01/05 strange fish and first crab on the hacking

[allen_f]

Hi Raiders,

Since we had an awesome sesh yesterday, me and my mate decided to head back out again today. So i finished up my business meeting at around 12:30pm and pick up my friend. Arrived at the same spot in lilli pilli by 1pm and to our luck the rain cleared and the sun was out. Unfortunately it was super low tide and i got snagged off my first cast... Super crap start to the session. As my friend pulled out the first fish for the day, a 15cm leather jacket. I fix up my line and he gets snagged...

Getting quite frustrated I jumped onto the nearby sand flats and had a cast through the weed and landed about 12 or so snapper around the 15-25cm range. They put on a great fight for their size and they're all really fat. I wish i had a boat to get to deeper holes

After snagging another 6 times, I was done with that spot and went to my mate who was now casting next to the same old couple on the wharf. The old man had been catching big leather jackets all day with the biggest looking well over the 30cm mark.

My first cast off the wharf, i was feeling no bites so on my retrieve i thought i was onto a piece of weed and i was slowly pulling it in. As it came up to the surface, it turned out to be a blue swimmer!!!! Hooked through his leg. I was so excited to catch my first crab. Can't wait to take it home to show mum. It went 9.5cm from top of the shell to the back. So im definitely keen for some chilli crab for dinner.

My mate left his rod in a holder and was having a relaxing time staring off into the distance whilst most likely pondering the mysteries of life when he saw a huge tug on his line and the signs of a big fish. He started retrieving and at first we thought he was onto another big trevally and as he brought it to the surface it had spots on it and so down went the net and up came some super hard fish. It was like a roc. I'm assuming its a box fish.. An ID from anyone would be awesome. Also is it edible? We didn't test our luck so we put it back in the drink after a quick measure and some happy snaps.

Pulled up a few more tailor and snapper and it was time to go to work.

Also does anyone else have problems with those stupid birds? They always eat the fish i throw back and they sometimes chase the livie i've thrown out.. How do you get rid of them?

Happy fishing,

First blue swimmer, yay!

Strange box fish, not sure though. Super hard and armoured. ID please.

Edited May 1, 2015 by allen_f

[Rob81]

Looks like a boxfish

[NaClH2OK9]

Eastern smooth boxfish. ( female) Anoplocapros inermis

Edited May 1, 2015 by NaClH2OK9

[wchh]

That is a good blue swimmer for sure!

[f1shen]

It's a boxfish. Don't eat it!