PLEASE NOTE: This planner is intended as a guide only. Trends indicated in this calendar are subject to seasonal variations and changeable climate patterns. For more up-to-date and specific information, always talk to the staff at local tackle shops in the regions you visit. ALSO, be sure to stay across all current rules, regulations and seasonal closures* in the areas where you intend to go fishing.

It’s very important to note that new and sometimes temporary or fixed-term closures, restrictions and bans apply to certain recreational fisheries around the country, and that these can and do change over time, often with little advance warning. Examples include (but are certainly not confined to) restrictions on the snapper fishery in SA, the Spanish mackerel fishery in QLD, and the demersal (bottom or reef) fishery in WA.

MAKE SURE YOU ARE COMPLETELY AWARE OF THESE CLOSURES AND RESTRICTIONS!

Ignorance of the law is no excuse. Talk to the staff in local tackle shops and visit the on-line sites of relevant fisheries management authorities for updates.

It’s cold now, but the bream fishing is still very good in most southern estuaries. Surf salmon are still a fairly good option in places. Deep dropping offshore for trevalla, hapuka, bass groper and the like can be good during calm weather and there may be the odd tuna around. The year’s second blood worm run occurs in SA.

Inshore snapper fishing is still fair to good, but definitely slowing. Skippy (silver trevally) are abundant along inshore reefs and squid remain a good option over shallower weed beds. Both school mulloway and larger fish are present along many beaches, but tailor and salmon are generally scarce. The north-west mackerel season in full swing now, with great land-based ballooning available in offshore winds.

Nights and mornings remain very cold, with frequent frosts. Native fish activity is slow, yet some of the year’s largest Murray cod continue to be taken, especially in the big dams. Towards the end of the month, a few golden perch (yellowbelly) may begin to be encountered. The trout season remains closed on most flowing waters (rivers and creeks) on the mainland, although it opens early this month in Tasmania. Hardy anglers who dress for the cold will find a few trout in many lakes, as well.

Continuing cool water means slow barramundi fishing, especially with lures, but there are many other options on tap, from saratoga and sooty grunter in the fresh to mangrove jacks, cod, fingermark and a host of pelagics in the estuaries and beyond. The mackerel season is in full swing offshore and tuna are prolific, along with sailfish and small marlin on recognized grounds, when the south east trade winds allow.

Ocean waters are very cool and often extremely clear, especially after extended periods of westerly winds. However, this can be a great month for southern bluefin tuna between Sydney and the VIC border. Inshore fishing can be tougher at such times, although drummer, trevally, bream and blue groper continue to bite well this month. Estuaries still produce bream and blackfish (luderick), along with the odd flathead, especially further north. Specialist anglers will continue to target mulloway. Note that bass and estuary perch seasons are closed now.

Shimano Australia Fishing (SAF) and Steve Starling (River & Sea Pty Ltd) accept no liability whatsoever for injuries, loss, expenses, legal prosecutions or any other damages or inconvenience caused or contributed to by adherence to the general advice offered in this calendar, whether due to negligence or otherwise arising from the use of, or reliance on, that information. Before acting on any general information of this type, carefully consider the appropriateness of the information provided, and any specific circumstances applying at the time. In particular, it is incumbent upon the individual using this general advice to be fully aware of all current rules and regulations, as well as all other existing conditions or potential issues.