What a strange year we’ve had – the weather fines up and the river subsides. The fishing comes good and another east coast low comes again and we start again. With the huge volumes of water that have come down the rivers, it should make the entrance deep and navigable for some time giving the anglers good access to Bass Straight and taking the pressure of Cape Conrad boat ramp.

Through all the deluge and rain, offshore has been fishing well, weather permitting. Anglers have reported mixed bins of good size flathead, gurnard, squid, barracouta, pinkie snapper and gummy shark. The best results drifting for flathead are using white bait, blue bait and pilchards or fishing at anchor for gummy shark using squid or pilchards. The surf beaches fish well all year round with big schools of salmon and tailor patrolling the beaches. For the best results, use surf rods and baitfish with an additional popper or light tackle and spinning metal lures.

Between flood events, which have been far too often, the fishing has been excellent. With the deep entrance, it allows huge volumes of water to come into the estuary. With all that water, many schools of fish enter and repopulate the whole estuary. Anglers have reported capturing estuary perch fishing mid river using sandworms. Schools of mullet can be found throughout and can be caught on sandworms. Bream have also been taken in good numbers using sandworms, shelled prawn and black crabs. Salmon and tailor are taken on the in coming tide down near the entrance using metal lures.