YOU have heard of Eagle Rock, Crocodile Rock and Jailhouse Rock, but few have heard of Cod Rock.

There is a not-so-subtle difference in that Cod Rock is a red-hot fishing spot and the rest are songs.

I was first introduced to Cod Rock, or ‘Coddy’ as it is affectionately known, way back in 1976 when I first visited Broughton Island on board the old “Waranah’’ with Captain Col Jenkins and a crew of pirates.

In the same year I was talking to a dear friend Dr Gerry Sertori who showed me a photograph taken on the beach in Esmeralda Cove in the early 1960s.

Piled up on the beach was a fantastic catch of super snapper up to 12kg caught by Gerry and a couple of mates off ‘Coddy’.

As you can imagine I was keen to learn the whereabouts of this great fishing spot.

This is where a mystery unfolds.

It was explained to me that there is in fact a rock on the southern face of Broughton Island named Cod Rock, however this is not exactly where the fish are.

It is my understanding that ‘Coddy’ actually refers to an extensive reef system that stretches from the southern side of Broughton back towards Nelson Bay.

A quick check of the area with your depth sounder will reveal a magnificent, rugged bottom with sharp peaks and troughs, perfect habitat for snapper – big snapper.

To put it simply – when it comes to fishing ‘Coddy’, there is no X marks the spot.

It was last week when a crew headed for Broughton for a few nights on the island.

Two members of the crew, Matt Grech and his mate Paul Said, decided to target the reef off Cod Rock in the hope of hooking a thumper.

Not having any clear marks, the anchor was dropped in a ‘likely spot’.

What happened next is a tale that needs to be told.

On arrival, the boys were met with thousands of mutton birds in a feeding frenzy.

On every occasion that a bait or a plastic was cast, the birds swooped, dived and flew off before the bait had a chance to sink.

In desperation, to avoid the diving birds, the boys strung two hooks, paternoster style, above half a pound of lead which sent the bait to the bottom faster than the birds could dive.

It wasn’t long before the real action began.

Snapper after snapper, swimming right under the boat, eagerly attacked the baits of slimy mackerel.

Returning to the island just after dark the great catch, with crackers up to 8kg, was spread out on the sand in Esmeralda Cove.

I spent years researching and gathering fishing history for a book called “Broughton Islanders”, which recounted legendary catches of snapper by George Todd in the 1930s through to Peter Bless, “Chappy”, Tom Wade, Bob Dyer and Wally Ward in the 1960s.

It pleases me greatly to know that the fish are still there, waiting, just off Cod Rock.

By John ‘Stinker’ CLARKE