ET fishes South West Rocks

Over the years, South West Rocks on the mid-north coast of NSW has earned a reputation as a fishing hotspot, so a trip there to shoot an episode for my Escape with ET show was always on the cards.

Talk of marlin, sailfish, Spanish mackerel, cobia and all manner of other exciting sportsfish sent my heart pumping as I listened to the stories from fishermen who had fished there in summer.

On this adventure, however, we were to fish the mighty South West Rocks in June, possibly the worst and coldest month of the year. There was no talk of marlin, mackerel or cobia from our local man on the water, Ken Lyons, and as our last conversation before the trip was right in the middle of a really cold snap, the fishing hadn't been all that bright.

SLOW START
The sun greeted us as we manoeuvred Ken's 5m Quintrex out onto the beautiful Manning River. It was going to be a warm winter's day with the temperature forecast to hit the mid-20s with next to no wind.

A low swell meant getting through the Manning bar wasn't going to pose a problem, and soon we were on the livebait grounds with no other boats in sight.

Slimey mackerel and yellowtail crawled all over our jigs and we loaded up with about 20 baits in no time.

First stop was a few little caves among the washes along the southern coastline where we hoped to score a jew, kingfish or tailor. We cast unweighted baits amongst the foam, but after an hour of flogging Ken's prime spots without any luck we decided a trip out to Fish Rock to search for a snapper would be worth a crack.

STRETCHED!
Fish Rock looked great and we anchored adjacent to a small bombora with deep water fringing the surrounding reef. A trail of chopped pilchards was immediately sent over the side and we floated out unweighted pilchard baits along with this steady flow of berley. On the heavier Shimano outfits we put live slimies with snelled hooks deep below the boat and with everything set in place it wasn't long before the rods started bending.

Mack tuna in the 7kg range were the first to find the berley trail and our cut pilchard baits. These speedsters sure know how to fight and their never-say-die attitude meant we were in for a great tussle on 8kg gear. Three came to the boat before a mako shark spoilt the party. Unfortunately only heads remained of our next few fish.

As the sharks enjoyed the easy meals we decided enough was enough and headed off in search of another species with smaller teeth.

A few casts with metal slugs into the washes on our departure and Chad hooked up to a nice tailor. After a torrid fight a healthy fish of 3kg come to the boat, and although it's not uncommon to catch greenbacks up to 5kg, this was the biggest tailor Chad had caught and we were all over the moon.

Black Rock was to be our final crack at a fish before we headed to the river for an afternoon shot at a jewfish.

KINGIES ON TAP
We anchored on the edge of the reef where the sand met the rock and started the berleying process once more. At each bang of the berley bin hundreds of yakkas swarmed like bees around a honey pot. Down deeper, solid shapes could be seen lurking and as the first livebait was lowered a 5kg kingfish raced in to devour it in full view.

From that moment it was pure mayhem for the next two hours as kings to 12kg swarmed behind the boat.

Hook-ups and bust-offs were continuous and some tremendous fish were boated with one kept for a meal and over a dozen released. My biggest chased a live slimey right to the surface and crunched him on the top in a tremendous explosion, before fighting as dirty as ever on 24kg gear. It is simply amazing what a 12kg king can do to a rod, reel and angler. As exhausted as the fish was, I felt almost ready to collapse as it came boatside.

We returned to the river with a few livebaits left and decided a drift along the sea breakwall would be a mighty way to finish the day.

OPTIONS GALORE
We loaded our 24kg sticks with livebaits and sent them out with large snapper leads to keep the baits down deep in the strike zone.

Our first drift hit the jackpot and after a brief tussle a 4kg jew slid alongside the Quintrex. At whatever size, jew are an incredible fish. Their shiny silver flanks remind many southern anglers of their resemblance to barramundi, and although they don't jump like a barra, they are still a pleasure to catch. We ended up with three jewies which all fell to livebaits.

What a fishery this would be in summer, when big fish chase mullet in the estuary.

I have already got a group of mates together for a trip to South West Rocks this summer. If I have seen it at its worst, then it at its best it will surely be even more mind-blowing.

A 12ft tinnie is all that's needed to see you battling huge jewfish and flathead in the river. If heading offshore, a larger trailerboat is ideal for chasing marlin, sailfish, cobia, mackerel or bottom fish like snapper, kingies and jew.

South West Rocks is a fishing Mecca with plenty of accommodation in the township, including a great van park (South West Rocks Tourist Park).

Families, husband and wife teams or a group of keen anglers could ask for no more.