On Sunday the swell backed off to about a metre. The wind dropped out.

I snorkelled 80metres out the gutter, enjoying the 15 metre visibility, watching the schools of fish, abalone and the surging kelp forests and flora.

Now where was that supermarket shelf I found 5 months ago?

There is no prettier sight than a hole that is so full of crayfish that it resembles a supermarket shelf.

The seaweeds and soft corals are typically more spectacular, the fish bigger and more diverse where the cray live.

The big bluehead ducks around the bully in front. The magpie perch dives into the weed. A school of bullseyes triggers a rise in heartbeats.

I securely stow my ab iron, it’s getting exciting.

There, feelers, hundreds of purple and orange crayfish, filling the 5 meter crevice.

Take one size cray, drown in fresh water. Boil for 10 mins. Drain and allow to cool. Halve, clean and coarsely cube the tail meat. Squeeze some fresh lemon over it, add a little grated cheese and slip under the grill. Gently warm and serve with a light salad.

The Bridge Hotel, Smithton, overlooking the Duck River

Seven days and nights a week you can roll up to the Bridge Hotel.

The Bridge Hotel is close to the centre of Smithton and looks out over Duck River (I kid you not).

Recently the pub has been revamped and has a great steak bar. Try the fresh local oysters and superb steaks in the Coliboi Room.

Bridge Hotel
2 Montague Road
Smithton

Graham Mace is renowned for his nature inspired etched and stained glass works.

If he’s not surfing, you’ll find him just a few k’s up the coast at Green Point Marawah.

The top quality fly fishing of the Arthur River will next year be revealed to the world when it features in The Source - Tasmania, the feature film for the 2009 Rise-Fly Fishing Film Festival.

The film’s director and producer Nick Reygaert began the five week filming around Tasmania at Arthur River on the weekend.

“We want to get this in the bag first because it will be the highlight of the movie … there’s some really really good fish caught in the area, some of the biggest trout in the world come from the Arthur”

Mr Reygaert said at least a dozen good fish have been caught in the river over the past few weeks.

Circular Head Chronicle November 12, 2008 

The Billabong Surf Classic has been held in Marrawah for the last 28 years and it follows that the pub is a bit of a shrine to the great local surf and the people brave enough to get into it.

The walls of the tavern may be covered with surfing photos but the pub caters for everyone. It even has a family bar with the type of menu that pleases most people.

The dining room has an excellent wine list and an open fire place which is very comforting if its a bit blowy outside.

This is the pub to meet colourful characters whether they are surfing champions, abolone divers, lobster fishermen or the camping and bushwalking folk drawn to the area.

The pub has been licensed in the town of Marrawah since the 1920’s. They will sell you bottles of wine and take-away beer from the main bar.

You’ll find the Marrawah Tavern on Comeback Road in Marrawah. It won’t be hard to spot as there isn’t much else there except great views of local land and The Great Southern Ocean.

It will be taken over by new local owners in December and we are all excited about how they will develop the pub.

So check out the Marrawah when you are in the North West - they have a reputation for good meals and hospitality.

Gummy shark are starting to move in along the coast. Use fish bait, early evening, when the swells have backed off. Use heavy gear and hang on.

• Australian Wavesailing Championships Feb 3rd- 8th 2009
• West Coast Classic Early March
• O’Neill Cold Water Classic Round One 2009 Late March

This hotel is nothing like the Rocky Bay Tavern, but it is pretty flash don't you think? Thanks to dbking of Flickr for the image.

Sitting right on the Bass Highway the Tavern is the only pub for 25 kilometres. It was built in 1980, partially destroyed by fire in 1995 and re-opened in 1995.

There is a public and a lounge bar as well as a dining room. The locals come here for a crisp, cold ale.

There are a couple of eight ball tables and a TAB. This is the pub to drop in for a drink with the locals and to catch up on sporting events.

Rocky Cape Tavern
19375 Bass Highway
Rocky Cape

The Stanley Hotel, North West Tasmania. Image: MartinHoward, Flickr

This pub has been serving beer in Stanley since around 1840.  If you are into history there is a photo collection on the walls of the early days of the town.  The building itself is beautifully restored and worth a visit in its own right.

This pub takes its food very seriously serving up Bass Strait oysters, grass fed beef, plate size trout and free range chook.  You can eat inside or outside on the deck looking out at country and water views.

We had Dan’s fiftieth birthday bash there recently and it was a really great night. So I’d recommend you plan to have lunch here if you are coming from Devonport or Launceston on your way to Arthur River.

I think the place won Bistro of the Year in Australia about a month ago.

Julian and Tracey Jacobs own and run the place and they are good local people.

This is where you would meet local fishermen and get badly beaten at 8 Ball - don’t say you weren’t warned.

Stanley Hotel
21 Church Street
Stanley  TAS  7331

Restaurant bookings 1800 222 397

Image: MartinHoward

The white bait are running! Sea run trout and schools of cocky salmon are in the river feasting on the annual migration. Locals and visitors are enjoying the sport and the taste of just caught fiesty fish. Cockies can be caught from shore or boat with lure or bait. I prefer to chase sea runners late afternoon off the rocks 35o metres west of the villas or head up the river and spin the first rapids. I’m also doing maintainence on my dive gear for the opening of the Crayfish season on the long weekend in November. The best fish to date that I know of was Plaza’s 15 pound sea runner trout.