For the game fisherman it was Central Zone last weekend and Saturday saw Wollongong Game Club boat Murphy’s Lore out for a prospective look at what was about.

Happy days on board as Adam Priestly, a relatively new club member, caught a striped marlin that registered a very healthy 167.5 kilograms on the digital lie detector – a sensational way to open your billfish game fishing account – well done.

Reports suggested there were quite a few boats out from Sydney on Sunday with a couple of good sized yellowfin and albacore caught as well as a short billed spearfish and a smaller striped marlin.

Closer to home, the fishing was slow to say the least.

Saturday only saw a handful of boats head out and they were not out long as the southerly picked up quite early. On their return to the ramp, there wasn’t a great deal of action at the cleaning tables.

Sunday saw a few more boats hit the weather but conditions were uncomfortable at best and with the constant rain squalls it made for quite trying conditions.

There were a few pan sized reds at the tables and a few flathead but nothing to which we have become accustomed to over the past few weeks.

Reports suggest there are still some excellent flatties in size and quantity on offer and these will be sought after once the wind and current settles.

The rocks produced the better fish over last weekend with some brute drummer and bream from the washes as well as trevally and some solid tailor.

Beaches have still been fairly consistent for bream and whiting if you can get your hands on some fresh beach worms.

The jewfish seemed to have all but disappeared with even the little soapies playing hard to get for the past couple of weeks, but there have been heaps of salmon and tailor to make up as a by-catch.

Don’t forget to have a flick with a plastic into the inshore gutters for bream.