Keflapod
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Posts posted by Keflapod
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G'day Paul,
That's a cracking bream you got there.
At that size, the skin gets tough and rubbery and tastes awful.
It also prevents the herbs/spices from contacting the flesh....
Can I suggest, before you cook it, skin the fish.
Then you can put your favourite herbs/spices directly onto the flesh before cooking....
Just a suggestion from someone who has eaten more than his fare share of bream !
Also, you will find the bigger fish like baits like mullet fillet, pilchard halves (preferably the head as it has more flavour for the fish) and even squid.
Just be aware that fish over 40cm are quite old and have the highest probability of buildup of toxins so if you get lucky and get 10 of these big fish in a night, you may wish to give some away or maybe even release some...
Bon appetit !
Tony
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G'day Pete and Syd,
You guys go to a bit of trouble to present an outstanding report every time you post.
Your photos are amazing and first class.
You present your reports in an informative, interesting and entertaining way.
We even learn about birds and corals....and even fish....
To top it all off, you always get a real quality feed of fish. Congratulations on the record mowie and a big thank you for the report.
Even though I haven't fished on the ocean in 3 years and it's been a lot longer than that since I've pushed southwards beyond Jibbon Bommie, I feel like I was there last weekend. Keep up the good work Pete - and even though I can't see myself fishing down your way, your reports are still very much appreciated....
Tony
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there should be more officers arround to catch the people who keep undersize fish but from observations here at times there is a few hypocrits arround when i see people posting up pics of piles of fish some have kept when there is noneed for it
keep a cpl for a feed let the rest go & look after our future
Hi Uglyfish,
I agree with you that more should be done about people keeping undersized fish.
I just have a couple of questions for you.
When you say
"but from observations here at times there is a few hypocrits arround when i see people posting up pics of piles of fish some have kept when there is noneed for it"
1. Who are the hypocrytes ?
2. If the people catching undersized fish are the subject of the conversation, then the hypocrites you refer to, are, by definition, those people that complain about catching undersized fish but do it themselves. No-one here has shown that they complain about people keeping small fish but keep undersized fish themselves, are there?
3. As for people posting up pics of "piles of fish", these people are posting pictures of bigger catches that are within their legal rights. So what makes you think these people are doing anything wrong?
4. What makes you think there is no need for it ? Do you know what their criteria are for keeping the fish they kept ?
Uglyfish, I'm not having a go at you. I'm just trying to put some perspective on your comments.
Everybody thinks differently and everybody leads a very different life to that of the next person.
So long as we all abide by the laws, we should all generally get along...
Tony
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Well this topic has move a few anglers, as we only see Fisheries on the water every blue moon on Botany Bay, (I can`t question other water ways) my thoughts on this is to take them off the water saving us a lot of money and this could lead to reducing fees ect and let them carry out boat ramp, wharf, rocks all land based fishing and hand all water stuff over to Water Ways as there on the water every day on every system let them carry out all on water duties any thoughts on this, it seems to make sence to me.
Regards Scotty Lyons
Sounds like a good idea scotty.
I was once checked by a Waterways boat for safety gear compliance. When they were done, a lady walks over the the gunwale of the boat and she was a fisheries inspector.
She then did her bit to check license / fish / gear.
It was an efficient operation but it was a bit scary because the boat I was in at the time was only 4.6 tinny with a 7m+ cat tied off in a sloppy breaking chop in the bay.
They should do things that way I reckon...
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Hey Austral,
I was fishing the bay on Saturday and I found a big school of garfish as well.
I have never fished for them but I remembered what I had to do.
I caught 7 of them but left them in search of my usual quarry.
Now I fried them (never eaten them before) and they are very nice......except
I was told the bones are all edible (except the backbone) but I found this to be somewhat untrue.
The rib cage bones were very fine and brittle making them easy to crunch and eat but there was at least 2 or 3 of the rib cage bones which were still sharp and could still cause a problem.
For this reason I will not catch them in future for food, unless someone can tell me how to debone them...
Someone told me about a technique years ago whereby the fish is rolled with a bottle to do something to the bones - I just can't remember the details......
Tony
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Hey little G,
Nice couple a kingies. From the looks of the photo, you got them just upstream of the mouth of he George's river ?
Bait or soft plastics ?
How big were they ?
Fresh kingie is one of my favourite fish - but must be fresh for me - I can't eat them frozen whereas other fish I can eat them frozen.
Well, I don't mean I eat them when they are a frozen block of ice, I mean I don't like eating them after they are frozen, thawed then cooked.....
As for the occie - it's the stuff of dreams for us Greeks....
Well done mate....
Tony
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Hey Hutcho,
My mummy told me that little boys will always think that they can fly...
