Blue Eye Trevella.

[Noelm]

usually when we do "deep sea" droplining, you see very little on the Sounder, I think most of the "things" live in or around caves and stuff, sometimes you will see heaps of Baitfish types of readings, but unless you find some likely looking drop offs and steep cliff types of structure then you would probably not drop a line, but it may be very different for you guys up there, there may be heaps of stuff about, or there may be bugger all, surely someone must have tried it at sometime or another? anyone know any "old timers" who may have given the Shelf a go off the Sunny Coast or anywhere further North??

[banshee]

...........and yep bloody beautiful when done right, leaves pearl perch for dead. Peter

What is done right? I slit the throat and put them directly into an ice slurry,I then fillet and skin and quarter the fish down the latteral line.I have slow fried seasoned chunks in butter (pieces big enough to cook on six sides),I have shllow fried reasonably thin medalions,I have deep fried battered thin medalion (the most acceptable),I have also steamed it and as a last resort I spoke to an old commercial fisher who used to get a few and he said the only way he could come at them was to partialy poach then finish off in the frypan.Muzz and myself fish the same water,considering that other people I've spoken to that have caught and cooked them from this area don't rate them I'm starting to think that maybe as they reach their northern limit the water temp or something else deteriorates the flesh?

[onerabbit]

My only other thought on mine Pat was that it had gotten to big to be palatable at 14.5 kg, but others in the area also who had caught them said they weren't much chop.
To the guys who eat them & find them good.....whats the best eating size?

Muzz

[snelly1971]

Treated right, the are the best eating fish in the sea

Mick

[disorderly]

Some weird looking creatures in that photo,Mick...the fish are quite strange too.

Thats a beaut droppoff there on the sounder...where would you put your dropline down in relation to the wall and at what depths would you have the hooks?

Scott

[snelly1971]

Some weird looking creatures in that photo,Mick...the fish are quite strange too.

Thats a beaut droppoff there on the sounder...where would you put your dropline down in relation to the wall and at what depths would you have the hooks?

Scott

Put the drop line right at the bottom and hopefully try and lay it up the cliff, i always start the hooks at the weight and work up in 1 or 2 fathom spacings

Mick

[disorderly]

Thanks,Mick..
How long do you leave it set for?
Also wondered how often it gets busted up/tangled by sharks or seals?
Scott

[snelly1971]

There is generally no rule for time set..I like to turn my gear over every 4 hrs in that depth, just to keep the fish as fresh as possible, also its a shame when something attacks and takes one big bite mark out of each fish..

We usually dont have too many problems with the sharks, they are more than likely be snapping at our drop lines in the inshore area...eg 90 fathom stuff..

The biggest pest would be the seals and birds, most at most if the line are left too long...Sea Lice

Mick

[snelly1971]

PS...Forgot to mention, I have just leased a Scale fish/Drop line permit, which when i have finished doing a few mods to the boat will allow me 2000 hooks...

That should impress a few on here..

I will be sure to Post plenty of PICS

Mick

[snelly1971]

I'm with Nauti. I've always felt that if you're using a winch or similar to crank up a fish from depth, it's probably just as thrilling to go to the fish market (without the on water fun though).

But that is IMO only! Each to their own...

Well I must argue .....

After reading your other response in regards to MURES, I must agree,. they serve up some of the best fish , Now

Just imagine being out on a boat , staying for a few days,

Haul up a nice size blue eye on the electric winch, and bam o....Straight into the frying pan..

Doesnt get much better than that

Mick

[banshee]

My only other thought on mine Pat was that it had gotten to big to be palatable at 14.5 kg, but others in the area also who had caught them said they weren't much chop.
To the guys who eat them & find them good.....whats the best eating size?

Muzz

After seeing Mick's pics I think you might be right,the only edible (in my opinion) thing I've seen pan size where I fish is the Nanygai, which at around a kilo are huge compared to the ones you come accross in closer.

[Strangey]

In my experience these fish (Blue Eye) are found over the drop off of the shelf,you may get them off the sunshine coast but I think it would be getting to their northern extreme,either way you would have to find the shelf proper and drop a bait over the edge.Interestingly I find the Blue Eye a far inferior fish to eat compared to the one they couldn't ID (which I would have called a Bass Groper or a Barr Cod depending on a closer look at the tail) which we generaly get on the 200m mark out to the top section of the drop off.

I've heard Trevalla are top eating, they get good money at fish markets. Bar cod are beautiful but a prick to clean. Never caught a Bass Groper but they are supposed to be quality eating. I once saw one which was caught by a pro drop lining boat and it went over 250kg or something. It was a massive fish, amazing. Sporting or not, you hook one of those on your power winch and your still going to get a buz out of catching it!!

[snelly1971]

It is not un common to catch Blue eye or Harpuka here around the 80 kg mark.....Bloody big Fish

Mick

[Noelm]

never had a preference for size when Eating Blue Eye, but from my Neck of the woods, almost every deepwater Fish is good Eating, we get ( what you would term as regular catch) Blue Eye, Hapuka, Bass Groper, Gemfish, Ocean Perch and Green Eye Sharks, as a now and then catch there is Job Fish (don't know what the hell they are doing there) Trumpeters, very odd Broadbill, Oil Fish (bloody mean looking sh!ts they are) and an assortment of ooglies that just about defy description.

[Noelm]

might have to call in and see Snelly when I am in Tassie next and go for a spin in his Tri so I can bag it all day!