Colourful dawn but hard work for a feed

[saltrix]

On the way out tried trolling but no takers. We have not picked up anything on the troll for months now but a few years ago almost always got tailor and bonito around Dobroid or North Head. This view was spectacular on the way out.

The usual spots did not produce many fish and I resorted to keeping a few spikey flathead to make up a meal. But did manage a couple of nice sized Eastern Bluespot while my mate picked up a nice morwong.

Before anyone accuses me of keeping undersized fish the Spikey Flathead or Long -spined Flathead only grows to a maximum of 34 cm so a 30 cm specimen is larger than the average and has spawned. This species has no legal size and most experienced fisherman know that they are one of the best baits for the Eastern Blue-spotted flathead.

The Spikey or Long-spined flathead is easily by its very long lower spine on the side of the head.

The predicted 20 knot NWer did not eventuate and there was only occasional spell of 10 knot SW.

There were quite a few whales moving up the coast.

Edited July 31, 2016 by saltrix

[gone_wishin]

Well done nice feed, I love flathead my favourite eating fish

[Yowie]

The blue spots like nice. The spikies are good bait, and are edible, having tried them myself.

And the fillets from them do make great bait for larger flatties, and other fish as well. The head spikes on spikey flatties do cause some severe holes in your fingers if you are not careful.

[Krispy !]

nice fish mate, by the way is that a bastard morwong?

[saltrix]

The Morwong is a grey or rubber lip Morwong. The other species I know of is a Jackass Morwong which has a black band above the gill cover.

[UnderFisher]

Thanks for sharing, I never knew that about the spikeys

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