The rollercoaster that is our weather continues to oscillate between hot and cold, rain and snow, depending on where in the state you are this weekend.
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If you're a fisho it leaves you in a state of uncertainty as to what to do, according to Jason "One For" Nunn, from Fisherman's Warehouse at Marks Point.
"Offshore is very lacklustre for this time of year with temps up near 20 degrees but well down on temps of last season," Jason said.
"Inshore, it's very cool and it's slowing down the fishing.
"The shining light is the amount of snapper along the coast - all due to cooler water and a bit of current which varies day to day.
"Still the odd tailor, trevally and kings offshore, particularly around places like The Farm, and out wider there's been a few striped tuna which we haven't seen for a number of years.
"With the way the water is eddying off the coast, with current running downhill on the inside and uphill our wider, it might mean we get a late pelagic season this year.
"We need that water temp to rise to get that predictability going but in the meantime snapper in a berley trail is probably your best bet outside at the moment."
Gone Fishing
This Sunday, October 20, is Gone Fishing Day and NSW Fisheries will be holding events around the state including at Pelican Park on Lake Macquarie.
Jason is going to be there lending his knowledge to a day designed to raise awareness of fishing as a family friendly activity.
Running from 9am to 3pm there will be free how to fish sessions, casting competitions, free goodie bags with bonus fishing lures, loads of kids activities, the RMS boating safety stand and Snappy The Crab who will be handing out lots of cool prizes.
"I'm looking forward to interacting with the kids - the fishing people of the future - it should be a great day, so come on down," Jason said.
Prawns ready
The Lake prawn run is due to commence from this Tuesday onwards.
"I"m not tipping big numbers but hoping for good size," Jason said.
"That's normally how the October run goes - a good class of prawn."
Good signs
There's been a few squid popping about in the Lake this week, along with blue swimmer crabs and the odd muddie on the move.
"Good numbers of bream, very nice fish up around 40cm and bigger," Jason added. "They will build over next week in conjunction with the prawn run.
"Ron Owens got some beautiful bream and flathead in the channel midweek.
"Been some nice mulloway coming out of the lake too, more to the southern sections, and a few salmon lurking around the channel and tailor just at the entrance as well.
"The only thing slow has been the whiting which I'm tipping will improve after the prawn run."
Moon dogs
The full moon this week seemed to stir up some major mulloway action with good catches reported throughout local waterways.
Fish of the Week winner Jack Hammond enjoyed success in the rain on Monday night targeting sweet spots around the wharves at the Kooragang coal loader.
An experienced and enthusiastic all-round angler, Jack was throwing Samakis soft vibes to great effect when he land his 15kg jew.
"I got it just before the full moon, it was flogging rain - a very wet night," Jack said.
"I got three all up that night and lost a few too.
"Definitely a few around at the moment."
Jack reported a bit of flathead bicatch with the vibes.
Yakky stuff
Will Kleinschafer boated a very healthy jew - over 10kg - in his kayak on Monday afternoon.
He and mate Nathan, who both work at BCF Rutherford when they're not fishing, were on the water about 1pm just before dead low tide working it between Hexham and Raymond Terrace.
"We were using Z-Mans 4-inch in the pearl colour and I knew I had a big fish as soon as it struck because the amount of line coming off was ridiculous," Will said.
"I was worried I was going to lose it on snags and what not, but after about 15 to 20 minutes I got it to the kayak, but then it was too long to get the brag mat out so I headed to the bank and threw the mat down on the mud.
"Sank in stinking mud up to my thighs - real nice.
"Took me a while to clean it off I can tell you, legs dangling over the side of the yak. Yuk."
The fish had a tag so Will followed up with Fisheries and discovered it had been caught and released on April 22 this year, length 92.5cm
"The info from these programs is really interesting," Will said. "In the 175 days between recapture it had grown 1.5cm, which wasn't that spectacular, but it was a really fat and healthy fish.
"I've been getting quiet a few lately in the same area. I think its the prawns and mullet that get them going.
"I also caught a few flathead as bicatch and couple of estuary perch."