But you're HUGE ! I mean, look at that wingspan !
And you're not even wearing your superman cape....
Full marks for persistence on the fish, even though they were playing harder-to-get than a supermodel.
Now if you apply that same persistence to flying, you might just hurt yourself....
Well done lads - nice fish and some nice hardware there as well.....
Tony
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Fisheries officers.
They perform an important function but can be a double-edged sword.
I have met some very nice officers who were intent on doing their job in a friendly and informative way.
Education is high on their priority list and you can always learn something about the laws from them (some fisheries rules are a bit grey you know - eg pre-rigged rods).
These people are a pleasure to work with and can enhance our fishing experience every time.
But I have also met other officers who were rude and invasive, who were looking at the first opportunity to fine you.
They would treat you like you were out fishing to steal THEIR resources....
I've heard of one guy who had his boat boarded at 3:30am on the Hawkesbury. That story's best left untold...
Still....
I always do the right thing but like many of us here, I have witnessed some very poor form, from people keeping undersized fish.
My opinion is that the people who keep undersized fish are generally financially strapped of feel financially insecure (irrespective of their financial status).
Unfortunately, these people are everywhere as I believe they think they can make a good return on investment (ie when they buy gear'n'bait, they then catch lots of fish to offset the costs).
Other people, perhaps, feel that the rules are unjust and that their culture tells them that fish are there for the people to catch and eat, not controlled by an unjust government. Perception - it shapes the way we see the world and the way we live our lives.....
Like some people on the site, I believe that it is more important to protect the breeders. Yes undersized fish should also be protected but the breeders are more important tenfold. I know of some spots to catch thumping big bream. The fish start at 40cm (I've got them to 47cm) but I don't go there. I'd rather they breed and keep the species ticking along. In all my other bream holes, the fish rarely get beyond 37cm which is what I prefer. The older fish are also potentially full of toxins (purely because they are old and may originally have resided in the cooks river) and they aren't so good on the plate either.
Fisheries officers could take a rookie cop with them so that the rookie cop can learn about rule enforcement (as an intro into the real world of policing) as well as provide some psychological clout for the fisheries officer with whom they are partnered. They could ask for fishing licence details FIRST to establish an ID, then look at the fish if they believe the bust would be significant...They should also carry mini video cameras as a deterrent and for proof in court (if it goes there).
I saw that program that Penguin is talking about - it was set in NZ. The problem is that the fisheries offciers have a TV camera crew to support them. How much of a violent struggle would the perpetrators put up with a TV crew in their face? Not much.....
There are always solutions to problems - question is, even if the solutions are identified and people willing to implement them, who will fund them ? The greens ? I doubt it...
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...and we are worried about leatherjackets....
I've watched this guy on his show catch catfish over 100kg, freshwater stingrays over 200kg, pirakhu over 100kg, massive sturgeon and others - all freshwater fish.
It's weird seeing a guy in a small boat with 60kg game gear getting dragged around like a jealous wife unleashing on her husband before being busted off...
Mate it's a real eye-opener....
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Welcome to the site Nate.
That's a couple of real quality elbow slappers you got there for your first post.
I love the way they save their energy until they see the boat - then they take off like lightning.
If you're drag is too tight on a light trace - ping !
I reckon they're the poor man's bonefish.
They're one of my favourite fish to catch and eat.
We all look forward to many more posts mate.
Tony
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Wacko you're a freak (meant in the nicest possible way).
You seem to have the midas touch on lures.
Sonme people just have that edge, that sixth sense when it comes to lures and where/how to fish them.
Last weekend I had the trevally in the burley trail.
Catching them on bait was a fait accompli.
I ties on a little SP on a long 6lb fluoro trace AND COULD NOT GET A BITE !
I went back to bait to resume catching them....
Well done on all the fish you got.
It will be a day to remember until you do it all again next week and suddenly this week would have been a distant memory !
Tony
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Hey Dozer,
I was on a train and saw you fishing.
You were not the only one fishing that spot this week.
I have seen several other boats (one at a time) each morning and I think one in the evening.
Some mates of mine who fish SP's have caught many decent jewies in there.
Although these people are a big fish eaters, all cooks river fish are strictly C'n'R.
That's a thumper of a bream you got there.
Try burleying up the pylons and casting either bait or SP's into the trail at the base of the pylons.
Get some chook pellets and put them into a burley cage over the side.
The tide will soften them and they'll trickle out bit by bit towards the pylons.
Bet you have a bit more action !
Tony
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Hey Wacko,
I have a great respect and admiration for people who can catch and release trophy fish like that.
People like yourself have an intimate understanding of the importance of our fishery.
