"Even if he won lotto he still said he would go out fishing tomorrow," his mother, Kay Forster, told the Examiner.

"He was a great young man."

The Nelson Bay fisherman died on Monday, his body was discovered at about 6pm, face down in the water soon after he set out on a routine prawning expedition. He was 29.

Lacerations found on his legs and stomach will form part of the investigation into the cause of his death.

Four generations of the Forster family were only two weeks from living metres apart on the same street.

"This time in two weeks we would have two big homes right next to each other," Mrs Forster said.

He was affectionately known as 'Squid' because "he caught squid from a young age and sold them for pocket money", his mother said.

"He fished with his father all his life...His father is just devastated.

"He was very well respected among the fishing community."

After moving from the Central Coast several years ago, Mr Forster met his wife of six years, Cindy, the woman he would go on and have three daughters with - Mia, 9, Ava, 5, and Isla, 2. An active member of the Nelson Bay cricket and Anna Bay Fishing clubs, boating late into the night was second nature for a man who just loved to fish.

"Everyone knows it's a risky job, but they [fisherman] do it because they love it," Mrs Forster said.

Nelson Bay Water Police are investigating and a report will be prepared for the coroner.