The weather has been average but the fishing has been alright for those who've ventured out.
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And with mostly sunny weather looming the next four to five days, fishing prospects are looking positive.
Call them mad or just motivated, but when glory beckons it's amazing what hardships people are willing to endure.
Stalwart Newcastle District Anglers Association spokesman Craig Oaten knows this all too well, after swooping late in the last event of the NDAA calendar held last weekend in really crap conditions to claim overall season honours.
Indeed only 10 hardy souls fronted.
Heading into the event, the time-honoured Graham Dorse Memorial, Shannon Denning was leading with Craig and Jason Downey tied in second place.
But for reasons unexplained, Shannon opted not to fish. It could have been the wind, the rain, the cold, the thunder - but that didn't stop Oaten from making his move.
"Conditions were horrendous - but the fishing was OK," Craig said. "I had lined up a boat but when I saw the weather, I decided to fish the rocks up around Fingal Bay and got drummer, luderick and some bream."
Clearly driven by bloody minded determination, Oaten came home with a wet sail, make that drenched, to comfortably eclipse the field.
Simon Howard, winner of the last NDAA comp (saltwater boat comp) ended up tied for second with Jason.
"Simon only caught 10 fish but had a weight of 18kg, which is pretty good," Craig said. "His standout fish was a 4.1kg salmon."
This is only the third time in about 30 years Oaten has reigned supreme in the NDAA and he's not sure he's sent a message to his rivals, but he reckons his body has sent one to his brain.
"Don't do it again," Craig said. "I was very sore Monday morning having fished from 1pm Saturday to 2am Sunday morning. I probably walked around 12km."
Redhead beat Golden Eagle in the team event by 14 points.
There's no rest for the NDAA crew as the 2019-20 season kicks off July 6-7 with a rock comp before breaking then until November.
Brave effort
Rathmine Bowling Club Fishing Club members were also active last weekend and enjoyed decent results in challenging conditions.
"Eight guys fished our monthly outing and 30kg of fish were weighed in which is pretty decent," club spokesman Andrew "Deep" Fry said.
"Guys fished the lake and ocean, beach and rocks and if I told you specifically where I'd have to kill you, but I can report Craig 'Wood Duck' Woodman got lots of drummer and luderick off local lake rocks fishing with Mark Stevenson.
"Mark Stansfield fished the lake and bagged out on the tailor, while overall outing winner David 'Grunny' Grunsell got bream and flathead."
Rathmines Bowlo Fishing Club is always looking for new members and caters to the whole family with men, lady, junior and tadpole divisions.
The club fishes every third weekend of the month, holds a monthly meeting at the bowlo the following Tuesday and runs raffles at the club each Friday afternoon.
For more info give Andrew a call on 0407 751 716.
Baiting rivals
The Rathmines Bowlo crew are throwing down the gauntlet to their rivals at Wangi RSL into the run-up for the "Just Cruising Classic", contested between the two clubs each year in September.
"We fish in honour of four guys who were members of Wangi RSL Fishing Club who tragically passed away at sea a while back and we're just sending out a reminder that we hope they turn up this year," Deep said.
"The guys at Wangi reckon they got their dates mixed up last year but we were there waiting at the ramp and no one turned up.
"So we're looking forward to beating them proper this year rather than by forfeit."
Fighting words if ever there were.
System flush
Plenty to bream around the bay according to Paul 'Ringo' Lennon, from Fish Port Stephens Estuary Charters.
"Lots of jew being caught after the big rain this week, with fish up to 20kg," Ringo reported.
"Plenty of other winter stuff around too. Everyone's donging luderick. Lots of squid and cuttlefish around.
"Some decent reds coming off the islands and up toward to Ediths. Early morning and late afternoon being the key to success.
"Been a few tailor getting around the beaches as well and some nice bream in the gutters. Hit them on the tide changes is the key."
Prawn raid
Robert Gauta from Newcastle Fishing Co-op reports the break in the bad weather allowed crews to get out and gather king prawns which are about in numbers in water up to around 80 fathoms off Newcastle.
"We're just about at the end of the local king prawn season though," he said.