Rockfishing shoes for North of Sydney

[Burger]

Hi All,

After some advice on what people use for shoes/boots for rockfishing away from Sydney Sandstone . . .

I have my good old Dunlop Volleys with cleats for around here, however am lead to believe that up the coast on different types of rock these are actually a disadvantage.

Taking a  road trip up the coast shortly as far as Yamba, so looking to get some of the right gear.

cheers,

stu.

[marks1984]

go to a shop or a store like that buy the rock fishing boots from there with the nails on the soles, best thing I have bought I fish on the central  coast

[rickmarlin62]

the further north you go from central coast the rocks change to a granite  conglomerate base..from tomaree north best shoes are black soled grass sport shoes..the ones with heaps of miniature footy studs..the black soles are the grippiest...these work on all the lbg hotspots...charlotte ..seals..perpendicular..hat head..mutton bird etc etc..also good on breakwall rocks...these areas of sloping rock  with rocks in the hard base[conglomerate] are not safe with the steel spikes in the wetsuit booties..you will be kicking the spikes on rocks poking up and trip easily..they are better suited to flatter ledges with weed growth...rick

[Koalaboi]

Hi,

 

Been fishing the rocks north of Sydney since 1970. here's my thoughts:

I always used to use plate style cleats, two per shoe: one under the ball of the foot and the other under the heel. I ended up having problems:

1. I'd occasionally swipe my ankles with the cleats cutting them

2. The bolts would loosen and undo until rusted solid. We tried araldite and locktite nuts but still, they came undone.

3. Walking on uneven rock in cleats saw me fall and roll my ankles. They are great on flat smooth surfaces but clambering over boulders or honeycombed rock can be really dangerous.

4. If the nuts loosened a bit, I'd find myself wearing the pressure of the top of the bolts used to secure the cleat fully into my feet rather than the whole plate..painful.

Now and again the bolts would either undo and fall out or, break after rusting. Used to carry some coathanger wire in the pack for reattaching any errant cleats.

All the different styles of footwear mentioned could be just the ticket: it depends on what kind of rock surfaces you're walking on.

I found the shoes: Mirage Rock Gripper Fishing Shoes. They cost about $50 and are by a very long shot the best footwear I've used since I started fishing off the rocks in 1970.

They are light, comfortable and provide a good grip on slimy rock. Easy to take on or off and the velcro strap is a much better option than the zippered boot.

I have had a couple of pairs of the boots and they are too heavy and the zippers are not reliable.

An internet search using the name of the product will put you in touch with the outlet.

I hope I haven't breached site rules re sponsors but the safety issue is really important. Just the same, if I have I apologise.

KB

 

 

 

[macman]

Hi Stu,

I fish the rocks around Yamba, its much the same up there as it is around Sydney, I just use the boots, Adrenaline I think they are called. they wear, I get about 2 seasons out of them.

Matt

[Short]

Get the eisen pro slip on cleats.... you can wear grass footy boots a la rick (or whatever else... shimano evairs go ok) then have eisens in the bag if its slippery.

Walking long distances on approach to spots is not fun in wetsuit spike boots and wrecks them pretty fast.

[Burger]

Thanks for the replies guys! Appreciate the info.

cheers, stu.