RIGHT now the water is boiling with fish.

From Birubi in the south to Broughton up north, the action is fierce.

It’s great to see big schools of surface fish; slimy mackerel, bonito, yellowtail, kingfish, salmon, a few tailor and of course the mullet.

With so much activity it is only natural to be visited by a few sharks.

In the southern corner of Fingal Bay, Grey Nurse sharks have been feasting on lazy mullet.

Mulloway are also showing an interest and I have been receiving reports of thumpers up to 20kg landed along the beaches from Stockton to Fingal and over at Hawks Nest.

Out in front of the Fingal Lighthouse in ‘Stinkpot’, through the week, I used strips of fresh mullet pinned at one end with a 6/0 Octopus style hook. Tossed behind a rich berley trail the unweighted bait slowly sank until whammo!

Half a dozen cracker snapper from 3kg to 5kg came to the party along with kingfish, bonito, silver trevally and a lonely, somersaulting salmon.

The salmon was immediately consigned to the kitchen for a feed of fishcakes.

I am not a salmon fan, however in fishcakes they are hard to beat.

Give it a go.

By John ‘Stinker’ CLARKE