Phil Remington

I fished low for many years, on blackfish ledges, raising my leg as the swells past and listening for the call of "water". Its always sad when someone is lost, Rockfishing remains, by far, the most dangerous sport in the country. 8 people a year die in NSW alone. On reflection, 40 years ago no one wore wore life jackets, though even back then I did fish with a few blokes who wore helmets, if you can swim, and you get swept off, your main risk is always being knocked unconscious.

Hi Waza, yeah I remember the "Block" ladder. Always seemed hairy. I've heard it's not there any more. I've heard of a few people lost at Diamond Bay over the years. I'd always assumed they were fishing up high, in big seas and so on. In some ways fishing the low platforms seemed safer (assuming you didn't fall getting there!). If you waited, watched and read the the water, you probably choose not to fish. Of course a rouge wave would get you every now and then, (I've been bowled over a number of times!) but if you kept your head, short of a few cuts and scratches , you'd get back in. On another note, I was wondering what you make of the changes in gear and tackle off the rocks. I learnt to make my own Rods, Butterworth MT4144's for light gear and MT6144's for heavier. Reels were all Alveys and Centrepins, I'm sure it was the same with you. Today the rods are far shorter and its all eggbeaters.

Hey Waza, I was never a fan of that ladder either. I fished it a bit, some times there was a piece of rope someone had left attached to one of the pegs, (you've got a good memory!) and sometimes not. Never saw anyone get any Reds off the platform I must say, saw a few good groper, pigs and plenty of guys live baiting for Kings and Jewies. I fished "Green Ledge" lots for Blackfish. (caught a good size Salmon there once on a "streamer" bait of cabbage!). I'd also keep my "cleats" on to cross that ledge to the main platform , it was a wet and slippery dash across alright, the cable strung across did help. I'm amazed that murk still flows , it never smelt as bad as the other ones though.. There was another spot i wonder if you ever fished, beneath the Chapel at South Head. It was a serious climb for sure, dropped off into deep water, a bit protected from the South. It looked impossible to get to , though I did see some guys on it once.

Hi Waza, I was wondering if you (or anyone else) ever fished Rosa Gully. The main platform up the end, where the small "murk" came out. At the Northern end at the base of the cliff there was a rope that went up to a small ledge. I never worked out if it was another way out (up) or if it was access to spots further North. I remember seeing some old iron pegs high on the cliff behind, but there was no other obvious way up. Also do you know if the little "murk" still pumps at all, like as an overflow.

Thanks Waza, nice to meet a like minded fisho. Great to know also there's someone else out there who knows what it is to have those cliffs behind you, to watch the sun come up over the water. The Lighthouse sounds as hectic as it looked, I wonder if anyone has fished it since.? Also the Mattens, I've moved up the Northern Rivers, (none of that Hawkesbury Sandstone up here!), do people still fish it, or any of the other platforms?? Most of the people I see on the stones up here look like they're more likely to be washed off than know a call of "water". Sorry to hear your mobility isn't the greatest, hope you still get a line in the water every now and then. I'm mainly a beach and kayak guy these days, heading off shore in the kayak occasionally, though all the attacks in the past while have me a little spooked. I think I remember Jim Clarke, did he fish The Gap lots.? Cheers Phil

Hey Waza, thanks for your stories from the Sydney Stones. It brought back a whole world I thought long forgotten. I've been searching on line for anyone who fished the rocks off Sydney in the late 70's and early 80's. I fished the harbour as a kid, for jackets, bream, Dory and the occasional slimy that came through. We did all the wharfs and 'private' jetties. Then when I was about 13 I finally made it over the headland at South Head. What I saw below totally changed my fishing life. I saw guys, knee deep in wash, right on the waters edge, pulling in fish after fish, Travelly, Bream , Blackfish. I could tell right away these guys were 'pro's' and i knew i wanted to be part of that action. Over the next few years I got to know all of those blokes I saw there on that first day and they took me under their wing. I fished beside them for weeks, my cabbage baits looking exactly the same as theirs, or so I thought and I still never got a down. It took me months to get to their standard, to land fish and know what I was doing. By the age of 16, when other mates were all about partying and going out, they were picking me up outside my Grandmothers place at 4.00am on a Sunday morning. We fished all those platforms, South Head (alot), The Gap, Rosa, Jacobs Ladder, The Murk (occasionally) and Waverly Cemetery. The Mattens I climbed only once, without gear, to check it out. It was hairy alright, what I remember was the variety of fishing options, gutters, deep drop offs and washes. I fished with a few blokes from the Clubs, both South and East and I'd heard all the stories. I remember them telling me after one comp they erected a makeshift pully system over the top of the cliff and connected the rope to a car and hauled the fish up that way. They left a deep impact on me those cliffs and I think about them often. There was another spot just South of The Gap's two platforms, I think it was called 'Kazies", you needed your own rope ladder on the last overhang. Platform looked protected from the South, deep water, good for live baiting. I never got down and didn't see many blokes fish it. Macquarie Lighthouse I think I only ever saw fished once. You could see it from South Head out "the front", it always looked beyond the scope of mortal humans. I'm convinced the guys I saw fishing it that day had proper rock climbing gear. Thanks mate for bringing back the memories..