Fisherman Dragged Out To Sea

[tan the fisherman]

Fisherman dragged out to sea

[Jewdreamer]

Talk about lucky!

The only thing that amazes me is how someone could even think about fishing a spot like that in a 3M swell.

Bet they don't do it again, and with luck will spend a lot of time warning their mates.

Last thing we need is the government , thinking about "public safety" banning rock fishing because of stupid people not following the rules..... see my post under "Hill 60"

Cheers

Chris

[Luke1]

now thats what i call scary. lucky they're still alive though, as many are lost every year from fishing from the rocks

[luderick -angler]

Muppets! What do you say 3 metre swell, all the hallmarks of going in! They were lucky

[Ray R]

Bloody lucky boys, still baffles me how they do it, how it isn't blatently obvious to them

that it is too dangerous to fish, I have, through surfing had the unfortuate pleasure

of feeling the power of the ocean beast, she can be brutal at times and very unforgiving,

pretty soon it will be law that all rock fishermen and women wear a portable floatation device.

[Jewhunter]

pretty soon it will be law that all rock fishermen and women wear a portable floatation device.

We can only hope so Ray.

Cheers,

Grant.

[Mondo Rock]

We can only hope so Ray.

Cheers,

Grant.

I dunno about this one Grant - I can see situations where being excessively buoyant would be a disadvantage to someone washed off the rocks. I can certainly remember many times whilst surfing off rock ledges where the board got ditched in front of a big and dangerous set so that I could go deeper to get under the waves. I also remember many times diving down to hold onto the rocks on the bottom while I waited for the big swells pass harmlessly over the top of me. If I'd been wearing a life jacket none of that would be possible.

When I go rock fishing with beginners my advice to them is always that if they're unlucky enough to get washed in they should not try to stop themselves, and then duck the waves and swim straight out to sea as soon as the water's deep enough. Once someone's 5 metres or more from shore there's very little danger to them as long as they can swim. Most injuries I've seen have been from people desperately trying to cling to the rocks to stop themselves being washed out and/or ending up in the impact zone while trying to climb out of the water.

It's a difficult issue - not helped by the fact that many rock fishermen are inexplicably unable to swim.

[jewgaffer]

Hi Mondo.... Good point about wearing a life jacket Simon, you could get picked up pretty high by a wave and dumped against the rocks ..... Have you noticed any rock fishermen down at Maroubra using a reef anchor or similiar wedged into the rocks and roped onto a belt etc ?

Cheers

jewgaffer

[Mondo Rock]

Hi Mondo.... Good point about wearing a life jacket Simon, you could get picked up pretty high by a wave and dumped against the rocks ..... Have you noticed any rock fishermen down at Maroubra using a reef anchor or similiar wedged into the rocks and roped onto a belt etc ?

Cheers

jewgaffer

I haven't to be honest - there are a large number of rock fishermen who frequent the various ledges and shelves around Maroubra/Cape Banks (some of which are very dangerous) and I don't think I've ever even seen a reef anchor, let alone one being used.

Personally I'd hate to see lowest common denominator safety gear be made mandatory - I guess my view is that this is one of those issues where a nanny state solution is inppropriate and that personal assumption of risk should be the standard. If I have to wear a life jacket and anchor myself to the rocks every time I go rock hopping I doubt I'll enjoy it as much, and thus probably won't do it as much.

There's always beach fishing after all . . . . . .

[Trapper Tom]

Hey Mondo

Totally agree with you.

Wearing a life jacket is just asking to get picked up and smashed back onto the rocks, that is the most dangerous part of actually getting washed in.

Have done a lot of snorkeling and it is amazing how close you can get into the rocks ferreting for different things and providing you are submerged and dive down, zippo and nothing happens, all is safe.

Part B for anyone who does hit the drink is "Get the Hell" away from the rocks, swim out, once the waves are not breaking, get as much gear off as you can and either tread water or if beach is close try to swim/paddle around to it. (sort of the same principle as getting caught in a rip on the beach, don't fight it save energy hitch the ride out and then come back around to the beach). I don't believe re-entry onto rocks should be attempted unless swell subsides. As most of the fatalities occur in big seas this just ain't gunna happen.

Once you get away from the rocks immediate danger is over and it then it becomes a unfortunate survival waiting game of being immersed in potentially really cold water/night! but at least you are not unconscious and already drowned.

And yes I also agree the sad fact is, alot of Rock guys cannot swim.

No 1 rule, same as diving, never fish alone.

No 2 take a lifey with ya, if you do go in and make it out past the breakers, as Mondo has said, sometimes it is only a 5 metre throw from your fishing buddy that will save your life.

Also anchoring yourself, have seen it done, but again if you have to do that you should theoretically NOT be there!!!

What may be a good idea here is that, the same for us having a fishing license to fish and a boat license to boot, to fish the rocks you need a "Rock fishing" License instead of the normal one. A sub category or Dual. Mods could you expoloe please.

To get that say, eh I don't know, but for arguments sake a 1/2 or 1 day course with fisheries, could be on-line or otherwise on safety, tides, building swell, survival techniques etc etc.

I know I will get smashed by the Rockies for this post but hey guys the death rate from rock sports fishing even exceeds the poor old Jockeys injury and death rates. Our tool of trade is generally a boat for which we need a license and education, your tool of trade is the rocks! Reckon Ditto

And yes I know, how do you police a rocky isolated headland at 10.30 at night. You can't.

But at least it is something and creates awareness!!!!

I had better go now and hide from the flak and the fallout.

Mods, I don't know if I have been inappropriate here, if I have, it is unintentional, please be gentle and don't ban me, I do love the site. Just my thoughts.

