North Australian FISH FINDER TM forums

Hey y'all. I've been a bit of a lazy bugger of late and haven't written up any reports on my latest efforts so I'm gonna try an' roll 'em into one. The stories I'll do first and attach photies below. Here go's
My first foray involved pushing out wide of Delambre Island. I went with workmates Tim and Boyley and Tims son Pete in Tims 6.4 m Star the "Cranky Crab". While we didn't have much success on the bottom fish (a couple of Trevors) we did manage some nice summer Macks wit Pete nailing a nice 12 kilo model, we would've landed a few more but they were in that mood of biting swivels and bubble trails. The round trip was about 90 nms and as a result we ran out of fuel 5 nms short of the ramp. Luckily my ol' mate Johnno was available to go pick up my tinny and ferry us a tin of fuel, it was the first time for me and not one I wish to repeat.

With all the Barra fishing I'd been doing the fridge and freezer had been suffering so I was ordered by the owner/trainer and breeder to go and kill something. So last weekend I thought I'd better go and do something about it (the tides were all wrong for Barra). With the Bro in law Frank in tow I decided that Bluebone (Tuskies) were the go and set out to get some little crabs (no BB not the parasitic type you sick monkey). The first day we headed out was beautiful and we headed straight over to the Burrup. The Bluey's were slow so my wife and Frank decided to fish for Trout and Cod while I persisted. They were managing to get some nice fish between them and I was just about to give up when my line began moving off, as it came up tight I gave it a good reef and tied to get a couple coils back on the handline. Big mistake as the fish steamed off at the same time giving me my best line cut yet. The next few minutes were a bit of a blur cos I got mad and went apecrap to get this thing aboard, I swung the Bluey over and threw it straight on the brag mat, at 700 mm it was my best one to date from this area.
Myself and Frank made another trip the following day cos we still had some crabbage and I decided to hit a reef near Hauy Island. After another nice trip out we anchored up and layed the baits out. The action came thick and fast with our bag limit of Blueys hitting the deck quite quickly. The smallest went 520 and biggest 600.
Mission completed.

Great stuff Daisy... looks like the freezer will be looking a bit healthier...

You must really rate those blue bone hey mate? How u cook them? I normally throw em back Some say they're ok others say mush. Next one I get I'm gonna give it a crack.

I like the bulk posting idea.. you should start a blog mate...

G'day Ray
Mate I've heard similar reports on the eating qualities of these, but always from other areas. Everybody I talk to around here love 'em, I usually fillet and skin 'em then breadcrumbs or batter. Let us know how you go.

I'd be keen to heaqr more about the eating qualities - I always thought they were a bit soft and needed to be cooked quickly.

Personally I'd rather not keep them but they usually blow there guts from the deep and have to go in the esky, they taste nice enough but the small ones are a bit soft and the big ones verging on tough, just my opinion, each to ther own tastes though.

Flicker

Nice bluebone, check the dog

Nearly all Pilbara Bluebone come from shallow water (less than 12 mts but usually 3-8 mts) never kept one under 500 mm but the big one i got was similar quality to the others. Perhaps they have a different diet or different species, we get the odd Venus Tuskie here and the smaller Blue Tuskfish both of which are caught on regular baits (squid, pilchards etc) and are a bit soft. You won't usually catch them (Blackspot Tuskfish) here on anything but crabs, prawns or cray peices so if you're nailing them on a regular bait it would suggest that they have a more opportunistic diet which may explain the flesh quality. Let me know if this is so cos they rank up there with Coral Trout in these parts.

G'day Dick, the dogs fave spot when bottom fishing, directly under the rod so he can see what's coming up. Fallen in about thre times now but it won't stop 'im.

Yes it's interesting how fish species are thought of differently by region. I also note that down that way (NWA) bottom bouncers go out targeting 'NW Snapper' (spelt Trickie, Spangled Eyed Emperor, Red Throat, etc, etc) as a staple. Up here they're also "neighbour's fish"

G'day Daisy we also headed out to Hauy the day we saw you at the ramp. Recall seeing another boat out there not sure if it was you. Our plan was to do some GT popping on the incoming tide then head out behind Legendre for some reef fishing on the high.

The action was unreel with 3 bust offs from GT's around 25kg. Unfortunately I couldn't stop them burning off into the reef with 80lb on my Stella 20000. Had a few other strikes from more GT's around the same size but they didn't hookup. Glenn nailed a little big eye trev while we were there.

We headed out behind legendre and jigged up some baits. First drop Glenn nailed a nice Chinaman and then a Golden Trev. I got busted off a few times on livies with 50lb gear not sure whate they were but they felt cod/trout like.

After that we high tailed it back to the ramp coz of the wind. Was a good day out

G'day Jay
We headed over Hauy way on the following day mate, sounds like you had an awesome trip, sounds like you'll have to get some PE10 gear.

Yeah slug, we do target Norwest Snaps here (mainly Spangled Emperor, Reticulated Emperor and Red Throat Emperor or Tricky Snapper as they're known up there) but I've never heard of them referred to as neighbour fish. I've eaten them up the top and they're every bit as good as ours. With the Blackspots it sounds like the flesh quality may actually be different.

Daisy, do you reckon these are the same species as what you are talking about, both caught on squid.

Cheers flicker

Here's another from the Dundee area that may help identify a difference in species? This is about as big as i've seen them up here...

Cheers
Moonman

Yep, they're all Blackspot Tuskies alright, are they a rare capture on squid up there, as I've said before it is very rare to catch them on anything but crustacea here indicating that there may be a difference in diet, I've heard that they can get over 900 mm but can confirm at 800 mm. How do they go on a rod in deeper water, any harder than any other reefy? Sorry about all the questions guys, just an interesting topic for me.

Cheers Daisy

Wouldn't say they are a rare catch on squid, cos thats nearly all I use and often get at least one per trip, the bigger one was out dundee like moonman's and I got 2 that size that day.

They do pull pretty hard, I didn't know what i had till it popped up, had been having a session on mega powertails and was hoping it wasn't another one.

I know some blokes do use crabs if they are after them, normal crabs and hermit crabs pulled out of their shell.

Now that I look at the pics I see the black spot on the dorsal and assume that is the identifing mark ,am I right?

Cheers Flicker