- This topic has 28 replies, 1 voice, and was last updated 14 years, 4 months ago by
HookLineSinker.
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- 06/01/2008 at 10:26 am #6550
HookLineSinker
ParticipantHi 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.
06/01/2008 at 11:49 am #9751Miliwolf
ParticipantI 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.
06/01/2008 at 2:08 pm #9752Sevengillz
ParticipantYip 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.
06/01/2008 at 2:14 pm #9753yellowfin
ParticipantHi,
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
06/01/2008 at 2:19 pm #9755Sevengillz
ParticipantI may be wrong but isnt an elephant fish a type of shark? In the shark family sort of thing?
06/01/2008 at 2:25 pm #9756yellowfin
ParticipantThat’s right it is a type of shark. It has cartilage instead of hard bones. As such it is almost all muscle – fillet.
06/01/2008 at 2:31 pm #9758Sevengillz
ParticipantCool 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
06/01/2008 at 3:10 pm #9761yellowfin
ParticipantI 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.
06/01/2008 at 3:31 pm #9762yellowfin
ParticipantMake sure your drag is set right when you place the rod in the holder. The elephants can and do hit hard !
06/01/2008 at 4:48 pm #9765yellowfin
Participantyes i agree they are more likely to take crab crayfish and pipi and
06/01/2008 at 11:03 pm #9781tracknz
ParticipantTwo 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.
08/01/2008 at 9:57 am #9824St_Paul
ParticipantHave 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
08/01/2008 at 10:15 am #9825Jones Jr.
ParticipantA 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
Aaron08/01/2008 at 10:22 am #9827yellowfin
Participantand 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
08/01/2008 at 10:56 am #9828St_Paul
Participantyep the bead does both these things stops swivels or clips going thru each other and protects the knot.
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