You can appreciate the beauty of a fish, understand it's role in the environment, enjoy the interaction between you and the fish (ie the hookup, catpture and the release) and feel the elation afterwards of achieving your goal, without any feeling of guilt for having taken something away.
Years after the capture, you can relive the memory many times over with a simple glance at that photo, and that capture is replayed in your mind, feeling the same good feelings you did on that day.
I take my hat off to you mate. You're a better man than I.
And congratulations on what should be the C'n'R fish of the month.
Tony
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Hey Carlo,
Those people who reckon pike are crap to eat are either just quoting what they have heard or have not experimented with cooking it..
Do an experiement.
Take all the fish you caught and fillet them.
Remove the skin from the trevally.
Debone the lateral line from all fillets.
Egg/breadcrumb and fry them all.
Taste each fillet and tell us which you like....
That is how you find out what you like and what you don't.
I would take a pike fillet over a trevally fillet anyday....but you be the judge...
But it is true they make excellent kingie and jewie bait....
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Some people eat Bonito and some don't, another example is pike, most don't eat them but some do and when you fillet a pike and fry it, there is no smell and tast like a whiting...... hard to believe but you won't know until you try it..., I personally don't like blurters but when mum cooks them it's a different story, so what i am saying to you jim77 is that don't go on what people say... just try it and find out for your self as we all got different tast buds. I tryed the stripies my self and my tast buds don't mind them fresh sushumie... cut very very fine pieces, and yeh i do keep most for bait.
Cheers,
George.
Hey George,
I've been eating pike for years. I love them. Same goes for sweep but sweep do need some flavour to be added as they are a bit bland.
The only fish I have not yet been able to enjoy is trevally and morwong. Both have a strong taste that I can't mask.
Sargeant bakers are also very good but have two distinct lateral lines with long thin bones along each line.
Once cut out they are really good. Stripies, bonnies, sardines, etc are also too strong tasting for me and I'm not partial to raw fish.
I have tried port jackson shark, banjo shark, shovelnose shark, stingray, aussie salmon and others. All are good but need preparation.
This is the main reason I fish - to provide a fresh healthy diet for the family and to satisfy the hunters instinct.
Got any good mowie recipes ?
Tony
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Can you get sick of eating crabs ... NEVER!
For me, the bream and travally frames dont work at all and never seem to get any with them.... get your hands on some whiting frames and the crabs will come marching in!
There were crabs traps all over the bay on the weekend so i guess everyone know the crabs are about..
As for the donuts and crabs for dinner... the "donut" did not go down too well but the crabs got turned into chilli crabs... YUMMO!
Cheers
Trung
Trung,
That photo of the crab in the wok is exactly how I cook crab too (except for the chilli - I like to taste the crab, not burn my delicate taste buds like a bushfire). No more boring boiled crabs - cracked and fried in my favourite herbs n spices - whoa I had a big dinner and I'm hungry again...gotta get out and do it....thanks for the advice and I'll PM you with any secrets I work out and I bet I will....
Tony
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Hello chaps, i must have heard the same reactions dozens of times , but you know what , carp are really not as bad as most of as think they are, there are thousands if not billions of people that think they are okay , the chinese love them , so do allot of middle eastern countries, indians, pakistanies, bangladesies, slavs they all eat them, sure they will never be good enough for the local fish and chip shops that we are used to ,But if you caught them from a clean system, bled and iced them , then made them into a fish curry like i have had a couple of times from a friend that owned a curry restaurant, you would think differently, no i havent lost my mind , and no i am not doing it hard, we used to say the same thing about wirrah cod, and salmon,sweep, and even travelly in the 70s , look at us now, and yes they have been for sale at the markets and lots of other fish shops for over 10 years, trust me curried carp is not bad at all ,
Hi Leonardgid,
I agree with your philosophy that you can make almost anything taste good if you know how or are prepared to experiment.
I was under the impression that they were not a saleable fish and that they have never been for sale before.
That's why I was so surprised to see them on sale.
I also thought our carp was a somewhat different species to that of the European carp... Perhaps they are the same....
Point taken though, and if I ever catch one, I will certainly conduct some culinary experiments of my own
Tony
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Hey Raiders,
Well I'm ashamed to say that I had to visit the fishmarkets to buy fish as my supply has run out. I decided I would at least buy a species that I can't catch myself, just to ease the burden of the guilt I'll be carrying until I finish my renovations and haul my backside back into the bay.
I bought some nice pink ling fillets - but they ain't cheap - still, they will have to do until I can put some real fish on the table -
- Anyways, I was looking through the shops and low and behold, I saw something that made me look twice.No it wasn't some babe tourist with a 20 carat diamond around her neck....I meant fish...
