Numbfish

[ginko]

Raiders,

I hit the water early today, and started fishing for whiting at the edge of the sand flats on a rising tide. About three casts in, my line comes slowly tight and from the looks of it, I think I've caught a white plastic bag. But as I reel it in to the boat, the "bag" gives a bit of a kick. Not a fight really, but a pretty lame little kick, and definitely not from a plastic bag. As I get it closer, I can see the fish is flat, but not a flounder nor any ordinary stingray.

Here's the result: a numbfish! This is actually the second I've caught in the system, the first was also near a sand flat. This one was after a nipper, and it had hooked itself in the wing. Thankfully, I managed to unhook it without incident.

I've read of a fisho getting a nasty shock when he boated one of these, so I left mine in the water. I'm not sure if this one was pregnant, its belly looks pretty rounded.

I was surprised to pick up two legal whiting today, and judging by the huge number of jellyfish clogging the surface in cowan creek - summer must be on its way.

[A.dawg]

THere are lots in the hacking atm and they are really annoying they eat anythng which is a pain because its almost impossible to get your rig back without getting shocked so you waste alot off time rerigging

[gooddong]

It's Sole, the cousin of flounder.

[Day's Fishin]

Hi Ginko, I didn't know they were in cowan, I know their up north and fairly common in Qld. Chalk up another species for the Hawkesbury.

Regards Jeff

[gje]

What a shocking story.

Scoop

[FISHARK]

I Think the name suits that fish !!!

[mhiley]

Hey mate, were you using poppers/lures or bait?

cheers

hiles

[Ray R]

The old Numb Ray, ugly thing , I have caught one of those before at Patonga while chasing flatties, the one I caught scoffed down a soft plastic..

[Yowie]

Wait until you stand on one while pumping nippers or prawning!

Edited August 16, 2010 by yowie

[gibodfisho]

I have caught one on a livie in Middle Harbour, and it even had a chew on a hefty sinker, so they are greedy buggers.

Thats priceless coming from you Yowie.

[mikeh191]

Wait until you stand on one while pumping nippers or prawning!

Yowie,I know that feeling well.The first time I caught one was about 20 years ago at rose bay wharf on a live yakka fishing for john dory.I Had no idear what it was and my dog went up to it and got zapped, he yelped and jumped back then a guy on the wharf said thats a numb fish and it give you 600 volts of electricity [he was wrong its 200 volts].I have seen quite a few in my time.

Cheers Mike

[ginko]

I had a lightly weighted nipper on the hook at the time.

The numbfish was jagged in the wing,and I got the rig back by just yanking it suddenly and fortunately the hook pulled out. The numbfish went straight to the sand under my tinnie and wiggled itself into the sand - it was completely invisible there, even from straight above in about a meter of water. It would be v easy to stand on one.

Pity the dog!