What crazy fish is this

[Hello]

Caught this fish in Noosa. Have no idea what it is, roughly 50cm. Threw it back in.

Is it tasty.

thanks.

http://users.tpg.com.au/jwegrzyn/7.jpg

[marlinqld]

Yep, a crazy fish it is ;D ;)

Stargazer?

Mike

[sandbankmagnet]

yep. Stargazer. Apparently OK to chew on, but I've always thrown them back.

[Poodroo]

That is indeed a stargazer. Great eating. Glad they don't taste how they look. Not even a mother would love a face like that. ;D

Poodroo

[backhoe]

Stargazer
Top eating

[backhoe]

No legal size either

[Freeeedom]

Yep - stargazer. Don't EVER throw another one back if they're big enough to eat. The flesh is the softest textured you'll ever eat - it is real melt in your mouth stuff with good sweet flavour. Must be because they hardly ever use the muscles, lying buried in the sand waiting for something to swim over that big mouth. The fillets are surprisingly thick even though more than half the fish is head
Cheers Freeeedom

[Gilli]

Is there any part of the fish that is harmful, like toxic?
Just curious.

Gilli

[Poodroo]

Is there any part of the fish that is harmful, like toxic?
Just curious.

# Gilli

Not at all Gilli. Quite surprising considering that most ugly fish are spiny and poisonous like stone fish, happy moments etc. Don't think Stargazers have a single spine to worry about and they certainly aren't poisonous to eat either.

Poodroo

[geoff72]

stargazer, dont eat fish but my old man says thaey are bloody beautiful to eat and he is seafood crazy.

[dynamicspot]

They are one of the best eating fish had one last week ugly looking things though


Greg

[gawby]

The stargazer hasa large backward pointing spine dorsally above pectrol fin base, which can be highly venomous.

I got this out of my book, (guide to sea fishes of australia).

Graeme ;)

[petelaska]

Be carefull cleaning them. they have a gall bladder or something similar and if you cut it it smells and taints the flesh you won't be able to eat it. It's a small green clear sack. I nicked one once had to chuck the cutting board out as well
Pete

[Kendall249]

Not 100% on fish anatomy but the gall bladder sould be located behibd the liver.

[staddie_local]

lol, those ugly basterds... ;) stargazers when you hook opne it will burrie its self into the sand, you can tell when you h\got one becuase there are no snags on the beach. and when it burries its self your there for a while pulling it out. ;)
les :D