A freshwater fisherman, he was keen to experience the thrills of fishing on the coast so I introduced him to my 11-foot tinny Stinkpot.

On went our life jackets before we loaded up with bread berley, heavy 12-kilogram line plus big prawns and pilchards for bait.

We pushed off Fingal Beach about 6.30am and headed for the Outer Lighthouse on Fingal Island.

Fingal Bay was flat as a flounder and the tide was close to high so I motored through the Spit - by the expression on his face I didn't know if my mate was frightened or excited.

On reaching the northern face of the island there was an immediate change in conditions with a brisk breeze accompanied by a sizeable swell.

Stinkpot pitched and rolled as we neared three barren rocks in front of the lighthouse, an area known to the locals as the "Tommy rocks". In behind Tommy 1 there is a small semi circular rock pool just big enough to motor into and tie up.

A short swim was required to reach our ultimate destination on Tommy 2.

Dragging himself out of the water and onto the rock my bushy mate exclaimed that this did not occur in the Macquarie River.

I organised a pilchard on a 3x4/0 gang while a big prawn was set on a 6/0 on the other rod.

The baits were smashed as soon as they hit the water and the fishing remained frantic for the next couple of hours. All up we caught bream, snapper, tailor, groper, drummer, leatherjacket and a bluefish rarely seen in these waters.

Needless to say my mate was impressed - "Beats catchin' carp" he reckoned.

Tomaree PROAM met through the week with an equal balance of commercial and recreational fishers interested to hear the policies of the major political parties.

The meeting gave the fishermen the opportunity to express their concerns prior to the state elections.

Stinker