The body of a fisherman who failed to return after going prawning has been found off the NSW central coast.

Police say they found the man's body off the Entrance around 9.45am (AEDT) on Monday, just north of where he went missing on Sunday night.

He set out to go prawning on Sunday night but the alarm was raised after he failed to return by daylight on Monday.

Tuggerah Lakes police, PolAir, Marine Rescue and the Westpac Rescue Helicopter were involved in the search.