What fish is this?

[MattInOz]

Hey guys

Caught this fellow at West Peel Island Artificial Reef in Moreton Bay yesterday. It looks like some sort of cod to me, when it came up it had that big cod "bucket mouth" going on, but I couldn't find it in any of the fish id charts I had on board. I put a photo (several actually) into the QLD govt app and it kept telling me it was either an Australian Bass or a Mangrove Jack. There was even a dept of fisheries research guy at the boat ramp who didn't have a clue what it was. For scale it was only abt 30cm long... my guess is it's some sort of juvenile cod.

Oh and FYI I've found a use for what's become the vermin of Moreton Bay (grinners). I put out 4 crab pots, each with half a grinner and half a mullet, and six hours later pulled up four pots all chock full of sand crabs. After sorting I took home 18 legal ones and quickly became the crab delivery man, dropping off crabs at a bunch of our friends' homes. In every pot the mullet had recieved a bit of a munch but the grinners were almost completely gone, all I had left of them was a single head. So don't throw them back, keep & freeze them for the next trip out if you toss in crab pots.

Anyhow, here's the mystery fish.

[mangajack]

i think it is a Maori Rock Cod

https://www.qld.gov.au/recreation/activities/boating-fishing/rec-fishing/fish-species-guide/fish-species-id/species-page?grid=6XkwXlUBhgeXXi8IZvQrBZ&id=24VLlmOMbEARjBcNmsipd8

 

[MattInOz]

I think you're right. Mine looks more like the pic on this page... fins more yellow and different mouth. Thanks.

https://www.fishbase.se/summary/7371

[Neil Stratford]

Hard to tell in the bucket Looks like a juvenile Mauri Cod 

legal limit is 450mm

Very common here in SE Qld .

i caught several of similar size a few days ago.

 

[Huxstang]

I would say 100% Maori Cod….quite a few undersized around, no idea where they get bigger but would happily keep any over 45cm, they say they are very tasty.

[Old Scaley]

45 minutes ago, Huxstang said:

I would say 100% Maori Cod….quite a few undersized around, no idea where they get bigger but would happily keep any over 45cm, they say they are very tasty.

They are great eating. 

[AUS-BNE-FISHO]

Sounds like a successful crabbing outing at least. 

[MattInOz]

On 27/07/2024 at 6:22 PM, AUS-BNE-FISHO said:

Sounds like a successful crabbing outing at least. 

Definitley... I don't eat them myself, but my wife and her friends had a feast.