Seal Rocks (Sugarloaf Point ledges)

Sugarloaf Point is the headland at Seal Rocks, with its 1875 lighthouse on top and a run of ledges below that face straight into the Tasman. It sits inside the Port Stephens–Great Lakes Marine Park and Myall Lakes National Park, a long way from anywhere busy, and club anglers travel to Seal Rocks for drummer to about 2 kg, along with blackfish, bream, tarwhine and tailor. The fishing is on the ledges on the north side of the lighthouse, in the marine park's Coastal Habitat Protection Zone where line fishing with bait is allowed. The water south and south-east of the lighthouse is the Sawtooth Rocks zone, and different rules apply there.

Drummer anglers fish the white water close in with bread or peeled prawn on a short, stout rig, berleying lightly with bread to bring fish up into the wash. Luderick take green or cabbage weed under a float in the calmer gutters between the ledges. Bream and tarwhine come to the same washes on peeled prawn or small strips of fish. Tailor are an early-morning and late-afternoon job with metals or ganged pilchards cast wide of the rocks — be off the headland by sunset.

Black drummer (rock blackfish) are the main target, 30 cm minimum and a bag of 10; blue drummer look similar but are release-only in NSW. Luderick are 27 cm with a bag of 10, and yellowfin bream (25 cm) and tarwhine (20 cm) share a combined bag of 10. Tailor are 30 cm with a bag of 10. Eastern blue groper can't be taken by any method in NSW until the end of February 2028 — release any you hook.

Stay on the north side of the lighthouse with any bait, and from the ledges near it cast east or north-east, not south or south-east — a long cast that way lands in the Sawtooth zone. The Sawtooth Rocks Habitat Protection Zone starts just south and south-east of the lighthouse, and fishing with bait is prohibited there; fishing from anchored boats is banned in it too. Further out, more than 400 m from shore, is the Seal Rocks Sanctuary Zone, closed to all fishing. Octopus cannot be taken from ocean rock platforms anywhere in NSW, and cunjevoi is not on the marine park's take list for habitat protection zones, so don't collect it from these ledges for bait — bring bought bait, peeled prawn or bread. The marine park allows the normal recreational methods in the Coastal Habitat Protection Zone, but check the zoning map in the FishSmart NSW app before you move along the headland.

Drive to Seal Rocks village and follow the lighthouse road to the car park at the start of the Sugarloaf Point Lighthouse walk. The lighthouse precinct is in Myall Lakes National Park, which charges a park entry fee per vehicle per day, and Sugarloaf Point is open sunrise to sunset, so this is a daylight spot. There is no formed track down to the ledges; anglers pick their way down from the headland, which should only be done on dry rock with a small sea.

The ledges face east into open ocean and take everything the swell sends, so pick days with a small sea — under about 1 metre — and watch the sets for a good 20 minutes before going down. A light westerly or north-westerly is ideal. Drummer bite best when there is some white water, but the line between workable wash and dangerous surge is thin here. After a big swell, wait a day or two for the sea to settle before fishing.

These are fully exposed ocean ledges for experienced rock fishers only. In May 2014 a wave threw three men into the sea from a platform below the lighthouse; two were rescued and one was never found. Check the swell forecast, watch the sets for a good 20 minutes before going down, keep off low, wet rock, never turn your back on the sea, and leave the moment sets start washing over where you stand. There is no formed track down: never climb or rope down a cliff to reach a lower ledge, and know your way back up before you cast. MidCoast is not a declared area under the Rock Fishing Safety Act, but a lifejacket is strongly recommended here, with cleated shoes and light clothing you can swim in. Never fish alone, and tell someone where you have gone. If you are washed in, swim away from the rocks, float and signal while your mate calls 000. The lighthouse precinct closes at sunset.

Yes, on the ledges north of Sugarloaf Point Lighthouse, which sit in the marine park's Coastal Habitat Protection Zone where line fishing with bait is allowed. South and south-east of the lighthouse is the Sawtooth Rocks Habitat Protection Zone, where fishing with bait is prohibited.

The Sawtooth Rocks Habitat Protection Zone covers the water south and south-east of Sugarloaf Point. Fishing with bait is prohibited there, and so is fishing from anchored boats. Further out, more than 400 m from shore, the Seal Rocks Sanctuary Zone is closed to all fishing.

Black drummer are the main rock fish, with luderick, yellowfin bream, tarwhine and tailor. Black drummer are 30 cm minimum with a bag of 10. Eastern blue groper can't be taken by any method in NSW until the end of February 2028 — release any you hook.

MidCoast is not on the list of declared areas under the NSW Rock Fishing Safety Act, but a lifejacket is strongly recommended — these are fully exposed ocean ledges.