Do you need a lifejacket to rock fish at Avoca Point?

Yes. Avoca sits in the Central Coast local government area, which is declared under the NSW Rock Fishing Safety Act 2016, so an approved lifejacket is required by law at the high-risk rock-fishing locations the council has declared, and these swell-exposed ledges are exactly what the law is aimed at. It covers anyone helping you fish and any children present. Adults need AS 4758 level 50S or greater, children under 12 need level 100, and going without can draw a $100 on-the-spot fine. You also need a NSW Recreational Fishing Fee to fish anywhere in NSW, including from the rocks.

Can you keep blue groper caught at Avoca?

No. Eastern blue groper is a no-take species across NSW with a bag limit of zero, and the line fishing prohibition was continued for a further three years from 1 March 2025, so it runs to 1 March 2028. Any groper that picks up a bait meant for something else must go back in the water alive. Spearfishing for the species has been banned since 1969 and remains so.

What's the best bait for luderick at Avoca?

Green cabbage drifted under a float is the standard and most reliable luderick bait off the Avoca ledges, fished along the wash line on a long-shank hook. When stringy green weed is growing thick on the platform itself, picking it fresh off the rocks is often even better. A steady berley trail of chopped weed and sand helps hold the school in the gutter. Luderick have a 27cm minimum and a daily bag of 10, with a possession limit of 20.

When is the best time to spin for kingfish and bonito at Avoca?

Early mornings from late spring through autumn — roughly November to May, peaking January to May as the warm current pushes in. First light with a low to moderate swell is the window; burn metal slugs or stickbaits at speed, the style local lore credits Avoca anglers with pioneering. Live bait under a bobby cork is the other proven method for the bigger kingfish. Kingfish must be 65cm with a bag of 5; bonito have no size limit and a bag of 10.

Is Avoca Point safe to fish?

Only with care and the right conditions. It is an exposed ocean ledge in a local government area declared high-risk under the Rock Fishing Safety Act 2016, which is not a label councils hand out lightly, so it is not a beginner spot in any swell. Fish it on a low swell, wear the legally required lifejacket and cleated boots, watch the sea for several minutes before stepping onto lower ledges, and don't fish alone or with your back to the water. If the swell's up, fish the sheltered Terrigal Haven or Avoca Lake instead.

Bite Compass

Bite Forecast

Avoca Point

Thu 17 Sep 2026 · Australia/Sydney

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17 Sep

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Today Tomorrow Sat 19 Sep

📍 Avoca Point

waxing crescent · 28%

Weather: Cloudy Wind: S 189° · 27 km/h Swell: 1.9 m @ 8 s SE Water: 18.2 °C Pressure: 1031.4 hPa → steady

★★★☆☆

Medium Fish Activity

▸ Why this score?

At the day's peak · 6:00 pm

Solunar Between windows

Time of day Dusk

Tide Turning

Wind S 18 km/h

Moon waxing crescent all day

Water temp 18.2 °C all day

Learn how the score works →

Activity Forecast

Day timeline

Major Minor Tide Twilight

First light 5:26 am Last light 6:11 pm

Low 4:45 am High 11:35 am Low 6:30 pm

Drag or use arrow keys to explore

Feeding Windows

Best times to fish based on activity score.

