[HookLineSinker]

Hi all,

Iv been pondering this one for a while and was hoping someone might be able to help.

What im interested in knowing is do you guys use any special techniques in catching elephant fish, ie hook sizes, bait selection, rigs and tides etc.

Being in marlborough they are very rare and and havent heard of any being caught over recent years but figure that if they are in canterbury and get caught in wellington they must be in these waters too at certian times of the year, so any advice would be greatly appreciated and hopefully one day i have some luck with this species that has to date eluded me.

[Miliwolf]

I also would like to catch one. Heard of one being caught in the sounds a while back.

I believe the way to target them is with shellfish on a small hook during the night. But I have not tried that technique. Might have to one day. I always thought the salty location would be a good area for them.

[Sevengillz]

Yip they do get caught in the sounds but im not sure how often or when but they do.My uncle caught one out of Momorangi bay a cuple of years ago.It wasnt big but it just goes to show how far in they must come.Ive never heard of any coming from Marlborough beaches yet.Maybe someone on this site may be the first…that would be cool.

[yellowfin]

Hi,

I’ve caught a dozen or more elephant fish over the years. Once at Haast I caught four in the same day surfcasting – all big ones. My mates have caught them on crab, crayfish, and tuatua at places like Dorie and South Rakaia. It might seem a bit strange but all the elephants

[Sevengillz]

I may be wrong but isnt an elephant fish a type of shark? In the shark family sort of thing?

[yellowfin]

That’s right it is a type of shark. It has cartilage instead of hard bones. As such it is almost all muscle – fillet.

[Sevengillz]

Cool so do you have to prepare them like other sharks when getting ready to eat or can you just treat them like any other finfish? I guess that info is allready out there,Id just rather ask the people who have the experience

[yellowfin]

I have treated the fillets like that of any finfish. There is no ammonia smell at all in my experience. I’d say I have always frozen the fillets and eaten them later. I haven’t cooked one on the beach straight from the sea – yet! Elephant fish are excellent eating. They are right up there with groper and blue cod in my opinion. You get huge fillets of firm white meat.

[yellowfin]

Make sure your drag is set right when you place the rod in the holder. The elephants can and do hit hard !

[yellowfin]

yes i agree they are more likely to take crab crayfish and pipi and

[tracknz]

Two weeks ago on sunday there were that many elies getting caught at Bailys that guys were throwing them back. They were taking any bait on all but the biggest of hooks. There have also been 8-10 caught off the brighton pier as well over the last couple of weeks. Most were taken on mullet or squid.

[St_Paul]

Have caught 6 so far this season all on either cooked prawn or mr twister crabs on 4/0 circle hooks with a 2/0 suicide hook keeper. Most of them on a pulley rig.

prawns also work great for rig

[Jones Jr.]

A pulley rig for those woundering what it looks like. I wounder, is the bead necessary though? Is it just to stop the swivel getting stuck in the swivel on your main line?

Cheers
Aaron

[yellowfin]

and i think it would be pary to gurad the knot as well im no expert on these kinda things but thats what id think its for

[St_Paul]

yep the bead does both these things stops swivels or clips going thru each other and protects the knot.

[Author]

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