Some water might not be clear yet but the weather will be for most of the Easter long weekend in a boost for fishos encouraged by improving conditions following last month's floods.
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Predictions of rain late on Monday appear the only negative in weather forecasts for the Easter holidays, which come as warnings continue about the dangers for boaters from floating debris.
A 2.5-metre wide water tank off Redhead was among the debris spotted locally as anglers ventured out again after the recent wild weather but the fishing on offer was on the up.
Jason "One For" Nunn, from Fishermans Warehouse at Marks Point, was among those who headed offshore to the Shelf last Saturday on Lake Macquarie boat Fifi.
He said there was only minor debris but "you've just got to have your wits about you and watch things as you go out".
The Fifi crew caught a striped marlin and a wahoo in water around the 26 degrees mark and he believed good weather this weekend would encourage more to head out.
"There were a couple of striped and black marlins caught last weekend," he said.
"I know off Sydney they got a few yellowfin and marlin as well.
"It's looking good for this weekend because there's some good water a fair way out and there might be some yellowfin around.
"There will be a few boats out there seeing if they can get some.
"I think there will be some really good results."
He said kings and snapper were also on the cards.
"The guys fishing on the inshore reefs have got some nice reds, and last week there were some reds and kings caught out deeper on the Texas and Farm areas. There was a bit of current out there but they were catching them."
One angler who won't be heading back out is Michael Walker, who had his foot sliced open on the Fifi when the wahoo broke loose on deck.
Walker had 12 external stitches, and more interior ones, put in the gash and he will be in a moon boot for two weeks.
Brent "Hammer" Hancock, from Tackleworld Port Stephens, ventured out on Monday to Broughton Island and saw logs and plastic chairs among the post-flood debris. A mate of his who went out on Thursday said there was a telegraph pole in the same area.
"But the fishing is good," he said.
"I had a really good session on Monday and caught longtail tuna, snapper and cobia for a good Easter feed."
INSIDE RUNNING
Bream has been the talk in Lake Macquarie as big tides have helped clear up the water.
"We've had really big tidal exchanges on this full moon, particularly on the lake, which has benefited it," Nunn said.
"We've had 1.9-metre high tides in the morning and 1.8m at night. We're just about to do the flip-over and have big, high tides of an evening and smaller ones of a morning.
"Yesterday, we started to get a bit of colour in the incoming tide in the channel, so things are on the repair.
"The tidal exchanges of basically 1.5m a day have been great and the lake is getting rid of a lot of fresh water, and we're getting that under-water coming through the saltwater.
"There's been some really good reports this week of bream. There's a lot around. Everyone I'm talking to and seeing photographs of are catching very good bream.
"There's a few squire around and a few flatheads, although don't expect too much from the flathead because a lot of them have moved out. There's quite a few now on the backs of the beaches and the reefs after being flushed out of the system.
"The pelagic fish, like tailor and salmon, have made an appearance this week. Tailor have been back in reasonable numbers along the beaches and rocks, and in the channel and lake.
"And surprisingly there's been a few salmon in the channel, and big ones at that."
There were similar reports from the Bay.
"The bay is starting to happen now, especially in the lower half," Hancock said.
"There's plenty of bream and flatties there, flushed down with that rain, so there's plenty of good fishing.
"The ocean beaches are on fire at the moment. There's been some big tailor up at Fingal, and also flatties, bream, whiting and even some mulloway over the past week."
Damien Slavin, from Freddy's Fishing World at Broadmeadow, said snapper and jew were the go in his area.
"A few blokes have been getting snapper out the front of the [Newcastle] ocean baths with fresh squid, and there's been heaps of small jew off Stockton," he said.
"I went out with the boys from work here on Sunday arvo to Stockton beach. We used squid and got about seven or eight jew, but only one was legal. But they are there."