The auction was hosted by the Lake Cathie Fishing Club on Sunday, June 19 with around 200 people in attendance.

Proceeds raised over the weekend will be tallied and donated to the Lake Cathie Rural Fire Brigade and Marine Rescue Camden Haven. More than $10,000 was raised during the last event in 2019.

Members of the public bid on freshly caught fish gathered from north of South West Rocks to the Gosford coast.

Club secretary Terry McDermott said traditionally popular deep sea fish were limited this year due to wild weather on Saturday.

"We were really worried about how it would go considering the weather, which was atrocious," he said.

"It's two years since we have been able to run it, but we had about 200 people turn up and we were still selling fish at 4pm on Sunday afternoon.

"It could have been a much bigger day if we hadn't had the wind and rain. Although we had the same amount of fish donated this year as we did two years ago and that was a hugely successful day."

Firm favourites on the auction block this year were drummer and snapper, according to Mr McDermott.

"For many people it's difficult to find drummer even in the fish shops and you have to put in pretty hard work to catch them on the rocks yourself," he said.

"Black fish, tailor and bream are also strong sellers this year. There was even a 7kg snapper weighed in, the biggest of the snappers which sold for at least a couple of hundred dollars.

"An unusual find this year was a donated Venus Tuskfish, normally you see them up in Queensland. We are seeing a few more of those Queensland fish species being picked up now and again down here with the changing currents."

The fundraising total is yet to be determined.

"We're still counting through how much has been raised because there is funds coming in from fish auctions, and sales of cupcakes, sausage sandwiches. We should have a final count in the next week or so," Mr McDermott said.

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