The full moon has almost passed with the dark not far away, so the prawn gear should be dusted off and checked over and also the crabs pots and dilly nets.

Rumours have circulated of a few muddies being taken in the lake the past two weeks and of course plenty of blue swimmers but the sizes are a bit patchy./

Mostly all are legal, just remember to stick to your bag limits.

Beach fishing was popular the past week and the evenings and the tide change in the morning produced fish. It also helped most anglers cool down by dipping more than their toes in the surf.

Plenty of decent-sized tailor were on the bite and so were whiting – so it was ganged pillies for the tailor and worms baits or fresh pipis for the excellent-sized whiting.

Offshore the marlin bite slowed a bit but that was more due to the 130mm plus of rain we had across the area mid last week.

  Forecast says it is clearing and with the moon on the wane the beaky bite should only get better, especially with all the bait fish.

If a feed is what you’re after, the inshore drifts were proving productive as the wider current made it impossible to reach the bottom but the flathead size averaged around 40cm.

Don’t forget Compleat Angler Illawarra’s $5000 fishing challenge where the February target species are tailor and dolphinfish (mahi-mahi).