[yellowfin]

hi
what do you need to do to prepare elephant fish
i have heard that they contain ammonia
how do i get rid of this
got a bucket of tuatuas and am going to head out for
eles tomorw night

[Birdlingsflat]

Bleed,gill and gut..theres so much B/S about ammonia in eles..they tend to have the least..some soak the fillets in vinegar water some soak the fillets in water and the list goes on..fresh you dont need to bugger around with it at all its a brill eating fish..heres my only catch tonight off the beach

SOUTHERN BASTARD RED COD

[surfcaster]

Hi Guys. Though this is my first post, I have been here for a while and have enjoyed being a “fly on the wall” so to speak.

I am originally from South Africa and arrived in Christchurch just over 2 years ago with few clothes and much fishing gear. The look on the immigration officer’s face was something to remember!

Although conditions and species vary all over the world, fishing (to me any way) is all about sharing a good story with a total stranger on the beach, and even more so just soaking up the moment! Landing a fish is just a huge bonus.

I live in Pines Beach so am lucky enough to have good fishing on my doorstep. The shingle beaches have been a challenge for me. Mostly because I cant get my rod stand as solid as I am used to. Keep promising myself to think of a better way and am open to suggestions. Did get my first NZ fish at birdlings, a nice rig, an unusual catch for me that is more used to finfish.

I have just returned from Golden Bay where I was lucky enough to get space on a boat and chase some snapper. Fishing was good with many undersize fish for next year and plenty good sized ones for the pan. Last hour there, (turned out last 5 hours) after fishing deep and catching nothing but dogfish my reel started screaming like one dreams about. At the end of the line, one awesome Snapper of 53cm. Sure put a smile this face. Anyone have an idea how old that fish may have been. Feeling a bit bad about keeping it. Lesson learnt, have a disposable waterproof camera and a good net on board, and not just that nasty old gaff.

Just a note on an earlier post. My 2 best catches ever have been when others have given up or decided the fish won’t bite at that time of day. More important than bate, hook rigs, gear and time of day, Perseverance and Enjoyment is the key factor. If your line is not in the water you can only talk about catching a fish.

Can anyone point me right re posting some pics. just not getting it right.

[Birdlingsflat]

Welcome surfcaster go to viewtopic.php?f=3&t=525 -CLICK on that

its one of the topics on this section (how to load photos) Zac has made easy instructions for us all cheers

[Miliwolf]

A legal size Snapper is typically 3-4 years old, others might have a reference chart but I would estimate a 50cm snapper would be around 10 years of age.

Went for a Surfcast tonight at Seaview, got there around 8pm which was right on high tide. Conditions were overcast with no wind, Sea had no chop but a decent swell at times. Fished two rods, one baited with Crab the other I trialled mussel dreaming of hooking a Moki. After landing a Red Cod on the Mussel that idea was abandoned so I fished two crab baits. Around 9pm landed a decent Rig, around 9:45pm landed a second this time much smaller. I then packed up and went home. Both rig put up a very good fight for their size.

A few others on the beach, think they caught a few Red Cod and small school sharks.

[Birdlingsflat]

Snapper…

1) Average 6700 snaps for each km of rocky coast – survey in the Leigh area where marine reserve is.
2) West coast snaps are bigger then east coast ones.
3) Snapper grow slowly – 100mm at age 1, 300 mm at 4 years old, on the east coast 270mm at 5 years old.
4) They all start out as females but b4 maturing sexually 50 % change sex.
5) At 6 years old they average 350mm & grow 10mm every year after.
6) A 5kg fish may be between 20 & 50 years old.
7) The oldest recorded was 60 years old, 1.3m long & 20 kg.

marine biologists(leigh marine facility) reckon your average 20lber is around 50 years of age.

[Miliwolf]

Tasman Bay and Sounds snapper do grow faster then their north island counterparts. They can reach sexual maturity in 2 years in Tasman Bay compared with 5 for the Hauraki gulf.

Snapper sizing can be difficult, because same grow faster then others, while same very old snapper but be relatively small fish. Same 70cm have been aged as young as 18 years. While the oldest Snapper ever recorded was 65 but only had a length of 67cm. This might be because the stock is so depleted nowadays that their is less competition for food allowing them to grow faster and larger.

[surfcaster]

Thanks guys. Most informative.
Here are som memorable moments for me.

Thanks Zac for the easy instructions.

[mulletman]

is that a jewfish? and nice rig by the way

[elmo22]

welcome surfcaster, nice fish that snapper any one would be bloody please to land that i have only caught small ones around 1-2kgs and was pleased with them lol

[oldgreyboy]

went south of timaru this morn still quite a nor east dump on the beach landed a schoolie that yielded 12 fillets a guy next to me got bit bigger one the myth about ammonia in elies is from the old days when boats didnt have ice or chillers on their boats , the ammonia bone on an ellie is in the rear flippers after skinning the fillets look and see if there is a wee bit of bone by where you made a deeper cut to remove the flippers this is the ammonia bone just nip it out simple as that

[yellowfin]

i am just leavbing to go to birdlings
i am wanting to know the best spot along the spit for elephant fish
i am young and keen and want to catch one

thank you
also ihave some tuatuas for bait

[fishforpot]

You will have better luck tomorrow morning I’d pick ….more a morning fish the ele’s ….. if you can drive down the beach , go to the Doc access point , and head sou/west …further you go the better the fishing …..I go about 11km’s from there

[yellowfin]

so towards bayleys ??
and rig
anywhere along there ??

[fishforpot]

Hit the beach at Bayleys and head sou/west from there ….otherwise just fish Bayleys …..best of luck ….bigger schoolies are inshore now ….so rig and big schoolies into the dark , and into the night …….
take some fish bait

[Author]

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