Port Hacking - crappy fishing but a new species

[Yowie]

Headed out off Lilli Pilli early this morning. A few tailor bites on pillies, but no hook-ups for a while. Eventually hooked one at just undersize, so the rest were probably about the same size.

While I was sitting and waiting, a 30cm whiting, half swam and half drifted just under the surface, so I scooped him out with the net. He looked a bit Dazed and Confused (good name for a song), but nothing else wrong, so I kept it.

After a while, had a bite on a fish strip, hooked what I thought was a flattie, but up popped the critter in the photo. He was hooked in the gills, which caused some of the gills to break away from inside it's mouth. Laid it on the bottom of the boat, but it did not kick about too much, and did not look like it would survive too long, and it didn't. Appears to be a species of Lizardfish.

Took it home and cut off the fillets, It had a couple of rows of bones along the body, similar to a Sgt Baker. The mouth has many small sharp teeth, and the gills are also sharp, so any small fish getting caught in it's large mouth will not escape.

I also drifted about different sand banks, and decided to try a Squidgee soft plastic instead of nippers for a change. After what seemed like 1,000 casts over a few hours, I hooked 2 flatties, only to have both spit the hook after a short time.

A lot of boats about, including kids in 2 small boats with large engines flying along at high speed through the 8 knot zone, well before sunrise. Not able to see any rego details.

[papafish]

He looks like a stoned whitting lol. Just look at his face!!! But his big hahah

[stormy]

Seen lots in the Hacking. I would suggest it is a Grinner, but Lizard fish are very similar.

[Yowie]

Seen lots in the Hacking. I would suggest it is a Grinner, but Lizard fish are very similar.

Have caught quite a few grinners before, but this is different.

[chilledFisho]

Yeah unsure what there called, i've caught a few in middle harbor, but a more redder color. I'd say its a species of Griner fish.

[NaClH2OK9]

Yowie. It looks like a

large Scale Saury to me

Saurida undosquamis

[NaClH2OK9]

If I'm right. Other common names are

Brushtooth lizardfish

Checkered lizardfish

Large-Scaled grinner

[mark_s]

A lot of boats about, including kids in 2 small boats with large engines flying along at high speed through the 8 knot zone, well before sunrise. Not able to see any rego details.

These have been on the hacking a lot over summer, including at night with no lights on (after the waterways have clocked off). Some of them are those takacat's where the driver can't see where they are going. Silly stuff Edited January 12, 2016 by mark_s

[Yowie]

These have been on the hacking a lot over summer, including at night with no lights on (after the waterways have clocked off). Some of them are those takacat's where the driver can't see where they are going. Silly stuff

They are the idiots I was talking about.

[Yowie]

If I'm right. Other common names are

Brushtooth lizardfish

Checkered lizardfish

Large-Scaled grinner

I sent a P.M. to Mrs Swordy to see if she can call a favour re I.D.

55 years or more of fishing in Port Hacking and the first time I have seen one or caught one.

The fillets have the same rows of bones as do Sgt Bakers. Chunky fillets look good except for the many fine bones. I cut off a section of each fillet (less than 10cm from the tail end) into bread crumbs and pan fried it with the whiting. It was quite tasty meat, a slightly different flavour to other fish, and I did not detect the fine bones. The main part of the fillets were salted and will be frozen for bait.

Edited January 12, 2016 by yowie

[mrsswordfisherman]

Where is Blackfish our ID expert?

I will wait till he comments and then send to the Museum if need be - they would be slow over the school holiday time anyway.

[Blackfish]

Did put a post on aquarium Donna,

Mmmmmmmm

[mrsswordfisherman]

Did put a post on aquarium Donna,

Mmmmmmmm

Ahhhhh yes I just saw that - trying to read 2 days of posts is overwhelming me

Thanks for that