Have a look for yourself....I didn't think any cmmercial fisherman would ever put them on the fishmarkets floor for auction, let alone someone actually buying them.
I guess this is the beginning of an experiment to see if there is a commercial market for them ?
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Hey Trung,
You done it again !
I think that if you eat another crab, you're gonna start crawling sideways !
Well done, you'll have donuts and crabs for dinner !
Well OK - not the right kind of donuts...
I realised what I have been doing wrong with my crabbing all this time....
Bream frames for bait every time. I get a heap of bream so I thought they would work OK on the crabs, but you have stated they don't work for you...
Next time, I think I will use the whiting frames....or maybe some yakkas....
Tony
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It just seems unfair that one user group will get complete autonomy of use at the complete expense of the other user group. Surely this is discriminatory.
A wreck can be used by both groups but definately not simultaneoulsy as there is a significant conflict of interest.
How about the "Odd's-n-evens" system ?
If the date is an even number, one group can use it for that day.
If the date is an odd number, the other group can use it.
This system is used in europe to allow cars access into the city, based on number plates.
It ain't perfect but generally works. Surely this can work here. If the wrong group attempts to use the wreck, then a couple of boats radio in the rego number of the offending boat and a fine is issued...how hard is that....It's a win-win-win situation.
In any case, it will take many months for a wreck to accumulate marine growth and begin the food chain, meaning there will be nothing there to see or catch.
Put a bouy on the bow of the ship to act as a marker for it's position. Put a sign on the buoy depicting the rules and phone number to report renegade users.
It makes sense to me and everyone can have some joy...
Tony
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G'day Ray,
Every time I see great shots like yours and thumping big blackfish like that, it reminds me of my days on the rocks. Entire days from 8:30am to sunset.
Whether the fish were biting or not, the cameraderie and rivalry between the gang was worth waiting all week for.
On the rocks, every dog has his day and yes, we were all dogs!
Well, figuratively speaking of course.
We kept the barking to a low growl and never bit eachother.
Everyone was my pal.
OK - no more canine references.....
Thanks for the report Ray and nice photos and the nostalgia...
Tony
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Why do they have to sink it?
Can't they keep it afloat and permanently anchor it to the seabed - use it as a GIANT FAD !
That way we CAN use it for fishing - let the DIVERS be told they can't approach....
Why are fishos seen as the bad guys that must be kept away...
Actually if the Greens get their way, they'll launch another injunction, to again prevent it from being sunk.....
apparently they were successful the first time....perhaps because they identified some nasty chemicals or perhaps the whole ship does not belong on the seabed....who knows.....
Tony
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Hey Eddie,
I actually envy you.
Why?
I'm glad you asked.
...because you can still enjoy pulling in port jackson sharks....
...because you actually enjoyed seeing a big boofy seal..........
...and because you can still enjoy watching a lovely pod of dolphins frolick in the sun.
Me?
Why can't I enjoy all that?
...because port jackson sharks ruin specially prepared baits meant for edible species
...because seals scare and steal EVERY fish I catch in it's presence and then threaten to jump into my 5.7m platey and would capsize me for sure
...and because dolphins scare EVERY fish within 200m from eating my baits for the day...
Oh well, I guess I still have a lot to learn. Thanks for the lesson in humility Eddie.
One day, I'll grow up and appreciate nature for what she truly is. I seem to have lost that perspective...
Tony
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Wow, Yusuf,
These events, when we think about them and dissect each event, then ask the "what-if" question, it really makes us freak out.
What if banging on the pylons threw you guys out of the boat?
What if the boat hit the rocks in the kurnell shallows?
The lessons we learn from these events are called "experience", and as we get older, we realise just how lucky we were. We use these lessons to force us to think about what we are really doing, what can go wrong and what we can do to prevent a similar disaster. We actually accept the facts that shit really does happen and that we must genuinely prepare for such events.
When fishing on an unfamiliar boat, always bring a life jacket, food, water, maybe even a personal epirb. Also, check out the boat for safety gear, extra rope or anchors, how "carefree" is the captain (read careless) and if you feel that the safety factor isn't there, don't go.
I have had my fair share of near -death experiences and I take the weather and sea very seriously - she has no conscience.....
On a brighter note, well done on a decent catch of fish. They'll taste so much better knowing what lengths you went to acquire them.
...and as the Poacher said - if you can survive that, the HSC should be a breeze...
Tony
Toxic Paint In The Bay
in Fishing Reports
Posted
Hey guys,
I was under the impression that modern day antifoul chemicals are not harmful.
In the old days when they used to use tri-butyl tin, it was really toxic - which is why they banned it...
Still, leaving a mess like that on the beach just gives the boating industry a bad image, if nothing else...
Tony