The heavens are set to open over the next couple of days which may prove a blessing in disguise for the December prawn run.
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A bit of rain and a southerly wind provide perfect conditions for a big prawn run.
"Prawns use the wind and rain to assist their promotion to the sea, and a southerly along with the rain is going to give them a good flush," Jason "One For" Nunn, from Fishermans Warehouse at Marks Point, said.
"December you generally get a good prawn run anyhow, but these conditions will be perfect.
"And with Christmas, this will be a great chance to stock the freezer."
Even though conditions won't be that comfortable, the fishing will still be good.
"It won't be torrential rain, just easterly-type showers," Jason said.
"If you hunker down on the edges of the channel you'll get great whiting and bream.
"Just look for the change of tides."
Speaking of which, the high tides this weekend will be perfect, running out just on dusk both Saturday and Sunday.
"Get out there just after dark and prawn through the run-out tide is my advice," Jason said.
Anglers have been reporting a lot of squid activity in the lake this week too.
it could be tied in with the prawns, or just part of the seasonal movement this time of year.
"Either way, look for jew and kingfish to get in behind them," Jason said.
"There's still a few flathead about but they're more concentrated in the shallow areas."
Pelagic orgy
Fishing out wide won't be much of an option this weekend due to inclement weather, but those who ventured wide last weekend enjoyed a field day.
The ocean was alive with bait on Saturday, attracting mountains of birdlife, albacore, yellowfin, striped and blue marlin and even a short-billed spearfish.
"Conditions were unbelievable," said Jason, who ventured out aboard Fifi.
"It was like an Alfred Hitchcock movie - that may birds. Yellowfin smashing the surface, albacore, marlin - a pelagic orgy of fish.
"Gary Hoff hooked but lost what looked like a very good blue.
"I know guys were getting stripes up off Port Stephens.
"I understand Newcastle Game Fishing Club reported their first marlin for the season.
"It was unbelievable.
"By the end of the day I couldn't wind another fish in and we basically left them biting. Totally manic.
"We were in 1000 fathoms, and the water was flat and unbelievably calm
"Heading in past the 600 fathoms we passed three or four more schools of yellowfin.
"The ocean was alive."
Boats that heard the news Saturday headed out Sunday and there wasn't a bird, albacore or anything else in sight.
"Couldn't get two days so polar opposite," Jason said.
"But that's fishing. You can't catch them on the bank and some days are better than others.
"It's definitely been the best fin and albacare fishing in my living memory and coming into the new season, with the amount of bait out there at the moment, you'd have to say the table is set.
"If we don't get affected by big currents in the coming months, we could be in for an amazing season."
Raising funds
It was a big day for Teralba Lakesiders Fishing Club last Sunday.
The club held its final weigh-in for the year, handed over $2000 to the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service and even had an appearance from Lake legend John Paul Young who supports the club through donation of prizes for the raffles.
"It was a good weigh-in too with a few jew, some great snapper and a lot of whiting," club spokesperson Randal Mason said. "We also held a memorial for life member Claude Cruikshank."
Local catches
Big bream are biting around Anna Bay according to eight-year-old Olivia Paunovic, 6 who landed a 43cm bream fishing with pippis.
Matt Jarrett caught and released a magnificent flathead in Lake Macquarie this week. Must have been nearly a metre long judging by the pic.
Ray of sunshine
Angler Ray Martyn, not to be mixed up with the TV icon Ray Martin, took overall honours at the Edgeworth Tavern Fishing Club weigh-in last week.
"The highlight of Ray's bag was a 10kg cleaned mulloway caught on Stockton Beach on Sunday," club spokesperson Gary Daniels said. "Peter Adams won best bag and best fish for the juniors."
Making his Mark
Mark Redman took first place at Charlestown Anglers' last outing of the year, held last week.
Mark did his damage on the rocks around Dudley, landing drummer, tailor and salmon.
Scott Nugent and Karl Lappin christened Karl's new boat with some handy snapper up to 4kg and an 80cm kingie fishing Broughton Island on the Friday.