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If you love to fish, are the adventuresome type and like to add a
little danger to your recreation, rock fishing might be for you. Not
only does it require many fishing skills, it also requires the ability
to maneuver on foot on and around large jagged ocean rocks while the
sea’s crashing waves are hungry to wrap you in their arms. If this
sounds exciting to you, you might make a good ‘rock-hopper’, or one who
participates in rock-fishing.
Benefits of Rock Fishing
- greater exposure to more varieties of fish
- exposure to all sizes of fish from small to very large
- ability to fish where the fish are feeding on the forage and
vegetation
- not a lot of nearby competition from other anglers
Dangers of Rock Fishing
- being washed out with the tide and drowning
- slipping on the rock and causing injury, especially to the
head
- rogue waves and back-wash from previous waves, both very
unpredictable
Safety
- respect the power of the sea
- appropriate footwear for conditions (steal cleats, rock
plates for sandstone, for granite and basalt wear plastic
sandals with sucker pads)
- warm, light waterproof clothing, shorts or nylon
trousers and floatation jacket
- watch waves for several minutes where you plan to fish
to learn the flow
- always have an escape route and don’t turn you back on
the sea
- be extra cautious if you have a high rock face behind
you, back-wash is unpredictable
- make sure someone else is watching the sea and never
fish alone
- don’t panic if you are washed in, but act quickly; face
oncoming waves, duck under the next on that breaks, swim
seaward beyond it – you should be able to ride a lesser wave
back in
Happy rock-hopping and rock fishing in Australia.
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