October can mark the beginning of the game season, with many small to mid-range tuna, sharks and maybe even an early season billfish, so I reckon you have to give it a try.

Trolling is the obvious way to go at this time of year.

Different styles and actions of lures are often needed to determine what the fish are focusing on. A mixture of small to medium skirts with a couple of bibbed or bibless lures is worth spreading out.

Once you find what the fish are taking then you can concentrate your efforts.

Albacore and striped, bluefin or yellowfin tuna are all likely to fall to this method, especially wide of the continental shelf.

If you are lucky enough to have found tuna or you want something different and bigger, try berleying with the tuna out over one of the canyons for a big mako shark. They are likely to be following these fish.

While you wait for a shark to come along and if you have the appropriate reels, try some deep water angling for tasty fish from the abyss in the form of blue-eye trevalla, ling cod, perch, hapuku or gemfish.

Kingfish may be at Montague Island and it’s definitely worth a look, just in case.

What have turned up offshore are flathead, and plenty of them. Big, juicy tiger flathead are spread up and down the coast in 40m-60m-plus depths.

There are also some nice sand flatties, a few gummy sharks and the odd small whaler. If you drift onto the reef snapper, morwong, perch, pigfish and nannygai are also likely to start featuring.

Back on shore, with the warming weather there is action starting up in the many estuaries around Bermagui, most of which are containing prawn stocks.

This is a good time for lure anglers, with prawn imitations taking the lion’s share.

Most of the shallower reaches of the upper systems are producing reasonable flathead, bream, tailor and the occasional jewfish. Wallaga Lake is the pick.

For those wishing to fish nippers or prawns, the Bermagui River is loaded with big luderick over the weedy flats and other species like whiting, bream, trevally and mullet are also strong by-catch.

This is also a good river to fish at night under the lights of the main bridge. The lights reflect the silhouettes of passing baitfish or crustaceans, making easy prey for the predators lurking in the shallows.

Anglers can use lures or baits to enjoy some very interesting sessions.

Don’t forget, the annual Brogo Bass Bash, now in its 15th year, will be held on Brogo Dam on December 6-8. Anyone wishing to join this great fun weekend should call me on 0427 934 688 or visit www.fscbsa.weebly.com to download an entry form. Also check out the FSCBSA Facebook page.