[Weird fish (large scale saury)]

Can you eat them, or should i say are they a good table fish?

Similar to Sergeant Baker, bony!

[Can I eat this?]

Gurnard doesn't have many fine bones as SB. Actually it tastes similar to a flathead but a bit firmer.

[Palatability Rating of Fish Caught around Sydney Waters under 100m deep]

Thanks for all the comments.

I must stress that the list is a subjective personal ranking by simple comparision of apple to apple with fresh fish just cooked simply with salt as the only condiment.

The ranking is generally reflected by the value of the fish at fish shops.

Needless to say, one could have prepared the lower ranking fish with fancy methods like smoking, adding chicken powder or beef cubes, deep fried with spices etc.

Most important is never to overcook fish.

[Hawksbury river]

Fishing in Hawkesbury is very slow from July to Oct. Try again in Nov. Big Bream usually in April and May.

[Palatability Rating of Fish Caught around Sydney Waters under 100m deep]

This is my rating for common fish caught around Sydney waters. Any comments;

1. Red Morwong

2. Long Fin Perch

3. Whiting

4. Pig Fish

5. Black Drummer

6. Snapper

7. Flathead

8. Tarwine

9. King Fish

10 Groper

11 Jew Fish

12 Trag

13 Bream

14 Chinaman Leatherjacket, fantail leatherjacket

15 Rock Cord

16 Maori Wrasse

17 Blue Morwong

18 Trevally, yellow tail ( both very good for sashimi)

19 Bonito

20 Mullet

21 Sweep

22 Tailor

23 Ludwick

Unpalatable

24 Mac Tuna, Stripe tuna, ( Bland, meaty)

25 Six spine leatherjacket , (bland, tough)

26 Sargeant Baker(Bony)

27 Aus Salmon, ( strange sour taste, meaty)

28 Wirrah, (tough, slimmy) Kelp fish ( Bland)

29 Hawksbury cat fish ( bland, poisonous spine)

[whats happened with the fish?]

Fishing is usually very slow at Hawkesbury during winter months especially the upper reaches. Try Lion Island or West Head.

[Sydney Today]

Fished similar areas on Sunday. The jackets are of better size averaging 3 to a Kg. You chased baits to the surface and you can pull them up non stop using a small sinker and 1/0 to 2/0 hooks preferably with squid or fish baits without losing gear and filled your bag limit in about an hour.

[Leather Jackets ?]

Areas from Manly to Long Reef seem OK if you fish less than 50 fathoms.

[Definiton of "WIDE"]

I regard where the sea is deeper than 50 fathoms wide.

[Sydney Reefs]

I have used different colours and types of fishing lines without any successs. It appeared that they bite off everything in their way especially by tiny ones when they swarm up near the surface or under the boat. The condition was worst in years during the last weekend. However, sometime the culprit are green toads.

[The Big Marn Goes In Kit Off!]

Excellent piece of report, well presented and good writing skill.