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StevenFay
15-07-2002, 04:17 PM
Hi All,
Was just thnking about one of my first trips to Fraser when I was younger and can remember some blokes that where staying next door to us catch a large fish they called an "Oyster Cracker",
Does anyone have an idea what species of fish this might be??
Thanks in advance

Fitzy
15-07-2002, 05:02 PM
I think they may be refering to Snub Nosed Dart.

Cheers,

Fitzy..

jaybee
15-07-2002, 05:12 PM
I think so as well fitzy. they are known to grow over 1 metre and weight up to 20kg. It is found as far south as moreton bay but rarely caught consistently far south of fraser.
cheers.

Wesley_Pang
15-07-2002, 07:59 PM
Steven,

Snub nose dart, pumpkinhead, oyster crackers are the most highly sort targets for saltwater flyfisherman all around the world.

The Yanks call a simular fish the "permit". The permit is the hardest leg of the saltwater flyfishing "grand slam" - atlantic tarpon, bonefish and permit on the same day.

I've come across them in Hinchenbrook and Cape York. Some of the guys on my trip north of Weipa nailed a few small ones on fly.

I've heard stories of pros landing net full of these wonderful fish off Fraser. What a waste.

Bonefish are landed every now and then, up Fraser way. Whiting on steriods.

Wes

StevenFay
16-07-2002, 09:40 AM
Yes, I would imagine that the snub nosed dart must be rare around Fraser because I have never ever seen anotehr one caught.

I know of bonefish, but wasnt aware you could catch them aronud Fraser!!!

Master_Jig_Builder
16-07-2002, 12:35 PM
The feature of note for these fish is the difficulty in catching them on fly. Most often they need something like a crab pattern to get them even remotely interested..

On conventional gear, I have heard about random ones being caught on a lure by chance and even a mulie dangling in a current.

As suggested by the name Oyster Cracker, they have two sets of large from teeth just for the job and any shellfish or crustacean, is open game for the these blokes.

clutter
19-07-2002, 01:16 PM
Have caught them before at Woodgate fishing off the beach for Whiting using yabbies.
On the last series (I think) of Wildfish (used to screen on SBS) Peter Morse and a mate of his were fishing in the Hinchenbrook area and landed one on fly at about 15lb I think. Think they might have said it was the first capture on fly recorded by camera. Worth watching if you get the chance.
Clutter.

whopper
19-08-2002, 07:55 PM
believe it or not i caught one near dunwich while fishing for whiting about 2 years ago - thought it was a mutated trevally until we took it to a tackle store. It was about 2kg and caught on a blood worm - took about 15 minutes on 6lb. kris