Peak

4:00 pm → 7:30 pm

3h 30m

Good

5:00 am → 6:30 am

1h 30m

First light

5:26 am

Last light

6:11 pm

Sunrise

5:51 am

Sunset

5:47 pm

Moonrise

8:57 am

Moonset

11:58 pm

Low tide

4:45 am

High tide

11:35 am

Low tide

6:30 pm

High tide

11:50 pm

Hourly Wind

High Bite Hours Highlighted

12am

☀️

13°

↓︎

195°

28 km/h

1am

☀️

13°

↓︎

200°

28 km/h

2am

☀️

12°

↙︎

208°

26 km/h

3am

☀️

11°

↙︎

219°

23 km/h

4am

☀️

10°

↙︎

228°

21 km/h

5am

☀️

10°

↙︎

233°

20 km/h

6am

☀️

10°

↙︎

234°

19 km/h

7am

☀️

10°

↙︎

229°

18 km/h

8am

☁️

11°

↙︎

216°

20 km/h

9am

☁️

13°

↓︎

201°

23 km/h

10am

☁️

14°

↓︎

193°

26 km/h

11am

☁️

15°

↓︎

190°

27 km/h

12pm

☁️

15°

↓︎

189°

27 km/h

1pm

☁️

16°

↓︎

188°

26 km/h

2pm

☁️

16°

↓︎

189°

25 km/h

3pm

☁️

15°

↓︎

190°

24 km/h

4pm

☁️

15°

↓︎

190°

22 km/h

5pm

☁️

15°

↓︎

190°

20 km/h

6pm

☀️

14°

↓︎

189°

18 km/h

7pm

☀️

14°

↓︎

187°

16 km/h

8pm

☀️

14°

↓︎

180°

14 km/h

9pm

☀️

14°

↓︎

172°

13 km/h

10pm

☀️

14°

↓︎

170°

11 km/h

11pm

☀️

13°

↓︎

197°

8 km/h

Hourly Swell

Steady ~1.5 m S

12am

1.6 m

@ 9 s

↓︎

Moderate

1am

1.7 m

@ 9 s

↘︎

Moderate

2am

1.8 m

@ 8 s

↓︎

Moderate

3am

1.9 m

@ 8 s

↓︎

Moderate

4am

2.1 m

@ 8 s

↓︎

Solid

5am

2.0 m

@ 8 s

↓︎

Solid

chop

6am

2.0 m

@ 8 s

↓︎

Solid

chop

7am

2.0 m

@ 8 s

↓︎

Moderate

chop

8am

2.0 m

@ 8 s

↓︎

Moderate

chop

9am

2.0 m

@ 8 s

↓︎

Moderate

chop

10am

2.0 m

@ 8 s

↘︎

Moderate

chop

11am

1.9 m

@ 8 s

↘︎

Moderate

12pm

1.9 m

@ 8 s

↘︎

Moderate

1pm

1.9 m

@ 8 s

↘︎

Moderate

2pm

1.9 m

@ 8 s

↘︎

Moderate

3pm

1.9 m

@ 8 s

↘︎

Moderate

chop

4pm

2.0 m

@ 8 s

↘︎

Moderate

chop

5pm

2.0 m

@ 8 s

↘︎

Moderate

chop

6pm

2.0 m

@ 7 s

↘︎

Solid

chop

7pm

2.0 m

@ 7 s

↘︎

Solid

chop

8pm

1.9 m

@ 7 s

↓︎

Moderate

chop

9pm

1.7 m

@ 8 s

↓︎

Moderate

chop

10pm

1.6 m

@ 8 s

↓︎

Moderate

chop

11pm

1.5 m

@ 7 s

↓︎

Moderate

chop

Water Temp (°C)

→ steady around 18.2°

Mon

14 Sep

18.4°

Tue

15 Sep

18.7°

Wed

16 Sep

18.6°

Thu

17 Sep

18.2°

Fri

18 Sep

18.3°

Sat

19 Sep

18.6°

Sun

20 Sep

18.8°

Mon

21 Sep

18.8°

Tue

22 Sep

18.9°

Wed

23 Sep

—

Wind Map

Wind data (text)

Now: 27 km/h S (189°).

Wind map data: ECMWF HRES (operational), updated every 6 hours. Not for navigation.

Feeding Windows

Best times to fish based on activity score.

Peak

4:00 pm → 7:30 pm

3h 30m

Good

5:00 am → 6:30 am

1h 30m

First light

5:26 am

Last light

6:11 pm

Sunrise

5:51 am

Sunset

5:47 pm

Moonrise

8:57 am

Moonset

11:58 pm

Low tide

4:45 am

High tide

11:35 am

Low tide

6:30 pm

High tide

11:50 pm

Nearby spots

Species at this spot

Luderick
Rock Blackfish
Yellowfin Bream
Yellowtail Kingfish
Bonito
Tailor
Australian Salmon