Many of the locals are wondering where all the whiting in the Lewis Channel has gone. Very few anglers are bagging out, and getting seven or so is considered a rather good day. However, most anglers have consoled themselves with reasonable numbers of silvers taken mainly at low water on pipis, Bass yabbies and squid.

The entrance has been fairly good with flathead, snapper and gummies taken when the water flow is not too fast.

I was talking to some visiting anglers who were repeating what others had been saying; that arrow and calamari squid are everywhere. They are not only great on the table, but they also make very good bait for a variety of other fish.

Cindy Rose, who runs the local general store, reports that the local jetty has been popular with visitors and locals. Everyone seems to be doing well on the run-in tide catching elephantfish, silvers, flathead and mullet.

Other reports state that outside the entrance reasonable numbers of salmon, gummies and kingfish are being taken when conditions have allowed.

Greg Buckland runs a charter boat out from Sandy Point and says that he has been having some great trips with very good numbers of salmon, tailor, snapper and gummy sharks. Greg says that he has also had many productive trips outside the entrance and the way things are going there are no signs of things slowing down.

Just a short distance to the west is Shall Inlet where whiting to 45cm have been taken, which is slightly unusual as they are generally a little smaller, but no one is complaining. At this time year it is expected that the whiting population will be replaced by huge schools of silvers and salmon. Even though this has not happened yet, Greg Buckland says they should turn up shortly.

The devastating bushfires have had a very negative effect on the tourist population, however, anglers are slowly starting to return to the area and most are going home with smiles on their faces.

When fishing in the region take along a variety of baits. If you have no luck then try surface lures as reports have indicated they are turning up good salmon captures. Experienced fishers know that the idea is to keep the smallish salmon for the table after being bled, as the larger ones are a bit on the bland side.