What Tha??!!!

[Franco]

What the hell is this guys?

Caught in 70 ft of water up at Thursday island.

[Franco]

And again (sorry .. just new to the picture thing.

[Big_unit]

Ive got no idea but I reckon that you are mad to be holding it in your bare hand considering you dont know what it is either. There are quite a few fish out there that can make you real crook.

Cheers
James

[Franco]

Hi James,

Good point you're making, but I'm only supporting the underbelly before releasing the sucker! Note the mouth held by pliers!!

I have the advantage of medical skills and mates fishing with me at the time have medical training as well. And we were near T.I hospital!! We knew it wasn't a stonefish / lionfish, and most of the other species that make you unwell have toxin that is neutralised and denatured by placing the affected area in hot water (but not burning hot of course!)

You gotta watch those Oooglies though, eh!!!

[mackmauler]

looks like something from the blenny or goby family, i caught a similar one with much brighter colours off fraser once.

[agnes_jack]

Papuan jawfish
opistognathus papuensis
New Guinea and north east queensland
Grows to around 40cm

Regards, Tony

[Franco]

Thanks for the info Tony.
I don't think many of my mates can boast catching one of these.

I figure the sharks don't think they're too tasty as this was the only fish apart from a fingermark & a diamond trevally that made it to the boat that session. Spanish mackeral seemed to be the special on the board that day!

Judging by the size of the mouth on it, and the Renosky it ate, the papuan jawfish ain't too fussy with the diet!!

[agnes_jack]

No worries Franco
I'm with the sharks, don't think I'd wanna eat one either!

Regards, Tony

[fishingnottake]

aot of people would take a thermos with them

[DORO]

WHAT EVER IT IS ITS DAMN UGLY

[Mad_fisherman]

I seen that on the simpsons a while back

Anyone remember that ???

MAD!

[elliotcocofishing]

It's a stargazer. It's Called a stargazer becuse if you get stung by it
it looks like your seeing stars.
Really really good eating. But when you fillet it don't rupture the gall bladder(puts toxins in the fish).

Peace out, Elliot

[Yakkasalive]

Elliot,

As Tony said:

it is a Papuan jawfish
opistognathus papuensis
New Guinea and north east queensland
Grows to around 40cm

It is not a stargazer (and they are called that because their eyes are on top of their heads)

U sure you didn't mean to post this in the 'stargazer' story on the same page???-
http://www.ausfish.com.au/cgi-ausfis...num=1112258043

[Duyz72]

Great pics none the less, must be a damn fine camera to allow such crystal clear zooms like that.

[Shafty]

You see a few of them in the gulf. I've caught them in the shallows on lures chasing barra at Weipa and on the coast at Kowanyama. We just call them frog fish - ugly suckers. Vaguely recall someone saying they are good chewing - but you can have that...