WTF was it / is it, or could it be ???????????

Post Options Post Options   Likes (1) Likes(1)   Quote bazza Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: WTF was it / is it, or could it be ???????????
    Posted: 08 May 2022 at 9:07pm
bazza View Drop Down
Titanium
Titanium
Avatar
OBE - Over Bloody Eighty

Joined: 12 Dec 2006
Location: Mostlyinthepoo
Status: Offline
Points: 17915
Tony & I went out on the Kaipara yesterday intent on a normal bottom
fishing expedition augmented by a flounder net set & oyster gathering.

Suffice to say the end result was well below expectation namely :-

1 X an OS gurnard
3 X healthy size snaps
6 X good size KY
2 X flounder
5 X unknowns that broke off 
8 X very unwelcome chunky parore 

As unimpressive that might be, after talking to several anglers, it became 
apparent that we seemingly had done much better than them & were puzzled
as to why the catch rate had suddenly fallen so dramatically after being on a 
high recently until today. 

We felt it must have had something to do with the fact the stomachs of the fish 
caught yesterday were chocka full of baby snapper & sub juveniles of other species.

However all that is not the purpose of this thread, so will outline the subject intended.

( To be cont ) 

Long story short ..........

An upside of fishing the Kaipara where we were is can be assured of an ultra generous
legal allowance of oysters PP from the beds covering umpteen acres acessable from 1/2
to low tide & this occasion was no ecception.

On arrival home they are tipped out on the drive & water blasted to clean the shells & was 
then we noticed this little critter about 8 to 9 cm wriggling amongst the oysters that proved 
to be very elusive & powerful despite its' size. 

We managed to catch it & Tony was carrying it in the palm of his hand intending to put it
in a jar of sea water we managed to salvage from the other bucket then release it in the 
nearby tidal SW creek.

Was then he began to jump about shaking his hand shouting repeatedly "The little bugger
bit me" Naturally to begin with I thought he was joking bu eventually he managed to convince
me & sure enough there was a red welt where it had been & he was not game to pick it up
again & experience another bite or sting that he said was more intense than a wasp sting.

We both have photos of it so will post them once I overcome some current problems to do
so. In the interim the poor little bugger will find itself now living on the east coast from the 
west & wont know a soul.

The best description we can offer is it looked like a minature dark coloured mahi mahi with
a tiny mouth not possible of inflicting a bite until that is he /she opened it surprising wide.

What on earth (or in the sea) could it have been ... anyone know or suggest ?



When you cry, feel pain or sadness, no one notices your sorrow .... BUT
fart just ONE time !!!!!!!!!!!
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote bazza Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 May 2022 at 9:50am
bazza View Drop Down
Titanium
Titanium
Avatar
OBE - Over Bloody Eighty

Joined: 12 Dec 2006
Location: Mostlyinthepoo
Status: Offline
Points: 17915
AlanL has kindly posted pics on my behalf so hopefully will manage to do so once
again as have e-mailed them to him.

Unfortunately they are very poor quality pics but should give some idea of size by
the 20 cent coin along side of it & can be rest assured no photoshop skull duggery
has been involved.

No doubt Tonys' pics will be much clearer so will ask him if he can send me a couple. 
When you cry, feel pain or sadness, no one notices your sorrow .... BUT
fart just ONE time !!!!!!!!!!!
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Alan L Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 May 2022 at 10:49am
Alan L View Drop Down
Titanium
Titanium


Joined: 21 Nov 2012
Location: Hastings
Status: Offline
Points: 5716
Legasea Legend member
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote smudge Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 May 2022 at 1:16pm
smudge View Drop Down
Moderator - Ninja
Moderator - Ninja
Avatar

Joined: 17 Jul 2002
Location: Te Toro
Status: Offline
Points: 32159
Did it have any eyes Bazza?
Best gurnard fisherman in my street
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote bazza Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 May 2022 at 2:13pm
bazza View Drop Down
Titanium
Titanium
Avatar
OBE - Over Bloody Eighty

Joined: 12 Dec 2006
Location: Mostlyinthepoo
Status: Offline
Points: 17915
Originally posted by smudge smudge wrote:

Did it have any eyes Bazza?

Hard to say Smudge as it was wearing polaroids !

Someone told me you had picked it as a tadpole high on a combination
of meth & steroids !
When you cry, feel pain or sadness, no one notices your sorrow .... BUT
fart just ONE time !!!!!!!!!!!
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (2) Likes(2)   Quote FishMan Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 May 2022 at 2:39pm
FishMan View Drop Down
Moderator - Brown Belt
Moderator - Brown Belt
Avatar

Joined: 27 Sep 2004
Location: Bay of Islands
Status: Offline
Points: 5756
Good spotting Bazza! Very observant of you to realise that the little critter was something different

What you have there is an Australian Oyster Blenny (Omobranchus anolius)- an invasive species that turned up in the Hauraki Gulf over ten years ago. First discovered by Nik Hannam during a rockpool collecting trip for Kelly Tarltons Underwater World.

The males of the species look quite distinctive, they live in old empty oyster shells and, as you discovered, they bite!

Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote smudge Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 May 2022 at 2:57pm
smudge View Drop Down
Moderator - Ninja
Moderator - Ninja
Avatar

Joined: 17 Jul 2002
Location: Te Toro
Status: Offline
Points: 32159
Wow, that's something different alright
Best gurnard fisherman in my street
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote SaltyC Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 May 2022 at 2:59pm
SaltyC View Drop Down
Titanium
Titanium
Avatar

Joined: 10 Dec 2003
Location: Auckland, NZ
Status: Offline
Points: 3700
Aussies, eh...........
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Alan L Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 May 2022 at 4:18pm
Alan L View Drop Down
Titanium
Titanium


Joined: 21 Nov 2012
Location: Hastings
Status: Offline
Points: 5716
Trust the aussies to send us something like that.
And living in empty oyster shells makes sense for the kaipara.
Alan
Legasea Legend member
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Tonto2 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 May 2022 at 4:41pm
Tonto2 View Drop Down
Platinum
Platinum
Avatar

Joined: 25 Jun 2006
Status: Offline
Points: 2294
Huh is this another 501 deportee? Flamin mongrels
slowly going where everyone else has already been
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (1) Likes(1)   Quote bazza Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 May 2022 at 4:57pm
bazza View Drop Down
Titanium
Titanium
Avatar
OBE - Over Bloody Eighty

Joined: 12 Dec 2006
Location: Mostlyinthepoo
Status: Offline
Points: 17915
Thanx heaps FishMan for such an authorative description that
stacks up 100%.

Just one thing tho ... should I tell Tony their bite is deadly or
wait a few days to find out ? 
When you cry, feel pain or sadness, no one notices your sorrow .... BUT
fart just ONE time !!!!!!!!!!!
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote smudge Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 09 May 2022 at 6:23pm
smudge View Drop Down
Moderator - Ninja
Moderator - Ninja
Avatar

Joined: 17 Jul 2002
Location: Te Toro
Status: Offline
Points: 32159
Just wait Bazza Big smile
Best gurnard fisherman in my street
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote bazza Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 May 2022 at 8:47am
bazza View Drop Down
Titanium
Titanium
Avatar
OBE - Over Bloody Eighty

Joined: 12 Dec 2006
Location: Mostlyinthepoo
Status: Offline
Points: 17915
Certainly have a big jaw and a nasty set of dentures.
 
Bit like a snake bite with the 2 fangs.
 
https://images.app.goo.gl/WSPnsSHiySmyNHBD9 

Would not like to encounter a large one ... wonder how big they grow ?

Will certainly be keeping a sharp eye out for them on future oyster gathering forays.
When you cry, feel pain or sadness, no one notices your sorrow .... BUT
fart just ONE time !!!!!!!!!!!
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Kevin.S Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 May 2022 at 2:40pm
Kevin.S View Drop Down
Titanium
Titanium


Joined: 10 Aug 2011
Location: Waiuku
Status: Offline
Points: 6769
Interesting, I thought it looked like some sort of Blenny.  I remember having one in a fish tank many years ago, not that exact one though -don't remember the one I had having teeth like that.
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote bazza Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 May 2022 at 2:51pm
bazza View Drop Down
Titanium
Titanium
Avatar
OBE - Over Bloody Eighty

Joined: 12 Dec 2006
Location: Mostlyinthepoo
Status: Offline
Points: 17915
Originally posted by Kevin.S Kevin.S wrote:

Interesting, I thought it looked like some sort of Blenny.  I remember having one in a fish tank many years ago, not that exact one though -don't remember the one I had having teeth like that.

Apparently there are umpteen different variations Kev both fresh & sea water ... one variety even suckle their young ... possibly the only fish that  is known to do so. 



When you cry, feel pain or sadness, no one notices your sorrow .... BUT
fart just ONE time !!!!!!!!!!!
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Bushkid03 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 May 2022 at 9:52pm
Bushkid03 View Drop Down
Bronze
Bronze


Joined: 12 Apr 2021
Status: Offline
Points: 32
a bit of random information about Oyster Blennies is their diet consists almost exclusively of the reproductive parts of barnacles..... at least in NZ that's the case.
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Fish Addict Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 12 May 2022 at 11:11pm
Fish Addict View Drop Down
Platinum
Platinum


Joined: 05 Jul 2009
Location: Perth WA
Status: Online
Points: 2337
Originally posted by Bushkid03 Bushkid03 wrote:

a bit of random information about Oyster Blennies is their diet consists almost exclusively of the reproductive parts of barnacles..... at least in NZ that's the case.

Greedy buggers.  That's taking oral sex to another level.  
Back to Top
Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote smudge Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 13 May 2022 at 5:30am
smudge View Drop Down
Moderator - Ninja
Moderator - Ninja
Avatar

Joined: 17 Jul 2002
Location: Te Toro
Status: Offline
Points: 32159
Originally posted by Bushkid03 Bushkid03 wrote:

a bit of random information about Oyster Blennies is their diet consists almost exclusively of the reproductive parts of barnacles..... at least in NZ that's the case.

Another random fact. It was Bushkid03 that first discovered these Blennies in NZ
Best gurnard fisherman in my street
Back to Top
Forum Jump
Forum Permissions View Drop Down


This page was generated in 0.266 seconds.

Fishing Reports Visit Reports

Saltwater Fishing Reports
Top of the South Fishing Report - 22/03/24

Tasman and Golden Bay snapper still running hot We are not far away from daylight... Read More >

22 Mar 2024
Saltwater Fishing Reports
Bay of Islands Fishing Report - 22/03/24

Variety is the spice of life On one recent trip, the plan was to spend a... Read More >

22 Mar 2024
Saltwater Fishing Reports
Hauraki Gulf Fishing Report - 22/03/24

Fish where the fish are! Catching fish or just going fishing? I tackle this issue... Read More >

22 Mar 2024
Saltwater Fishing Reports
Inner Hauraki Gulf Fishing Report - 22/03/24

Thoughtful tactics required for better fish Over the course of each year the fishing varies,... Read More >

22 Mar 2024
Fishing bite times Fishing bite times

Major Bites

Minor Bites

Major Bites

Minor Bites