Near-perfect weather and water conditions on the South Coast allowed holidaying anglers to usher in the new year with some meritorious catches.
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Metre-long flathead, kingfish over 70cm and whiting as long your forearm were taken from the estuaries in the first days of 2022, as tens of thousands of visitors wet a line.
It has been an especially outstanding summer for flathead. At least one metre-plus fish was caught at Tuross, and a couple in the high-90s were taken from the spectacular little estuary at Dalmeny.
Elsewhere, it hasn't been hard to find good numbers of pan-sized lizards around the 40cm mark - perfect for the barbecue. Soft plastics are the gun lures.
Because the water is still a little discoloured in the upper reaches of some systems, the lion's share of fish have been hooked within a few hundred metres of the estuary mouths.
This is also prime whiting country, with increasing numbers of fish reported on surface lures and fresh nippers.
Specimens over 40cm have been commonplace, mostly over the flats on the making tide.
Legal-sized kingfish are making a splash in the estuary at Merimbula. A handful of 70cm-plus kings have been taken in the top lake by fishers aiming for something a little smaller.
There's stacks of bait in the lake and this is creating ideal conditions for other predators like tailor and trophy flatties.
Offshore, fingers of warm current have brought the first marlin of the season to the waters off Batemans Bay.
The fish are venturing as far south as Moruya but should arrive off Narooma and Bermagui any day.
Snapper and flathead have been reliable targets over the reefs, but kingfish have been scarce.
Around Canberra, there are plenty of redfin at Googong, along with the occasional cod and golden perch.
