Time For Action
Water dragons and other life that becomes more active in the warmer months are now out in force and their presence is always a welcome sign by anglers. The fishing will become more and more reliable than the previous months in terms of fishing success, as the water temperature steadily climbs.
The usual boat starting antics have provided plenty of laughs for some and high blood pressure for others, as motors neglected over the winter months, repay their owners for their carelessness in looking after them.

The Nepean
The Nepean River at Penrith, from the boat ramp section to the weir has some superb weed beds at the moment, and plenty of great heavy timber to fish. Nows a great time to see just how much timber is in this area before the warm waters see an explosion of weed growth making it difficult to fish. The next few months will be the best months to fish this area.
This time last year there were some thumpers reported from the weir upwards and into the Gorge, and many of these came in the early hours and late afternoon sessions with surface lures and flies. Mid week will be the best time to fish the area without the crowds.
Shore based anglers should have plenty of access as well, despite being limited to the amount of water they can cover compared to anglers on the water. Shore based anglers do have some success targeting bass, but the size of the mullet and carp on offer in the area will make a bait anglers heart jump a few beats when they hook up with the often forgotten carp and mullet.
For anyone wanting to fish from a canoe or kayak in the Tench Reserve area of the Nepean at Penrith, you won’t be limited by the fact you might not have anything but muscle power to help propel you about. There’s heaps of access areas to the river from both sides and wherever you choose to launch, you’ll be in some prime bass real estate.
Spending a day proceeding downstream from the weir at Penrith is a great place to fish using canoes and kayaks, with the Devlins Lane area a great spot to fisnish up. You wn’t see many people on the way which is always a reason to expect some great fishing.

The Hawkesbury
There should still be some good sized flathead about this month, and prawns or slabs of fish baits while on the drift are worth a try. Jewfish down near Wisemans Ferry and  Lower Portland are still finding their way onto the tables of anglers targeting them, with large fish baits being the best baits to use. Fish in areas where there are deep holes on the run out tide and you’re in with a chance. Tailor will also be about in the Wisemans and lower Portland area, and a soft plastic meant for a bass, might be cut to pieces when a chopper gets hold of it.
Drifting the many rock ledges and snags in search of bass should see increasing numbers of fish caught this month too, and of your wanting to maximize your catch, an electric motor is the way to go. Without it, you are making it hard for yourself as the tides make life difficult to work effeciently.
Early morning and late in the afternoon will be offering great surface action. However, as the sun climbs higher as the hours tick over to midday, the fish escape the light and look for more safety in deeper water. Having said that, if you look for areas offering protection and shade and where there is access to deep water, bass can take bass from the surface all day at times. Deep casts  throughout the day into the back of overhanging foliage also produces big fish at times.
While some anglers continue to cast to bankside structure all day, some anglers will work their deep divers, plastics and sinking flies in the deeper water as the day wears on.
Working weedbeds towards the centre of the river as the day roles on should provide greater success than persisting with bankside targeting. This is an area of the river that is neglected a lot of the time, and for weedbeds located in the middle of the river, anglers efforts are often well rewarded.
The lure of the year for the past few years, The lipless crankbait, should also begin to gain favour. While many shudder at the cost of a Jackall, these lures are well known for their attractiveness to fish. While casting into timbered areas may not do much for the heart, they are excellent around timber and weedbeds. To reduce the possibility of hooking up on timber, think about cutting off the downward facing hook on both trebles. It doesn’t reduce the chances of hooking up on fish, but it certainly helps you catching timber and possibily losing a lure.
Choosing a lipless crankbait is a good choice for a wide variety of structure and cover, and can be worked over and around weedbeds and timber simply by using the rod tip.
The North Richmond area should produce good numbers of fish, with more that the odd big fish hitting surface lures during the late afternoon and into the evening.

A little further downstream, The Terraces is protected by the high cliffs of the area, and with plenty of lilly pads about, surface flies and surface lures can be used all day in the area, as bass lurk below. In the middle of the river here, there are numerous weedbeds which are great to target using spinnerbaits and plastics used in conjunction with blades. Of these the Aussie Nitro Whizbangers are brilliant. These are growing in popularity over the Bett’s spins which are similar but have an articulated pivot where the coathanger pivots at the attachment point with the jog head.
Bladed lures are great all round lures, and are are best retrieved at a speed that just keeps the blades ticking over. Various styles of retrieves can also be used and like all lures, experimentation is the key to working out what the fish like. 
With these types of lures, don’t be afraid to maintain contact with timber. Think of banging spinnerbaits into timber as ringing the dinner bell. It gets the fishes attention. 
The Windsor area has been producing big EP’s, especially on the Jackall Masked Vibes in the seventy millimetre size of all things. Tadashi Nishikura, a contributor of a few artciles to this magazine, is the best angler I know that continues to push new techniques. While soft plastics are often the standout performing when it comes to catching EP’s, they haven’t always caught them in the Hawkesbury of late, which is where Tadashi has turned to the Masked Vibes. 
Working soft plastics, sinking flies and small hardbodied lures will increase your chances of landing some estuary perch. EP’s are often found in deeper water than bass, and by using a slow retrieve.
Carp and mullet are becoming a much more popular targeted species, as word of their amazing power spreads through fishing circles. The warmer months are the best time to go after them and both species are spread throughout the waters of western Sydney. Mullet and carp can be taken on bread or dough under a float, while carp will take a piece of corn, bread, dough, worms or a host of other baits.

The Colo
This river is one of the most beautiful in western Sydney and is a great place to escape the busy Hawkesbury with its jet ski and ski traffic getting heavier from now on.
 One of the most successful ways to fish the Colo is with a fly rod, casting surface flies into the plentiful weedbeds, timber and under overhanging foliage. 
If fly fishing is not your thing, surface lures such as the River 2 Sea Buggi Pops and Bubble Pops, Rebel Chrickhopper Poppers, Kokoda Bugga Chugs and Heddon Torpedoes are personal favourites but there’s plenty more to try.
Flathead, mullet, tailor and estuary perch are found in the river, while jewfish can be found at the mouth as well. This all makes for some very exciting fishing at times, with a surprise catch very much on the cards.

If heavy traffic on the water starts to irritate you, why not take a trip into the Macdonald Rivers or Webbs Creek? These are usually very quiet and great place to escape with the likihood of catching bass, EP’s, and a variety of species normally found in the saltwater, namely bream, jewfish, tailor and the like.
While surface lures should account for plenty of bass from the mouth of the Colo, spinnerbaits are great to use along the weedbeds in the area, as well as the drop offs. They’ll be the odd bream and flathead in these areas too.

Time to Fly
I reckon there’s nothing that gets the heart beating harder and faster than a powerful bass trying to bury you in nasty territory. When that fly rod keeps bending over and you wonder if you’re ever going to turn that fish, the adnenaline taps are wide open and it’s almost euporic.

Good surface flies include small Dalhbergs and foam and timber poppers. With the Dalhbergs, you get the best out of them if you use a floatant. After a few casts without floatant and you’re left with a sub surface fly.
Contrary to popular belief, fly fishing is not all that difficult, especially for bass. If you haven’t tried it before it’s well worth it. Catching bass on lures is great, but catching them on fly takes the experience to a higher level again. Give it a go and you won’t be disappointed.