Trag King

[Larkin]

Gday Raiders,

headed out of botany for a fish around maroubra today. Two mates came along - plan was to try for snapper. 
Managed 2 pannies straight up, then the wind started to blow. Drift speed increased, which didn’t help. 
Rod goes off and I’m onto what I believe is a trophy red, after a good hard fight to my surprise up comes a 70cm king. Wasn’t expecting a king as I was bottom bashing using a paternoster rig.

After quite a few more drifts, rod goes off again and I bring up a good sized trag - went 66cm.

wind started to blow even harder past midday, so we headed back in.

 

 

 

[big Neil]

A nice variety of fish for the table Larkin. Which would be your favourite to eat?

 

bn

[Isaac Ct]

Smashing the trags as of late, well done.

Good feed.

[Yowie]

Nice catch, mixed bag for the table.

Bottom bashing out in Bate Bay, I have pulled up the occasional kingie, salmon, tailor, bonnie, barracouta at different times. Unusual to catch these species so deep, though it does happen. A few weeks back, my mate and I pulled up a few tailor in 180 feet of water, they were feeding at the bottom with the flatties.

[bessell1955]

A mixed bag of good eating fish, well  

[Larkin]

5 hours ago, big Neil said:

A nice variety of fish for the table Larkin. Which would be your favourite to eat?

 

bn

Hi Neil, the trag makes a great battered fish that I think is better than flathead. Crispy batter on a wide fillet - great flavour, not a fishy fish. I’m making myself hungry just thinking about it, lol. How good is sea salt on hot crispy batter, dipped into a homemade tartare sauce. Yum 

King I enjoy as sashimi or grilled fillets with a side salad. This one I’m taking to work as sashimi to share with everyone - unless you’re a fisherman, most people don’t get to try kingfish this fresh and they literally line up and it’s all gone in a minute or two 

Snapper I love grilled with some herbs or a spice rub - I’ll switch it up. One of my favourite table fish!
These two I gave to one of the guys that came out - he’s new to jetski fishing and really wanted to catch a snapper, just didn’t have any luck on the day.

1 hour ago, Isaac Ct said:

Smashing the trags as of late, well done.

Good feed.

Thanks Isaac, yeah I was really hoping I’d get one. Been craving some battered trag!

1 hour ago, Yowie said:

Nice catch, mixed bag for the table.

Bottom bashing out in Bate Bay, I have pulled up the occasional kingie, salmon, tailor, bonnie, barracouta at different times. Unusual to catch these species so deep, though it does happen. A few weeks back, my mate and I pulled up a few tailor in 180 feet of water, they were feeding at the bottom with the flatties.

Thanks yowie, was happy with a trio of table fish!

It’s always a pleasant surprise when something you’re not expecting comes up. Once on the flatty drift down past jibbon I kept bringing up 30cm occys - think about 4 or 5 in amongst the flatties - never caught one there since. Must of been some sort of breeding event.

14 minutes ago, bessell1955 said:

A mixed bag of good eating fish, well  

Thanks Bessel! 
Spent last night filleting them up - all ready for the plate.

[Yowie]

55 minutes ago, Larkin said:

It’s always a pleasant surprise when something you’re not expecting comes up. Once on the flatty drift down past jibbon I kept bringing up 30cm occys - think about 4 or 5 in amongst the flatties - never caught one there since. Must of been some sort of breeding event.

 

Mate and I hook up to occies now and then. If we think it is an occie, we wind faster hoping they drop off, but sometimes they just hang on until the surface. Occasionaly one will drop into the boat, then they will crawl along until up over the side and back into the water. These are the small deep water species.

I have kept a couple at times for bait, wrapped them into a plastic bag and tied it up. They will manage to get out, or roll around inside the bag. Hard to kill without making a mess of ink in the boat (mate hates any form of squid, occie ink in his boat, it has a timber decking)

They would probably make for good eating if tenderised.  

[Larkin]

17 minutes ago, Yowie said:

Mate and I hook up to occies now and then. If we think it is an occie, we wind faster hoping they drop off, but sometimes they just hang on until the surface. Occasionaly one will drop into the boat, then they will crawl along until up over the side and back into the water. These are the small deep water species.

I have kept a couple at times for bait, wrapped them into a plastic bag and tied it up. They will manage to get out, or roll around inside the bag. Hard to kill without making a mess of ink in the boat (mate hates any form of squid, occie ink in his boat, it has a timber decking)

They would probably make for good eating if tenderised.  

Yeah that’s them, had a couple suction to the side while trying to bring them over - they’re a kind of pinky colour from memory. Tenderised & on the bbq constantly basting with a mix of olive oil, oregano, lemon  - they come up delicious. 

[Scooter0069]

Great bag of fish Larkin 

[Rebel]

Top haul.

Nice Snappers.

Well done.

[kantong]

Great report and love kingfish sashimi too. Snapper sashimi is lovely too.

[jenno64]

Nice work Chris and you know how to prepare your catch which is important in my world. I fish for a feed:)

[Larkin]

19 hours ago, kantong said:

Great report and love kingfish sashimi too. Snapper sashimi is lovely too.

Thanks Kantong!

never tried the snapper as sashimi - I usually do it skin on grilled fillet

13 hours ago, jenno64 said:

Nice work Chris and you know how to prepare your catch which is important in my world. I fish for a feed:)

Thanks Rob 👍

I agree, the preparation and eating is all part of it. I enjoy the whole process.