How to Catch Rock Blackfish

Drummer habitat

Drummer love the whitewater in and around rock shelves. Even though they are tough fighters, they are actually very timid and shy when it comes to feeding. They use the wash to their advantage, providing cover as they swim out of their rocky caves to grab an easy meal.

The washy water also creates a natural berley trail by washing broken shellfish, crabs and prawns into the deeper water. Almost every rock shelf on the east coast will be home to drummer, so finding them isn’t the challenge—it’s getting them to feed.

Ideally, you’re looking for a rock shelf with a safe amount of wash and wave action, along with deeper holes and gutters where the fish can move around. Similar to a beach gutter, these areas provide access for fish to move into the shallows in search of food.

Bait & berley

These fish are omnivorous, meaning they will eat almost anything from sea cabbage and bread to squid, crabs and even beef liver. While you can experiment with different baits, I tend to stick with two favourites—bread and prawns.

Prawns

Prawns are easy to source and make excellent bait not only for drummer but for a wide range of species. Larger prawns are ideal because they’re easier to peel and can be cut into bigger chunks.

Bread

Bread is just as easy to get—make sure it’s plain white bread—and is the perfect bait when there are too many picker fish like sweep. Some days the pickers are so abundant that you’ll reel in a bare hook without ever feeling a bite.

That’s where bread shines. It can get down to the drummer without being picked apart. Simply roll the white part of the bread into a tight ball about the size of a marble and thread it onto the hook. Then throw the crusts into the water as berley.

Berley

Berley is essential for getting drummer to feed and come out of their caves. I like to use two types.

The first is bread. I mush it up with just enough water to create a thick, chunky mixture, then throw in a handful every few minutes.

The second is berley pellets. I find these are great because they sink to the bottom and attract fewer pickers, or “poo fish”, to your area. Having a mix of both attracts fish from all levels of the water column.

You might ask, why bother with bread? There’s an old saying: “Action attracts more action.” When fish are actively feeding, it encourages other fish to investigate. As annoying as sweep can be, their aggressive feeding on the berley often attracts more fish into the area, so I like to tick every box when targeting drummer.

Active vs passive approach

Gear

Strong gear is essential for this style of fishing. Light rods simply won’t cut it. You need enough power to pull fish away from the rocks while still having the length to control them.

In the past, many dedicated drummer anglers preferred rods like the old Wilson 8144 paired with a big 6.5-inch Alvey reel. That gear still works today, and I still enjoy fishing with an Alvey. However, modern tackle allows us to fish with much lighter outfits while maintaining the required strength.

Lighter gear is more comfortable to use, and thinner lines like braid and fluorocarbon can entice big drummer even in calmer conditions, making the experience more enjoyable.

Rod

Daiwa Seabass 1062M

Reel

Daiwa BG MQ · 4000 size

Main line

20 lb Daiwa J-Braid 4

Leader

Approximately two metres of fluorocarbon

Rod & reel

My go-to rod is the Daiwa Seabass 1062M. It’s incredibly light, and its shorter butt section makes it very comfortable to hold under your arm. Since long-distance casting isn’t necessary, the shorter butt is actually an advantage.

For the reel, I use a 4000-size Daiwa BG MQ—lightweight, durable and built to handle harsh saltwater conditions.

Line & leader

For line, I know many anglers prefer mono, and it certainly has advantages around the rocks due to its abrasion resistance. However, braid is much thinner, allowing me to cast lighter rigs, so I choose 20 lb J-Braid 4.

The four-strand braid is generally tougher than eight-strand braid for rock and beach fishing and is often more affordable. I then attach around two metres of fluorocarbon leader.

Rigs

I generally use either a size 00 or size 0 ball sinker, depending on the swell and wind. If the sinker is too light, the bait stays too close to the surface. Too heavy, and it sinks unnaturally. I always try to fish as light as possible while still maintaining contact.

The hook is one area where it pays to invest in quality. I use either a Mustad 92553NP in size 2 or a Sasame Iseama ringed hook in size 2. Both are heavy-gauge hooks that resist bending under pressure and are extremely sharp for better hook-ups.

Fighting tips

The bite can be very subtle. Often, a drummer will simply pick up the bait and slowly swim away.

When you suspect a bite, slowly come up tight rather than striking immediately. Sometimes you’ve simply found the bottom, and setting the hook hard will wedge it into a snag. Other times, the fish may still be mouthing the bait, and striking too early can pull it away before the hook finds purchase.

Once hooked, do your best to dictate the fight. The key word is “try”. Your priority should be steering the fish away from its rocky home while trusting that your knots and gear will hold.

Eating quality

Drummer have pearlescent white flesh that is excellent eating. It’s very important to bleed and gut the fish immediately, then keep it on ice or as cool as possible.

Because they consume so much seaweed and shellfish, leaving the guts in for too long can negatively affect the flavour, giving the flesh a stronger earthy or gamey taste.

Simply fillet, skin and debone the fish, and it makes an excellent meal whether fried or steamed.