Tag117 Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 Hey guys, Caught this cod last summer in cowan creek. I've caught Wirra cod before and this was very different. I just assumed it was an estuary cod but it has been suggested to me lately that it isn't, any help would be appeciated! Tag Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Blackfish Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 (edited) I would recon it's a Black Spot/ Malabar Cod Epinephelus malabaricus. Unusual, mmmmm. Edited July 21, 2015 by Blackfish Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Singers83 Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 I would say estuary cod - I've caught them in Pittwater...... very common up north in warmer water. I think they're protected in NSW waters though.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Yowie Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 Looks like an Estuary Cod, a protected species so hopefully you released it. Caught some many years ago in Port Hacking, although none for a long time now. Wirrah do not grow that large, and taste like crap. Ate a couple of cod, before they were protected, a good eating fish, though you won't be able to try them in NSW any more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 The Iceman Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 Theres several cod species that get labelled estuary cod but the only one you will see this far south is the blackspot quite common at Forster for some reason Three others that I know of are the redspot goldspot and greasy They can get confusing as the spots on the redspot and goldspot fade when they reach adult sizes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 nbdshroom Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 Thanks for your input everyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Blackfish Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 Iceman, it's funny that Fisheries only list Estuary Cod, Black Cod and Queensland groper as protected not Blackspot. Government Departments ???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Ryder Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 Did you measure it ? I take iit was caught on bait. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Yowie Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 Tag, Where you have your right hand on the tail section of the cod, is your hand covering a large black spot, usually found on the upper part just in front of the tail? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Tag117 Posted July 22, 2015 Author Share Posted July 22, 2015 Cheers for the help guys, Was reeling in a little snapper which had taken a bit of pilly, on the way in it got smashed by this guy, went 50cm and checked tail, no distinctive black spot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Tag117 Posted July 22, 2015 Author Share Posted July 22, 2015 And yeah i released it, i would never keep a fish i cant ID. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 Yowie Posted July 22, 2015 Share Posted July 22, 2015 Cheers for the help guys, Was reeling in a little snapper which had taken a bit of pilly, on the way in it got smashed by this guy, went 50cm and checked tail, no distinctive black spot. Have had black rod cod grab a small reddie on a few occasions in Port Hacking, and some could not be stopped. I could feel the reddie as it was being pulled into the boat, then a big hit and snagged under a cave or rock ledge. They returned to their rocky caves and would not come out, could feel them on the line swimming into a cave, let the line go slack for a couple of hours, but they would not swim out again. Had to bust the line. After looking at the NSW Fisheries site, black rock cod and estuary cod are subject to many variations, regarding colours, spots, stripes and are therefore subject to various names. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 hookerbruce Posted July 22, 2015 Share Posted July 22, 2015 That looks identical to black spotted cod we catch up in Qld and similar to the Gold spot cod. We used to catch a lot of black rock cod in nsw estuaries back in the old days , they were an occasional catch not rare. Weeny Bay used to be a good spot for them as well as around any of the break walls on the north coast rivers. Back when we used to eat them they weren't protected and Weeny bay was not a marine reserve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 AGP Posted July 23, 2015 Share Posted July 23, 2015 Well done that is a stunning Sydney fish...Even if you did fluke it with it taking a pinkie! (Don't worry my biggest John Dory was caught exactly the same way) I also applaud you for releasing what is an extremely rare species in Sydney. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0 harold Posted July 26, 2015 Share Posted July 26, 2015 Looks like it has a bit of weight in it. We used to see fish like these at Wattamola when I used to skin dive. That was a very long time ago, circa 1968. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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Tag117
Hey guys,
Caught this cod last summer in cowan creek. I've caught Wirra cod before and this was very different. I just assumed it was an estuary cod but it has been suggested to me lately that it isn't, any help would be appeciated!
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