The fish are going crackers!

Thumping bream have moved into the port and have taken up residence along the breakwalls in Nelson Bay and The Anchorage and the wharf on Little Beach.

Just ask Shoal Bay champion Jimmy Gourlas, who has been bagging big bream throughout the week.

Jimmy suggests early mornings on either of the breakwalls. Use berley with chicken pellets and also toss in an unweighted bait of cooked prawn or cubed pilchard.

Let the bait sink naturally and hang on.

Duff reports heaps of action inside the port with a 5 kilogram snapper wrestled off the Little Beach jetty. 

Quality flathead and whiting have gathered on Shoal Bay beach.

The flathead are keen to take pilchards on a gang hook or the ‘Nuclear Chicken’, if you prefer plastics.

The beaches are on fire with magnificent whiting and broad shouldered bream swimming with mulloway on Stockton and Fingal.

Worms and pipis are underfoot on Stockton Beach, while worms and cubed mullet are the preferred baits on Fingal.

Outside the heads, snapper are cruising in really close over the shallow reefs and headlands between Birubi and Fingal.

Fresh squid, brined pilchards and big prawns have been the preferred baits.

Try the Nuclear Chicken – it works.