the Ovens accessibility?

[faker]

I was fishing in the area and saw people fishing in the ovens spot. Pretty sure it's being built on so you can't use a rope any more. Does anyone know how they get around it?

I am well aware it's risky but this is more of my sussing place out exercise. If it looks a bit hairy ie middle head cliffs I am out of there

Edited April 3 by faker

[wazatherfisherman]

For many years there was a vacant block on Rayner Rd about 3 houses from the end and access was via that block then around the hill on a well used track, then down the rope. After the block was built on, they tell me that there was a dicey track along the edge just past the last house on that stretch (facing north) but I don't know what it's like (or still there!)

The alternative access was a long walk around the lower section from the beach side. The Rayner Rd access was via the higher section, along the level above the lower way in.

Although it's a famous location for LB Game, it doesn't fish too many fishers at a time and you need to gaff everything as there's nowhere to was fish up either. Yellowtail needed to be caught before light most of the time also, at the mouth of the gulph. You need your own rope about 15m long to hang onto to aid getting down. Stout Long Toms were often annoying when live-baiting there, but plenty of big fish have come from the location.

Not that ideal a location for you- the lower spot before you go around the corner to the ovens (accessed from the beach and walk around) and known as South Whale, although low, is a great spinning spot, with other species available also. Just beware of the swell and take the usual safety gear. September-November there are also some really large Black Drummer along there and they get Snapper casting wide- a better spot for your spinning than the Ovens

[faker]

5 hours ago, wazatherfisherman said:

For many years there was a vacant block on Rayner Rd about 3 houses from the end and access was via that block then around the hill on a well used track, then down the rope. After the block was built on, they tell me that there was a dicey track along the edge just past the last house on that stretch (facing north) but I don't know what it's like (or still there!)

The alternative access was a long walk around the lower section from the beach side. The Rayner Rd access was via the higher section, along the level above the lower way in.

Although it's a famous location for LB Game, it doesn't fish too many fishers at a time and you need to gaff everything as there's nowhere to was fish up either. Yellowtail needed to be caught before light most of the time also, at the mouth of the gulph. You need your own rope about 15m long to hang onto to aid getting down. Stout Long Toms were often annoying when live-baiting there, but plenty of big fish have come from the location.

Not that ideal a location for you- the lower spot before you go around the corner to the ovens (accessed from the beach and walk around) and known as South Whale, although low, is a great spinning spot, with other species available also. Just beware of the swell and take the usual safety gear. September-November there are also some really large Black Drummer along there and they get Snapper casting wide- a better spot for your spinning than the Ovens

thanks waza. They are probably at south whale then. i was just curious watching headlights move that direction .

[wazatherfisherman]

The lights on the left hand side of the picture definitely look like the Ovens- too far out to be South Whale

[faker]

9 hours ago, wazatherfisherman said:

The lights on the left hand side of the picture definitely look like the Ovens- too far out to be South Whale

No fish worth my neck to go that far out to get chains. I haven’t fully evolved to that state yet to be climbing stuff like that and I gotba home to return to.

[Pickles]

Hey @faker, some excellent input from @wazatherfisherman. As young 18yr old, I used to regularly fish “The Ovens” and caught some amazing fish there. Now I’m 70, I wouldn’t even consider that climb (or the walk around at low tide - from memory you can’t get back at anything other than low tide).

The last time I went there (in 1975), an Italian fellow, my annd my wife and I were last ones there. He tried very kindly, to tell me (in Italian), he was going “up -up” with hand gestures and I waved and said “good bye”, he tried several times to communicate he was going, as we watched him climb up the rope and then the only rope disappear up after he had gone. 😧 The climb up was horrendous and an amazing (positive) stroke of providence we are still married (48 years now).

Never been back and only fish out of a boat now, having been washed over rock fishing - PLEASEE BE CAREFUL ON THE ROCKS, brother Raider.

[faker]

5 hours ago, Pickles said:

Hey @faker, some excellent input from @wazatherfisherman. As young 18yr old, I used to regularly fish “The Ovens” and caught some amazing fish there. Now I’m 70, I wouldn’t even consider that climb (or the walk around at low tide - from memory you can’t get back at anything other than low tide).

The last time I went there (in 1975), an Italian fellow, my annd my wife and I were last ones there. He tried very kindly, to tell me (in Italian), he was going “up -up” with hand gestures and I waved and said “good bye”, he tried several times to communicate he was going, as we watched him climb up the rope and then the only rope disappear up after he had gone. 😧 The climb up was horrendous and an amazing (positive) stroke of providence we are still married (48 years now).

Never been back and only fish out of a boat now, having been washed over rock fishing - PLEASEE BE CAREFUL ON THE ROCKS, brother Raider.

I will do, so far from my 12 trips so far since Feb,  I have found that pre-planning has made it safe most of time and visiting the rock on high swell while not fishing and examining how waves hit the rock in location is very useful.

I always have either my beach rod or light rod in car if things look crazy I go to Pittwater for flathead.

 

Edited April 5 by faker

[faker]

On 4/5/2024 at 6:11 AM, Pickles said:

Hey @faker, some excellent input from @wazatherfisherman. As young 18yr old, I used to regularly fish “The Ovens” and caught some amazing fish there. Now I’m 70, I wouldn’t even consider that climb (or the walk around at low tide - from memory you can’t get back at anything other than low tide).

The last time I went there (in 1975), an Italian fellow, my annd my wife and I were last ones there. He tried very kindly, to tell me (in Italian), he was going “up -up” with hand gestures and I waved and said “good bye”, he tried several times to communicate he was going, as we watched him climb up the rope and then the only rope disappear up after he had gone. 😧 The climb up was horrendous and an amazing (positive) stroke of providence we are still married (48 years now).

Never been back and only fish out of a boat now, having been washed over rock fishing - PLEASEE BE CAREFUL ON THE ROCKS, brother Raider.

Hi waza is the first or second photo south whale or the ovens proper? My friend sent me them after our session

Edited April 8 by faker

[wazatherfisherman]

1st one looks like South Whale second is definitely the ovens