As if sent to test the brand new head chef, schools of ravenous fish and sea monsters, along with swarms of jellyfish, octopi swarmed the event like a plague of crown-of-thorns on the Great Barrier Reef.

More than 120 fishos dressed in “incredible costumes” for the night which was themed ‘under the sea’ and anglers of all types, and ages, graced the stage to accept the club’s many awards, with almost 20 juniors making up the ranks.

Publicity officer Jo Starling praised the club’s committee and members who converted the venue in to an “octopus’s garden”.

“It takes an enormous amount of dedication and effort to pull off such a successful event,” Starling said. 

“Hats off to the committee and Club members who gave up their fishing weekend to while the rest of us fished.”

Over the past week, Tuross Lake has entered its annual renaissance, with eating-sized flathead proving willing and a number of quality models jumping on the hook as well.

Mulloway are showing on sounders throughout the system in the deeper holes, with some noteworthy catches starting to grace the club’s page on Facebook.

Whiting are now frequently chasing down surface lures pitched across the flats, with the odd good flathead coming in as by-catch.

Bream have also started to participate in the top-water activities, suggesting the next few weeks could be a lot of fun for lure fishers.

In other parts of the south, Malacoota and Bemm are still fishing well for quality bream on lures.

Salmon and quality tailor are reportedly back in Pambula Lake providing some entertainment for anglers down that way, although many are excitedly keeping an eye off-shore, as 20kg to 30kg yellowfin tuna reach Bermagui, signalling that the warmer currents will soon push the muscular barrels down south.

Some legal kingfish have started to land on boat decks between Narooma and Bermagui, but the vast majority, so far, are undersized.

The Clyde continues to produce the odd, genuinely big mulloway, with a 127cm beast coming out last week.

The snapper and morwong continue cooperating off Tuross Head and Potato Point as well.

Inland, the brown trout have been enjoying the warming weather with the good old-fashioned Celta being the dominant lure at the moment.

To connect with other keen anglers in the region, join the Tuross Head Fishing Club's page on Facebook or visit www.turossheadfishingclub.org.