In the past week, yellowfin tuna in excess of 70 kilograms have been taken off Batemans Bay, Narooma and Bermagui.

These fish are a long way out, well over the Continental Shelf, but on good days most boats are encountering at least a couple.

The best fish of the week was a 78kg tuna that ate a trolled Rapala X-Rap off Bermagui.

Other fish fell to stickbaits and cubed pilchards or mackerel.

Plenty were over 40kg, making the long boat ride and hundreds of dollars in burnt fuel worth it.

Hooking a hefty yellowfin is just a small part of the challenge.

Most fights with big 'fin last a long time - sometimes hours. It's backbreaking punishment for the angler 'lucky' enough to be on the rod at the time.

Last weekend there were a number of reports of anglers losing fish more than an hour into the battle.

But, hey - it beats going to the gym!

Closer to terra firma, shore-based rock and beach fishing remains very good for salmon, tailor, bream, drummer and small sharks.

Estuary fishos targeting bait balls are scoring bream, tailor, salmon and one or two flathead.

The inshore sand and gravel beds are fishing particularly well for tasty sand flathead. Drifting with baits like pilchard pieces, prawns and squid should undo a few nice specimens.

Locally, the fishing isn't too shabby despite the bitter cold.

Googong Dam is producing redfin, small golden perch and a few solid Murray cod.

The urban lakes are still worth a cast for redfin and carp.

Trout fishing in the mountain lakes remains tough.

Anglers prepared to walk the banks and repeatedly cast hard bodies or spoons for hours are finding one or two fish.