It’s been an exciting time for those venturing offshore targeting the game species with a few marlin starting to get about. Most of the action has happened along the shelf line and further East so it’s a decent trip out to where the fish are. On the weekend several striped marlin were raised in lure spreads, one was hooked but lost but at least we are starting to see a few get about. It is early but with the water around the 20.5 degree mark it’s not surprising and with plenty of bait the beakie action should only get better. Trolling a mixture of skirts is the go so your covering the ground, the fish are not thick so a lot of miles may be done before you see some action. Try using skirts no bigger than 12 inches early in the season, these sizes also give you a double chance at yellowfin tuna and even the odd bigger albacore will snaffle them down. If the beaks are not for you then there’s been plenty of albacore caught, mostly around that 8 kilo will skirts and mid sized bibbed minnows getting results. The odd yellowfin is still being caught with the best l have heard of this week going 32 kilo, not big but still fun. With the weather outlook for the next 3 days it might be tough heading wide with strong NE winds predicted, but early next week looks great and l expect a few local crews to head wide and get amongst them. Closer to shore the flathead have been going gang busters with a mixture of sand and tigers making up most anglers bags. Surprisingly the tigers have been in shallow water also with the 28-34 meter line off Short point excellent over recent days. Hopefully this will continue and boaties can get out early before the wind gets up and smack a decent feed. Down south off Eden the kings at Mowarry have been tough.
Some crews are getting the odd fish but they are spooky at present, surely it can’t be long before they decide to chew as there’s plenty of them there as the spear fishers have been seeing plenty with some huge hoodlums in excess of 25 kilo amongst them.

On the beaches the salmon have made a welcome appearance again this week with the main beach at Tura a stand-out. We have had countless anglers come in and telling us of their success with anglers casting 30-40 gram metal shiners faring best. The fish are in big schools but moving quite quick along the beach so actively trying to keep up with a school has seen some anglers catching in excess of 20 fish a session which is great fun in anyone’s books. The main beach at Merimbula is still seeing some cracking whiting being taken on pipi and beachworm, the fish are in close to shore just past the shore dump so don’t go casting over them. Down at Haycock there’s been a few decent tailor caught plus a few bream, striped tuna strips has worked a treat on the bream.

Off the rocks this wind won’t help anyone with Tathra wharf which has been the regions hot spot for the past few weeks will be hard to fish with the wind coming straight onshore. The mornings might still be OK but you would want to be early. There’s still been plenty of kingfish action with the best this past week around 14 kilo, a great fish with the same local angler loosing two bigger fish that were unstoppable. I expect this to continue with a few bonito also hitting the shore line especially those casting sub surface minnows.

In the estuaries the top lake at Merimbula continues to produce with flatehead, bream, trevally, tailor, whiting and flounder all having a feast at times. The margins in 4-5 meters of water has been great for the flatties with the gravel bommies that litter the main basin being excellent for the other species. The tailor size has eased up with the majority of fish now around the 30-35cm mark, look for the working birds and you will soon be in business. Those after a feed of prawns are in for a treat with the NEW moon tomorrow. The entrance to the Bega River and Merimbula lakes has been good, there are some ok reports about Wallagoot with the southern shore line being best.