Unfortunately it's all been happening against the backdrop of a catastrophic fire season across Australia and our hearts go out to those affected.

Scenes of people jumping in boats to escape the inferno on the south coast, fire trucks engulfed by flame and houses and townships destroyed have been horrendous.

Hats off to the heroic firies who have battled long and hard to defend lives and properties.

It reminds us how lucky we have been in the Hunter so far, but it's definitely not the time to get complacent.

The scale of the fire threat has had an impact on holiday fishing locally, according to Jason "One For" Nunn, from Fisherman's Warehouse at Marks Point.

"I've noticed a lot less people coming through the door," he said.

"I reckon a lot of people are in bad positions because of the drought. The place is as dry as a chip and you only need an ember to get it flamed up. A lot of people who live near bushland aren't prepared to leave in case they have to defend their properties. We need to be vigilant."

Fishing has been really good in local estuaries despite these concerns.

Plenty of flathead, jew, bream and whiting around.

The constant nor-easterlies of the last week have had an impact on water temps, with the mercury dropping down as low as 17 degrees in places.

That has had a tendency to shut down fishing offshore, although it hasn't affected snapper.

Out on the Shelf temps have been hovering around 21 degrees, and out wider up to 23 degrees with reports of marlin and mahi mahi about.

"Extremely low tides have made bar crossings particularly perilous of a morning and afternoon for those boats venturing in or out," Jason said.

Lake Macquarie has been holding up well for flathead, bream and jew this week despite increased boat traffic the result of holiday makers.

"It's been a bit manic for people with lots of boats about, but not everyone is fishing," Jason said.

"On the back of the prawn run Wayne Flanagan had a drift Boxing Day and got half a dozen flathead, all in two hours, just drifing past other boats who were getting nothing.

"Renowned flathead angler Steve Norris tagged a PB 95cm lizard amongst the crowd on Swansea channel this week and we've had really good reports from throughout the estuary.

"Luke Huff and Justin Morley fished pre-NYE and got two nice jew, one a 95cm fish to Huffy which broke his duck, and the other went 75cm. They also got five or six decent flathead, all before dark.

"The system is holding up well. You just need to have a dig."

Swansea channel has been typically awash with water craft this week, with many anglers trying their luck for kingfish.

Despite the crowds, some anglers have boated silver bullets up to 95cm.

Brent "Hammer" Hancock, from Tackle World Port Stephens reports a few little kings in the bay this week, but the big story is whiting.

"It's been worms worms worms up here as the whiting bite goes off," Hammer reported yesterday.

"We can't keep up with demand for live tube worms.

"Joel Abercrombie weighed a 48cm fish this week and places like Birubi and Samurai have been going off.

"There's also some good flatties around and a few snapper too.

"Matt Flannery weighed a nice red caught on a plastic just outside.

"There's been the odd jew caught too, but the tides haven't been that good with highs through the day, but I expect that to improve over the next seven days."

The bag limit for whiting is 20 per person and it's well worth considering how many you really need.

"Twenty fish per person is a lot of fish if everyone gets 20 each," Jason said.

"They are not all born 35cm and it's worth considering how sustainable they'll be as a species if everyone on holidays takes home 20 fish each each day."

Having said that, tube worms are the go if you're after whiting.

Bream don't mind worms either but really respond well to Hawkesury River prawns, mullet strips or lures.

With a nor-easter predicted to settle in Saturday, and then a southerly on Sunday, Jason suggests anglers might be advised to get stuck in today or early Saturday.

"With low tide in the morning, the Hunter River or Swansea channel might be a better proposition before that cool water starts flowing in," he said.

"Or in the afternoon fish the lake where the water temps remain pretty good, particularly the further south you head towards the power stations."