Reply With QuoteFresh Dart Yummm
Not being a big beach fisherman, I was pleasantly surprised recently to catch some (for me) HUGE Dart off a beach near Caloundra. I am used to little throw-back sized things, but these beasts fought like crazy, one even leaping to the surface of the water, as I reeled them in. The biggest hung well off the end of my 40cm measuring stick (so maybe 50cm), and three of them fed four of us at mealtime.
I suppose some of you are saying, that's normal - but for me it has changed my perspective on the species. Oh, and they tasted great too
Fresh Dart Yummm
I think 50cm dart is huge. I haven’t done a ton of beach fishing but I don’t think I’ve caught them bigger than 30cm.
Democracy: Simply a system that allows the 51% to steal from the other 49%.
That's quite a size for Dart. You certain they weren't Queenfish, I used to catch them off the rocks at Ballingers Beach, Caloundra.
But legal size in QLD in min 30cm. They obviously get bigger than that or you'd never get to keep anyOriginally Posted by Lovey80
As above, 30cm is minimum legal size. I read an article that says they get to about 3kg. Another one https://fishesofaustralia.net.au/hom.../2995#moreinfo says they get to 60cm.
Yep, yumm alright. Especially being so fresh.
I used to fish the annual Toyota Fishing comp on Fraser Island and if you got one around 45cm you'd be pretty well guaranteed of wining the prize that night for Dart. I used to fish the beaches at Caloundra and Wurtulla daily after work and weekends and get them around 42cms but rarely bigger.
I still suspect a small Queenie as they do come in especially close to rocks when the bait fish school up and could be mistaken for a Dart by the uninitiated. But if they were Dart then you did really well, go back for more.
Mate, I have caught Queenie's before. These were Dart for sure. Yes I was amazed at the size of the biggest too, and if this stupid weather hadn't set in, I'd be out there now after them. Great sport as well as good eating.
Great fun to catch on light gear in the surf. Well done!!!
That's great to hear, I need to get back to fishing the surf, ir was so much easier when I could just grab the dig and walk down the road for an hour or two. Also heard beach worms were back.
never eaten one. I was told they aren’t good eating by a number of people.But legal size in QLD in min 30cm. They obviously get bigger than that or you'd never get to keep any
Democracy: Simply a system that allows the 51% to steal from the other 49%.
Anything fresh just out of the ocean always tastes much better, so there's that. The flesh is a bit darker than, for example, bream, mostly due to blood, which might also put people off if they see it being filleted. It is also a little drier, like others in the trevally family, or like mackeral. Some people even prefer that.
Maybe just by chance but that's the second reference to huge dart i have heard this week. Talking to a pro fisho mate of mine on Friday he had been mucking around familly fishing at the pin at the Goldy and said he had caught a few and biggest dart ever, same sort of size, toward 50cm. Maybe Dart like wet years!!!
I think my biggest is around 35cm.
Scott
I, for one, hope it's going to continue. Good to hear they are spread over the whole SE coast.
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