SPRING has sprung and anglers can start to look for a new pattern in fish movements as the weather warms.

Most of the spawning runs have finished and species are returning to the estuaries to fatten up for next year.

There are still fish moving along the coastline and there was one report of a good school of fish hauled in on Wooli Beach, but the informer could not identify the species.

Schools of bait fish have been gathering around the entrance to the Clarence and this is attracting the pelagics and tailor.

Estuary fish is holding on, although not many weigh-ins.

Best bream weighed in was the 910g catch by Barry Lancaster of Iluka who fished Iluka Main Beach.

Young Zia Jordan of Wooli, who starred in last year’s comp, is still trying hard and this week weighed in a bream of 650g, taken on a pilchard in the Wooli River.

Iluka Main Beach has also fished well, with Errol Bonner of Iluka scoring a school jewfish of 6kg, taken on worms.

And Kurt Jaques of Yamba who scored a 1.102kg bream at Oyster Channel Bridge scored a Mangrove Jack in the same area this week, weighing in at 2.72kg on a small live tailor.

But it is sad to see the probable loss of another rockhopper at Red Rock.

No matter how calm the conditions seem, there is always an element to risk- as I know from personal experience.

Please take care and accept that safety gear is important.

FISH OF THE YEAR 2020

No changes to fish of the year from last week’s report.

FISH OF THE WEEK