North Haven Breakwall (Camden Haven)

The Camden Haven River reaches the sea between two rock walls at North Haven, and the northern one runs out from the end of the beach at Hughes Park to a tip about 350 m from the car park. The North Haven and Dunbogan walls are the Camden Haven's mixed-bag spots: luderick in strong numbers, flathead in the river and metre-class mulloway in the inlet around a winter full moon. It is the shorter, easier sibling of the Port Macquarie wall, with the river on one side, North Haven Beach on the other and Perpendicular Point looming to the south.

Luderick anglers trot green weed or cabbage under a stem float along the river face, berleying lightly with weed and sand. Bream take prawn, mullet strip or small plastics against the rocks, best at dusk and after dark. Flathead sit on the sand at the base of the wall and along the channel edge in the warm months and come to plastics or a live poddy mullet. Mulloway are fished from the outer half at night on live mullet, squid or big plastics. Tailor show off the tip at first light to pilchards or small metals.

Luderick are the signature fish, around all year and thick in the cooler months. Bream fish year-round and peak through winter. Dusky flathead are a spring to autumn target in the river. Mulloway come through the entrance year-round, and the inlet has given up metre-plus fish around a winter full moon. Tailor pass the tip in autumn and winter.

Pick the tide for the target: the run-in brings clean ocean water for luderick, the run-out drags bait past the wall for bream and flathead, and the change into dark is jewie time. Luderick are 27 cm with a bag of 10; bream 25 cm with a combined 10 including tarwhine; dusky flathead a 36–70 cm slot with a bag of five; mulloway 70 cm and one. Nets other than landing nets are closed in the inlet, so leave the hoop net at home, and spearfishing is closed from the entrance to the Laurieton bridge.

Turn off The Parade onto Hughes Road and park at the car park beside Hughes Park, at the root of the north wall; a path runs out along the wall to the tip, roughly 350 m. North Haven's shops and cafés are a short drive back along The Parade. The walk out is flat but the fishing positions are on the rock armour, which isn't suitable for prams or wheelchairs. The beach beside the wall is an easy option for children.

The river face fishes in most winds and is sheltered from a southerly swell by the south wall and Camden Head. A big easterly or north-easterly sea breaks across the bar and washes the outer end — fish closer to the car park then. The tide is the main driver; the first of the run-in and the change into dark are the busiest windows. After heavy rain the river colours up and fish push toward the cleaner water near the mouth.

The outer end and tip take breaking swell in an easterly sea, and the rocks below the path are slick with weed. Check the swell forecast, watch the sets for ten minutes before heading to the tip, never turn your back on the sea, and turn back if spray is reaching the path. Port Macquarie-Hastings is not one of the ten council areas declared under the Rock Fishing Safety Act 2016, but a lifejacket is strongly recommended on the lower rocks and at the mouth, with grippy footwear and light clothing you can swim in. Don't fish the tip alone; if you go in, swim clear of the wall, float, signal and have your mate call 000, and know your way back to the path. The tide runs hard through the entrance and boats cross the bar here, so keep children up on the path and keep lines clear of the channel when a vessel is crossing.

Luderick are the main target, with bream, dusky flathead, tailor and mulloway also caught. The Camden Haven inlet has produced metre-plus mulloway around a winter full moon. You need a NSW Recreational Fishing Fee receipt unless you're exempt.

Turn off The Parade onto Hughes Road and park at the car park beside Hughes Park, at the start of the north wall. A path leads out along the wall to the tip, about 350 m.

DPIRD closes the Camden Haven inlet to nets, except landing nets, from the entrance up to the line between the public baths and Gogleys Creek. Line fishing is unaffected, so use a landing net only.