What am I?

[mini696]

Hi guys and girls,

Recently at the 1770 M&G I was casting some yabbies inbetween the rocks around the corner for the campgrounds.

Along with the usual Whiting and Flathead, I caught some other fish.

They looked like young sweetlip, but a lot brighter. They had a decent fight in them (for a 15cm fish), red mouth, and were a brownish colour with purple spots. It could have even been a young Jack, but I dont know.

I cant find a pic of one and was hoping someone might tell me what it could have been.

Thanks
Mick

[mini696]

I found this (its a juvenile Jack)... Its close, but not quite what I saw.

The bands are too distinct and ther were definite blue/purple spots. The more I look at it the more I thinks it is what I caught.

[agnes_jack]

Thats a hard one Mini
It may have been jack, what about moses perch?
They are very common around here as juveniles in the estuary, especially around the rocks. The juvenile jacks I have seen are always striped quite distinctly.

Regards, Tony

[mini696]

Definately not a Moses Perch.... But speaking of them, I saw a couple of schools of them hanging around the tree in the middle of the channel (just round the corner from the last moored yachts (house boat)). I didn't cast to them (no rod), but was wondering if anyones ever eaten them? What are they like?

I'm hoping it was a Jack, I didn't manage to land one of the bigguns (they looked at me when I was reeling them in and ran away).

[agnes_jack]

Mini
Fair odds they were probably jacks then.
The moses perch are great eating, same family as jacks (lutajanids)
The ones you see in the estuary are all undersize though, like jacks, they stay in the creeks as juveniles and move out to the offshore reefs as they get larger. (25cm min)
We get some nice ones offshore.

# # # # # # Regards, Tony
PS another possible would be juvenile grass sweetlip?

[mini696]

I'll just have to go up again and catch another to take a photo this time...

Anyone want to have a go for me?? ;D ;) Goto 1770 Campgrounds, head along the beach towards river mouth, and fish inbetween the rocky outcrops around the corner from the Port (red and square) channel marker.

Mick

[mackmauler]

the blue spots is rather odd, and red mouth id combine that and say some sort of morwong or sweetlip, the baby jacks like has been said very vivid stripes, other things you notice with the jacks is they snap the jaws quiet a bit, how were the teeth on it anyway? 2 big ones right at the front ;D

[mini696]

I cant remember the teeth exactly, but I cant recall prominant teeth in the front.

There wasnt any obvious snapping of the jaw either.

Now I wish I took a photo...

[bignick]

For my 2 bob's worth, if I had to have a bet, I'd be tipping either juvenile Sweetlip or Red Throat Emperor. As for the eating quality of Moses Perch, one word comes to mind; EXCELLENT!

Cheers,
NICK.

[mini696]

It could almost be a juvenile snapper.

The colour over the eyes and spots are right. These ones are too light though...

Oh well I'll just have to do another trip to 1770 to catch another for research purposes.... I wonder if I can claim that on tax... Or get a government grant. I'll call it (Mini Mick's Marvellous Marauding Mischief Making).

Mick

[mini696]

Is it possible to catch squire where I got this?

[agnes_jack]

Mini or Korn ;D
Quite possible but I have never heard of one from there.
Whats with the quick name change ???
Take a camera next time ;) ;) ;)

Regards, Tony

[dfox]

The little squire wouldnt have the red mouth, chances are they were young sweetlip of which there are many different species and many types have the red mouth...

[mini696]

Mini or Korn ;D
Quite possible but I have never heard of one from there.
Whats with the quick name change ???
Take a camera next time ;) ;) ;)

# # # # # # # # Regards, Tony

Must be the Gemini in me coming out!!

I doubt it was one of them then... Especially if I'm the only one to catch (or not catch) one there.

[basserman]

ok heres another one for ya all
caught this on up in the freash reaches of my loacal river today (how freash well it was at the bottom of the last set of rapids)
caught on a pearl watermelon bass minow in amounst the snags where i was catching the bass

[nonibbles]

looks something between a greasy/estuary and a maori cod

[CFisher]

Basserman,

That's a bullrout (Notesthes robusta) - the freshwater equivalent of the stonefish, but not as potent in the venom department.

An excellent aquarium specimen - had two for a couple of years that came out of the Herbert River.

Cheers
Andy

[basserman]

yeh rob point it out for me
thanks
i do need to say that for fishing this river for on 4 years now this is the first on i have caught
i have seem the smaller ones alot but nothing that big ;D

[devocean]

Watch out for that one they hurt and will also eat just about everything in the tank

[Boxhead]

Mmmm deep sea racing mullet... maybe...?

[DICER]

bullrout, nice - but don't try to eat it fresh!