Things usually kick off 7-10 days after the full moon and by that standard we may start to see a bit of action from Sunday onwards.

This is sure to kick-start estuary fishing and usually heralds the swing into summer.

"The fish have been stacking up already in anticipation of this event," Jason 'One For' Nunn, from Fisherman's Warehouse at Marks Point, said.

"As a fishing person, you wait for and work around these periods - tides, migrations etc.

"Having prawns in the system will really get the estuary going.

"We've had rains in the lead-up too which is always good for the prawns.

"That first run is not so usually heavy in terms of quantity but quality-wise, it's traditionally the best.

"Those eastern seaboard kings will be making their way out - 90 per cent will be juveniles, but there's usually some nice big mature ones in this first prawn run too.

"The pros are already getting eastern kings off the coast and this run will really enhance that."

Prawns in the system is great news for whiting, bream and flathead fishos.

"There's been some great whiting showing up over the holidays," Jason said.

"Turning up in the shallower spots.

"The thing that is encouraging is that even though there's been a lot of holiday crowds about, people have still been catching fish.

"One angler, I think it was Luke Ashman, got a 47cm bream this week, which is a cracking fish caught in the middle of day amongst and possibly despite the heavy holiday boat traffic.

"Wayne Flanagan fished two days through the week and got over 20 lizards - incredible fishing he said.

"Two of those fish were over 90cm and of course all the big ones he put back, but he said it was a great couple of days fishing."

Wayne reports he didn't get any jew but by the sounds of it, he may be the only one.

"There's been lots of talk about the amount of mulloway coming out of the lake over the last couple of weeks," Jason said.

"Fish from 60cm up to 110cm, which I call 'recruitment fish', meaning they're the next generation of jew coming through.

"Very healthy, silver fish. The whole run up to the full moon last weekend, the jew fishing was out of sight.

"Also some nice crabs around.

"It's getting better and better, and the prawn run will be the icing on the cake."

A dramatic drop in water temps the result of the first major nor-easter that blew in last weekend, and a bit of swell has made it tough fishing outside this week.

"Temps dropped down to about 16 degrees as the strong north-east winds rolled the water over," Jason said.

"The colour went all wrong and it's been a bit average, but to be honest, that's kind of typical this time of year.

"We need a week's worth of southerly to turn the water back over. It looks like we might get a bit of a southerly change Saturday night, but probably not enough to make much of a difference.

"There's been some nice fish in the deep water - reds and kings.

"Anywhere from 70m to 100m of water depth.

"Kings up to a metre were hooked last weekend.

"They're about in in good number because it's spawning time, but you just have to keep eye on the wind and swell.

"There's still a few yellowfin about out wide with reports of water temps up to 25 degrees on the Shelf, with the odd marlin spotted."

For those finding the bite shut down by the cold water in places like Swansea Channel, Jason recommends you get out early and try to fish the last of the tides.

"The beginning will come in quite cold and that ocean water will shut the fish down," he said.

"Try and avoid fishing those first couple of hours of the incoming tide because there's too much of a sudden temperature drop.

"Wait for the tide to ease and the warmer Lake water to push up against it.

"Temps will rise and the fish will come back up on the bite."

The NSW Government has amended bag limits for cockle (pipi) collection.

From October 14, bag limits will be reduced to 20 per person per day to ensure balance between managing numbers into the future while providing a catch for recreational fishers.

Get caught and you face $500 on-the-spot fines up to a maximum penalty of $22,000 and/or six-month imprisonment.

For your chance to win the $45 Fish of the Week prize courtesy of Tackle Power Sandgate, email your pics to fishing@newcastleherald.com.au with catch and contact details.