Fishing is fantastic with most anglers having a ball at sea and in the estuaries. Gamefishing can be a bit of a lucky dip at the moment with plenty of albacore and yellowfin on the bite. A few sharks have also been taken and it wont be long until the first marlin is caught as anglers have reported sightings of them last week.

The tuna have mostly come from the inner edges of the shelf but fish were also caught as close as 30 fathoms. This is obviously a good sign and lets hope that we get a run of inshore marlin that can and does happen most years. Kingfish are also about but sometimes will not take a bait or lure but this will improve. Flathead fishermen are also happy with good catches off the grounds north and south of Merimbula. Some thumping tigers are in amounts them and hopefully the gummy sharks will come on as we head into the full moon stage of the month.

Squid have been a little quiet recreantly but latest news is that a few are starting to be caught off our local wharfs and headlands. Both reef and beach fishing has been a bit slow but again this will also improve as we get to the bigger tides of the month. Estuary fishing is at its best with anglers having a ball chasing all species. Bream,dusky flathead, trevally, whiting, snapper and tailor are all on the chew and yes it wont belong until someone lands a jewfish. Prawns ran on the last dark of the moon and were all hoping for another good run on the next dark.

Our Mandeni golf day was well attended with members finishing the day with a BBQ and fiercely contested game of boche. A couple of fellows from the Department Of Primary Industry will be in Merimbula on Friday 30 November to put a fish attracting device off the coast in 70 fathoms. They will also be at Spencer Park clubhouse that night and will give a talk on artificial reefs and the possibility of one been made for our Top Lake. This obviously would be a great thing and we are looking forward to the night and as always members and the general public are invited to attend.

Don't forget Thursday nights big 8 tray seafood raffle 5.30-630 at the Chook & the Ox and Darragh Reynolds and Glen Pattie will open the clubhouse 6.30 Friday night in preparation for the Tri-Estuary registration night.

Fishing has improved over the last week as the weather and waters warm up. Game fishing has had the best start in many a year with plenty of anglers hitting the shelf and catching albacore by the dozens. A lot of the fish are only 4-5 kilo but some around the 14-15 kilo have also been caught.

Big news is that yellowfin have also been caught and these have been up to 40 kilo. Outside bottom bouncing is on fire with sand and tiger flathead with the added bonus of gummy sharks and gurnard caught. The inshore reefs are also on the up and up with most species including snapper and morwong on the chew. Lake fishing is proving to be a great option with bream, whiting , trevaly and dusky flathead all on the chew and last week was a pearler with a run of big prawns in most of our estuaries.

We have a big weekend this weekend 17-18th Nov starting with a working bee to be held at the clubhouse on Saturday morning to make sure that all the housework around the club will be done before our season kicks into full swing. The jetty also needs a little tender love and care so please make yourself available and lend a hand. Following day we hit off at Mandeni for our golf challenge. Starts at 8.00 am and its a bring your own BBQ lunch and drinks to be held after and during the golf, archery and boche bowling.

The following weekend 24th-025th Nov will be a hoot as we will be holding the second Tri-Estuary Challenge. Plenty of prizes to be won and this competion is open to anyone with a NSW fishing licence. There is over $1000 cash on offer along with plenty of great fishing combo's up for grabs.Awards and prizes will be for bream, dusky flathead,trevally and tailor. All registered anglers will also be eligible for a great lucky draw prize and I'm sure that a few extra winners will appear as we hear of angling antics and havoc held over the duration of the competition.

Briefing will be at the clubhouse on Friday 23rd but if any information is needed please ring Dave Stewart 0403198997or Michael Hampson 0400223742. Don't forget the seafood raffle at the Chook and The Ox held between 5.30-6.30 Thursday nights and the Spencer Park clubhouse will be open Friday night 6.30 with Greg Liddell and Johno McKay on duty. Greg has promised a talk on the how and when to catch a prawn and I'm sure that this will be of big interest as plenty of people like to chase and eat our prawns at the moment as there are plenty about. May your reel scream,Mex.

I cant tell you what's happening in Merimbula at the moment because I'm fishing for Barramundi in Lake Awoonga west of Gladstone. Over 20 keen fishermen from Merimbula are here for a crack at some of the largest Barra that you will encounter. Fish over a meter in lenth is normal for these waters and as you can image even the most experienced fishermen go weak in the knees and come out in a cold sweat when they hook up for the first time. Last year we caught and released 70 Barra over 10 days and are hoping to do the same again this year. The weather is the biggest battle as the wind can make or break the fishing. Don't forget to head to the Spencer Park Clubhouse this Friday night as guest speaker Stuart Hinson will be giving a talk on lure fishing in our local estuary's. Stuart has probably forgotten more than most of us know in the art of estuary fishing so I would advise both members and the general public to be at the club around 7.30pm for a very informative talk. As usual the beer and seafood raffle will be held after the fishing report and all of us from the Barra trip should be back with plenty of stories and photos of Awoonga Barra. Up and coming events are the Bermagui fishing weekend 10th-12th November Mandeni golf day 19th November and the Tri-Estuary Challenge 25th-26th November. Clubhouse opens 6.30pm Friday night and Tom Scott and Bill Pryor will be on bar duty. May your reel scream, Mex.