The weather in recent months is reminiscent of the 1960s and 1970s, with westerly winds blowing consistently, frosts and no rain.

The westerlies flatten the sea and make the water on the beaches and around the headlands very clear and the fish will not come in close to the beaches or rocks.

If this weather continues then October should be one of the best months for fishing.

Traditionally, the larger jewfish are caught in October. There were always more jew over 25kg caught in this month and the old-timers whose boom years were 50 years ago always said that the best time to get a big jew was on the full moon in October.

Perhaps this year will be the same, with the weather consistent with that of 50 years ago.

Apart from a few bream and flathead upstream, there have not been many fish caught in the lower parts of the Manning.

Luderick have been the only species numerous enough to chase but despite their numbers, some days have not provided many fish.

School jew have also been on and off, with the best fish going 18kg. Come October, results should be better.

The flathead should be moving downstream and the bait schools should be moving into the estuary and up the river.

Plastics and live bait would be the best ways to target a big mulloway under these conditions.

While the beaches are pretty quiet at present, they should be formed up quite well by October because the north-easterlies will be blowing by then.

Live yellowtail or squid heads would be the baits to try for a jew in the gutters or from the rocks.

Sometimes a bobby cork rig is better suited for rock fishing because it lets you cover more ground and produces fewer snags.

Drummer and groper will be on the bite as well but take care and do not fish the exposed rocks in a southerly or south-easterly sea.

The outside anglers have had the best results of the past few weeks.

Snapper, pearl perch, flathead, leatherjackets and jew have made up the bulk of the catches. The best snapper was up around 7kg while about 15kgs topped the jewie haul.

Come October, the surface fish should be around in plenty for those who like trolling and the big snapper will be in close on the full moon.

There have been heaps of slimy mackerel around the close bommies and they make excellent live bait and slabs for floating down the tide.

This is the time for the angler who likes to tackle big fish.

There is always the chance that a live bait or a fresh slab will entice a jew to have a munch while in the estuary, luderick will provide plenty of entertainment for the land-based angler.