Rock Fishing Areas to Avoid

[spraka]

Hey Everyone, 

Getting my feet wet (pun intended) with rock fishing but as I start to explore different areas I want to know if there are generally areas on the NSW coast that are too dangerous and should be avoided?

Of course safety comes first when rock fishing. 

[xerotao]

The only place that comes to mind to me is Hill 60, i hate that place so much.

[Jiggy]

When rock fishing you need to remember that every rock platform is dangerous. You may be fishing a ledge 10 metres above the water and still have a risk of a wave climbing that high. Rare maybe but I've seen it happen on days where it was considered safe to fish. If the rocks are wet, and it isn't raining, then waves are getting there. Wear the right footwear, wear an inflatable pfd, observe where you plan to fish for at least half an hour. Don't fish alone. If you don't like the looks of it go somewhere else. Or home. 

No fish is worth your life or that of a mate.

Cheers

Rob

 

Edited March 13 by Jiggy

[noelm]

It’s impossible to say where to avoid, what’s great this morning might be bad after lunch. Lots of places can be dangerous, especially sloping rocks that drop into deep water, or steep “cliff” like locations that have deep water right at your feet, big green walls of water will just rise up those kind of places, with no warning, unless you are experienced at seeing “sets” well out to sea. Once it gets deep around your legs and the water starts rushing back, you will not be able to keep your feet on the ground, and in you go.

[noelm]

3 hours ago, xerotao said:

The only place that comes to mind to me is Hill 60, i hate that place so much.

Hill 60 has claimed a lot of lives, but, only because people fish in the wrong spot, everyone fishes the lower flat ledge with the metre high “cliff”  behind you, once a wave comes over, it builds up against the cliff, then rushes straight back, taking tackle and people with it, there is no “freak” waves involved, it’s a natural formation and it happens ten times a day.

[faker]

 I am no expert but I do intense amounts of planning before rockfishing. Going to rocks with just cleats and life jacket (no rod) and recording conditions on specific swell and speaking with locals on when it's safe.

Turrimetta is a death trap on a south swell and only fishable on low tide with low swell height and period

 

 

Edited March 13 by faker

[slowjigger]

Some are worse than others. Usually the worst ones are where the water builds up behind you due to cliffs or ledges. Places like Yellow Rock and Jolong in the Eastern Suburbs. The Gulf in the Royal National Park. 

[XD351]

These may be old videos but they show the main dangerous spots in Sydney and not all of them are accessible now  but you must remember ANY rock platform can be dangerous in the wrong conditions ! Do yourself a big favour and either try to find someone with experience to go with you for a few trips or go with a guide - you will learn more about safety in one session with a guide than you will in a year of fishing by yourself . I know they’re not cheap but what price do you put on your life ?

[faker]

Another way I learnt is speaking with a tackle store who specialises in it. Now the owners I know won't tell me the ledges apart from well known ones but will give me advice on ledges I do find myself.

I do know some 6m high ledges which makes them safe except for all but the biggest swells but you trade big waves to possible falls.

[noelm]

13 hours ago, slowjigger said:

Some are worse than others. Usually the worst ones are where the water builds up behind you due to cliffs or ledges. Places like Yellow Rock and Jolong in the Eastern Suburbs. The Gulf in the Royal National Park. 

This is exactly the case at Hill 60 Port Kembla, but the “cliff” behind is only about 1m high, where people fish is a great looking flat area, with deep water right at your feet, they leave all their gear just at the bottom of the mini cliff, but every now and then, a big swell just comes over, floods the flat section to a metre deep, and once it starts running back, a metre is simply too deep to keep your footing, and when you see your gear going over the edge, most try to grab it and in they go. The same thing happens all the time, but fortunately most just get a few cuts and bruises and lose a bit of gear, you never hear about those people. I have been washed in myself, we were diving and got out of the water, I  was standing at the mini cliff, taking my goggles and stuff off and putting them on the top, a bigger set came through, filled the metre high ledge, me with a wetsuit on, just floated and over the edge I went as the water poured back, now I had just about done everything wrong, standing where I knew I shouldn’t (but it was calm, we were diving) had my back to the water, busy talking and not paying attention.

[noelm]

Just to kind of add something, the size of the swell doesn’t mean you can’t fish, I have a few great spots that are only good when the big winter storm swells are running, Shellharbour Harbour is great during this time (and safe) the “Boneyard” down towards Kiama is another spot, and the rocks directly in front of my house at Barrack Point are red hot when the swell is big, but, it’s sheltered in a bay and only fishes OK at high tide. So (to me) the clue is to know where to fish in the prevailing conditions, all three of those places you fish with Cunji that has washed off the rocks and collected on site.

edit….just remembered another great spot when the swell is up, east of the gravel loader at Bass Point there is a big bay, and during big storms there is a dozen locals fishing there, it’s on the north side, so no swell gets in there.

Edited March 13 by noelm

[rickmarlin62]

Thete are too many  dangerous spots to mention  but fraser park area on central coast is a black spot with quite a few deaths