Fish ID, Barracouta?

[benm]

Caught these fish on pilchards around 50 metres of water. Longest measured 72cm. I was told they are Barracouta, is this correct? Is there a legal size? I couldn't see any on the chart. Heard they are not the best eating, but it is in the smoker now soon I will find out, ha!

Also caught this Morwong at 36cm. Is it a Grey Morwong?

The Snapper went 34cm. What size is a Pinkie vs Squire and which one would this be?

Cheers

[Jew Stalker]

It is indeed Barracouta. Dirty night fish as I like to call them. As far as eating them goes each to their own. Some folk say they are great, personally I think they are a pain in the butt. I tried one once and never will again, the meat was less than average and filled with more bones than you can shake a rod at.

Last one down is a Grey Morwong, I don't like them either though they fight well. They have a certain taste which my palette does not favour.

As far as when to call a pinky a snapper, I think it is when their little scales turn into bigger scales. I would call that a pinky.

Luc.

[Yowie]

Barracouta are rather bony, would not eat it fresh. Have smoked a couple of fillets from them in a shoe-box size smoker and it was reasonable to eat (apart from the bones)

As Trout Stalker stated, the mowies fight hard but taste like shit (sold in the markets as 'deep sea bream' - would rather eat smoked barracouta than mowie)

Just call them reddies at all sizes, so there is no confusion. A snapper needs to form a 'bump' on the forehead to be called one. Pinkies are terms used by fishos from other states of Australia, not N.S.W.!

[Blackfish]

I would also guess Barracouta for the first and a Blue Mowie for the second Nemadactylus douglasii also called a Grey Morwong.

[benm]

Cheers fellas. Yeah, I won't be eating the barracouta again. It was on par with aussie salmon, yuck! The mowie tasted pretty good, though!

[aeb870]

My first and last Barracouta was caught out of Melbourne and the flesh was full of worms when I opened it up for a clean

I find Mowies random, sometimes they taste good and other times very average. It may very well be the way they are kept after catching them

[Yowie]

My first and last Barracouta was caught out of Melbourne and the flesh was full of worms when I opened it up for a clean

I find Mowies random, sometimes they taste good and other times very average. It may very well be the way they are kept after catching them

I found all grey mowies taste the same, not very nice at all. At least the red and banded mowies taste a bit better.

[Blairy]

Skin and fillet the Mowie and cut the black out and they taste great - Krummies bread crumbs ( or anchor) pan fried in Olive oil delicious.

Blairy

[Matt]

I know a lot of people who swear that 'couta are fantastic eating. I tried some once and like has been mentioned they were just to boney, the flesh was ok but to much work required.

I quite like Blue Mowies, certainly better than Barracouta in my book! And boy they pull hard, used to get them on handlines years back when drifiting the reefs of southern NSW. My memories are of nasty deep cuts and pain for days, great fun!

Cheers

Windy

[Yowie]

Skin and fillet the Mowie and cut the black out and they taste great - Krummies bread crumbs ( or anchor) pan fried in Olive oil delicious.

Blairy

Krummies describe it all, just how they taste, a crummy fish to eat !!!

[Flickn Mad]

Mowie, never heard of a grey one ,banded, red and blue, all taste good in my book, bled put on ice and the black stomach linning cleaned out.