Fish ID - Cooks River - cobbler/catfish?(Striped Catfish)

[Mike Sydney]

Took a crankbait in dirty water after the rains. Was making a lot of commotion, swimming surface then sub surface, splashing about. Took the lure very aggressively, but then no fight at all. Right against the edge of the bank.

Thought it was a cobbler so cut the line rather than retrieve the lure. 

Probably coincidence, but I caught a flathead on the previous cast with its tail fin severed and a freshly bleeding stump. Not sure if it was damage from my strike or what but it was freshly cut. Never seen that before.

[Toilor]

Striped Catfish. Nasty spines has caused fatalities. Often travel in large schools moving almost as one. Not something you want to jump into a school of.  https://australian.museum/learn/animals/fishes/striped-catfish-plotosus-lineatus/

[telescopic_rodd]

Just looks like an eel-tailed catfish. 

[Aussiefisherman]

This was the one I caught, very strange fish aye, safely released for me and the fish 

Edited May 9 by Aussiefisherman

[Mike Sydney]

Thanks @telescopic_rodd I figured that out not long after posting. 

They’re safe to handle then as long as I’m careful of the fins? I’d have liked the lure back but chickened out haha

[R E G I C Y C L E]

That's crazy! I was with @Aussiefisherman on the weekend and these things were busting up on bait on the surface... weirdest bubbling kind of bust up. Aussiefisherman also got one on a crankbait... very glad now we used pliers to remove the lure without touching the fish😱

[Mike Sydney]

8 minutes ago, R E G I C Y C L E said:

That's crazy! I was with @Aussiefisherman on the weekend and these things were busting up on bait on the surface... weirdest bubbling kind of bust up. Aussiefisherman also got one on a crankbait... very glad now we used pliers to remove the lure without touching the fish😱

I’ve read horror articles about the pain of cobbler and catfish stings. After a bad foot injury on oysters retrieving a lure I vowed not to hurt myself for a lure ever again. 
The lure was $20, the pain sounds horrific. @squidjigga is the same species that stung you earlier?

[squidjigga]

9 hours ago, Mike Sydney said:

@squidjigga is the same species that stung you earlier?

I think the catfish which stung me was an estuary cobbler. It ended up causing my thumb to swell and I had a burning sensation for the rest of the day. I still have a mark on my thumb from where it got me, you can see its white spine on the right pectoral fin in the pic I took below.

[Mike Sydney]

55 minutes ago, squidjigga said:

I think the catfish which stung me was an estuary cobbler. It ended up causing my thumb to swell and I had a burning sensation for the rest of the day. I still have a mark on my thumb from where it got me, you can see its white spine on the right pectoral fin in the pic I took below.

Gosh right through the gloves no problem. 

[squidjigga]

13 minutes ago, Mike Sydney said:

Gosh right through the gloves no problem. 

Yep gonna use pliers next time. I plan to eat my next one to get even

[Mike Sydney]

13 hours ago, Aussiefisherman said:

This was the one I caught, very strange fish aye, safely released for me and the fish

Yeah was weird just how much splashing and stuff it was making, not an ambush predator that’s for sure. Was carrying on like a mullet

[Robbo from Sydney]

If you are going to keep it then try applying a small steel bar or wooden club between the eyes. A good crack and they will not wriggle anymore and will be safe to handle!