It's time to bring your best gear to tackle heavy tuna

Benign weather conditions early in the week allowed a few crews to head out wide from Bermagui - and the tuna obliged.

A handful of yellowfin around the 75kg mark were taken on trolled lures and cubed baits over the Shelf. Dolphin fish and kingfish were out wide, too.

Tuna schools are constantly on the move. The best way to locate them is to consult the latest sea surface temperatures (SSTs) or drop into one of the south coast tackle shops.

Kingfish and snapper continue to bite around Montague Island. The action is a bit hot and cold but a trip to the island is still certainly worthwhile.

The kings are hitting jigs; the snapper are partial to squid or fish baits.

Estuary fishing is tough but anglers targeting traditional winter species are finding some nice fish.

Big tailor often enter the south coast estuaries over winter, hot on the heels of schools of bait.

An absolute beast of a chopper estimated at close to 9kg was caught on a lure at St Georges Basin recently. Other systems like Tuross, Wallaga and Merimbula lakes can be good spots for mid-winter tailor.

Landlocked Coila Lake, just near Tuross, is harbouring a few sizeable snapper around the 1.5kg mark. Look for patches of reef and target these areas with pilchard pieces or soft plastics.

Lake Conjola, north of Mollymook, was recently opened to the sea after being closed for a few years, and could be worth a look around the mouth and adjacent beaches.

Rock ledges up and down the coast continue to be reliable haunts for black and silver drummer, groper and blackfish.

Trout fishing in the Snowy Mountains is reasonable - but anglers are waiting for it to go to the next level.

Trolling Eucumbene and Jindabyne is probably the most productive technique. The fishing isn't hot by any stretch but fishos putting in the hours are scoring a few skinny browns and the occasional pre-spawn rainbow. Early starts help, but minus nine mornings aren't everyone's cup of tea!