fathom hole has been producing mackerel, tuna and cobia on the surface and hussar, nannygai, coralies and blackall for the bottom bashers. So if we get a bit of good weather, this month should be a beauty in Hervey Bay.