Cheers

Trapper Tom

[brickman]

all good points tom but i think the first rule should be if you ca'nt swim stay off the stones for some one that ca'nt swim there first reaction would be to try and get out as mentioned bad place to be

learn to swim first then think about rock fishing

cherrs gary

[luderick -angler]

Mondo,

you'd know the Stake at the north end of Maroubra, well when the bloody stake was there it attracted more fishos than not finally when it broke off there were less people fishing that ledge been in off there myself in a nor east swell hel las scary that ledge, thatstake and anchors like it give you a false sense odf security thta a spot is safe and a lot of peole who cannot swim will fish thes etyes of places, it was the same at Althouse! end of the day can'rt swim then stay on the wharf! At least you can't get washed in!

[Jewdreamer]

Yeh, the biggest scare i ever had was at the stake!

Was out with the guy who taught me the essentials of rockfishing. We'd been rockhoppin together for a few years and thought we had it sorted.

We went down to the rocks at the north end of the beach, this was in late may back in the late 80s, fishing was a bit slow, we'd caught about half a dozen bream and trevors, but the bite had slowed and it was a bit splashy there due to the prevailing southerly swell. We talked about it and it was still relatively early in the night...

Now remember we had a fair bit of experience between us.

We thought ...maybe the stake would get us a few for fish for the night.

We climbed up to the top of the cliff behind the stake and watched the sea for a while... loooked a bit dodgy, but mabybe OK??? We watched it some more ..... and some more .... and thought OK.

SO we climbed down...

now we we each carrying a bucket, one with the bait and burley and refreshments ...no booze ... we really were sensible rockhoppers. plus each had a backpack with our tackle, in the other hand each an MT8144 with OH 10Kg rig and a MT4144 with 600A alvey 3Kg bream set up. We were wearing cleats, shorts and Tshirts with tracky tops. Both had belts with knife in scabbard , rod bucket and torch in holder

We'd fished the spot heaps before...

Well we eventually, with some misgivings thought it looked OK ...

We climbed down and as we were crossing the lower area behind the higher front ledge

a 2M high wall of green water came over the front ledge at the stake.

F****........

We got totally swamped//// lost the bait bucket and and the bucket with all the fish we'd caught.

I still had my rod/reels in my hand,

my rucksack was empty

I was naked from the waist down

my belt and gear was gone and

I only had one cleat PLUS

More bruises and friggin grazes than a bull rider or NRL player gets in a whole season!

My Mate was in the same state but with a cut up face... he always was ugly , but this night really made it permanent!

That is a very dangerous and deceptive spot, despite its attractive water depth and structure off the front.

I still have a lot of fond memories, my biggest pig, lots of great trevors in winter and a ton of big bream,

But I am older and wiser now and Think that spot is just too dangerous

Take extreme care at this spot!

Cheers

Chris

[bangus]

Yeh, the biggest scare i ever had was at the stake!

Was out with the guy who taught me the essentials of rockfishing. We'd been rockhoppin together for a few years and thought we had it sorted.

We went down to the rocks at the north end of the beach, this was in late may back in the late 80s, fishing was a bit slow, we'd caught about half a dozen bream and trevors, but the bite had slowed and it was a bit splashy there due to the prevailing southerly swell. We talked about it and it was still relatively early in the night...

Now remember we had a fair bit of experience between us.

We thought ...maybe the stake would get us a few for fish for the night.

We climbed up to the top of the cliff behind the stake and watched the sea for a while... loooked a bit dodgy, but mabybe OK??? We watched it some more ..... and some more .... and thought OK.

SO we climbed down...

now we we each carrying a bucket, one with the bait and burley and refreshments ...no booze ... we really were sensible rockhoppers. plus each had a backpack with our tackle, in the other hand each an MT8144 with OH 10Kg rig and a MT4144 with 600A alvey 3Kg bream set up. We were wearing cleats, shorts and Tshirts with tracky tops. Both had belts with knife in scabbard , rod bucket and torch in holder

We'd fished the spot heaps before...

Well we eventually, with some misgivings thought it looked OK ...

We climbed down and as we were crossing the lower area behind the higher front ledge

a 2M high wall of green water came over the front ledge at the stake.

F****........

We got totally swamped//// lost the bait bucket and and the bucket with all the fish we'd caught.

I still had my rod/reels in my hand,

my rucksack was empty

I was naked from the waist down

my belt and gear was gone and

I only had one cleat PLUS

More bruises and friggin grazes than a bull rider or NRL player gets in a whole season!

My Mate was in the same state but with a cut up face... he always was ugly , but this night really made it permanent!

That is a very dangerous and deceptive spot, despite its attractive water depth and structure off the front.

I still have a lot of fond memories, my biggest pig, lots of great trevors in winter and a ton of big bream,

But I am older and wiser now and Think that spot is just too dangerous

Take extreme care at this spot!

Cheers

Chris

lucky mate my mate died off whale beach rocks 7 years ago thats why i dont rockfish anymore

[Jewdreamer]

Yeh Bangus,

this really is serious. You've probably seen all my posts urging caution... I really do speak from experience.

Not all rockhoppin trips are suicide, but one little error in judgement can kill you stone dead on the stones.

PS how did you go today... did you get out and get amongst them???

Cheers

Chris

[Bob Fossil]

Talk about lucky!

The only thing that amazes me is how someone could even think about fishing a spot like that in a 3M swell.

Bet they don't do it again, and with luck will spend a lot of time warning their mates.

Last thing we need is the government , thinking about "public safety" banning rock fishing because of stupid people not following the rules..... see my post under "Hill 60"

Cheers

Chris

No coincidence that you mention Hill 60 and Sanpper in the same breath. 2 of the filthiest leadges on the NSW east coast frequented by clowns who have no concern for their own safety. I would rather fish a puddle on the side of the road than either of these 2 places, very sad.