Inshore water temperatures are hovering around the 23-degree mark - perfect conditions for kings, bonito, striped tuna, frigate mackerel and the like.

The action so far this month has been sporadic, with just a few small tuna, frigates and the occasional king reported from the ledges and big wharves.

But it could all explode at the drop of a hat. It's all about being in the right place at the right time; a hot bite can kick-off at any moment without warning.

The right place is any rock ledge, breakwall or jetty that juts into relatively deep water. These areas give anglers the best chance of intercepting pelagics on the move.

All the aforementioned species have blistering speed and relish metal lures retrieved at breakneck pace.

Metal fans have been active on the boards of the Tathra and Merimbula wharves. A few frigates and striped tuna have shown an interest in their offerings and the scene is set for an adrenaline charged February.

If the tuna and kings fail to show, there's always the very likely chance a tailor or salmon will jump all over a well-worked metal slice.

The South Coast estuaries, meanwhile, are returning to normality after successive floods left many unfishable for long periods.

In systems like the Clyde, Moruya, Tuross and Bega rivers, fish are starting to move upstream again, spreading out over the flats and back into the snags.

It's the first time in months that anglers have been able to productively fish areas upstream from the highway bridges at Moruya and Tuross, for example.

Surface fishing for whiting and bream in these areas is improving, as is the soft plastic fishing for flathead.