ID your fish here

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    Posted: 02 Apr 2011 at 8:53pm
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OK I want some good clear pics of the fish commonly caught in NZ with some basic info such as size limits, rigs, where they are caught etc. The intentioon is to have an easily recognisable guide for those new to fishing so they know the rules and to help them learn. Don't worry if you are unsure of the facts, i can sort that stuff out. Species I'm thinking of:
 
Snapper, trevally, kingfish, gurnard, hapuka, jack mackeral, slimey macks, koheru, red moki, blue moki, parore, red cod, blue cod, ling, gemfish, barracoutta, golden snapper, terakihi, rainbow trout, brown trout, salmon, stingrays, eaglerays, skate, flounder, sole, stargazers, drummer and maybe even some sharks.
 
Just remember that fish size limits AND catch limits can vary from area to area. ALWAYS check the local regulations before you go fishing. Remember that these regulations also change from time to time so dont refer to regs that are ten years old!
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote blackboat Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Apr 2011 at 9:38pm
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undersized king less then 75cm

this one is legal



caught durville island
method jigged
weight of jig 350grams
rod jigstar kojack 350
reel diawa 30t 50lb braid 130lb leader tagged and released




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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Lethal Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 02 Apr 2011 at 11:24pm
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Thanks for the pics Lethal, I'll try and name them! Above we have albacore tuna, caught generally in bluewater on lures or baits, no size limit nice eating when bled and packed in ice.

John dory, can be taken on live baits, jigs, soft baits and sometimes cut baits. No size limit, very tasty.

Kahawai can be caught in a million ways. No size limit and arent bad to eat especially when fresh.

An octopus. Ummm... watch out though they do bite.

A Pacific Bluefin Tuna. Usually caught off the West Coast of the South Island around July/August. Not for Newbies!LOL

This is a porae, they do get caught line fishing, they are similar in shape and size to a snapper but they are brownish in colour with long pectoral fins and big rubber lips. We need a pic of one of these out of the water Eric!

This is a Red Moki, They have a size limit of 40cm and are slow growing reef dwellers, please consider that before you decide to keep one. They are often confused with Parore but parore are dark grey/blackish not red like these.

A skipjack tuna, often sold as bait under the label of bonito. Great bait.

Well I've never caught one of those, it looks like a giant weta. hahaha "Spiny Crayfish"

Yellowfin Tuna

Pink Moamoa














Thanks for everything you did for us Eric. may you rest in peace, You were one of the real legends of NZ recreational fishing
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (2) Likes(2)   Quote NZFisher Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Apr 2011 at 12:09am
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OK, here's an easy one.
Snapper (Pagrus Auratus)
 
 
Caught on a 7inch Curry Chicken Gulp Softbait in 20 meters of water off Cape Karikari

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A couple in this one shot - hope thats ok.

 
On the Left, Bluenose Warehou & on the right, a (King) Terakihi
 
 
Both were caught on dropper rigs (Squid bait) in 100M +/- at the Three Kings Islands
 

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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote NZFisher Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Apr 2011 at 12:19am
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Here's a less common one, a Gem Fish.
Generally caught in 200m +
 
Angler is Kerry Earl (C/- Aaron McDonald)
 

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And a very tasty wee tuna
 
The Albacore Tuna (Thunnus albacora)
 
 
Caught surface trolling small skirted lures off New Plymouth in March 2010

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This is a Silver Drummer (They look brown), caught on a piece of pilchard at Ti Point, North  of Auckland by Mark Mortimer & is the current 10kg national record.

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Sometimes called 'Rock Cod' this is a Hiwi hiwi
 
Possibly the most annoying fish to rock fishers as they steal bait & ALWAYS swallow the hook.
 
No good eating at all - very bony.
 
They live & hunt in the kelp in the wash & just below.

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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote NZFisher Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03 Apr 2011 at 12:43am
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This is a Silver Trevally, the one found ion NZ.
 
This one was cought in 20m at the Three Kings by John Callandar on 10lb line on a scrap of bait while fishing for livebait.
 

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ruby fish
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a goat fish  caught on reefs thios one from gt barrier
pigfish also caught  on reefy terrain
grandaddy hapuka  caught usually on deepish reefs from 40 m plus  nasty spines around head  pearly white flesh  not too bad eating
mahimahi  generally caught as bycatch when gamefishing they like to hang around floating logs, kelp etc  excellent eating
 striped marlin  excellent smoked  caught during the summer months  using lures or livebaits  east or west coast of north island 
hapuka  caught on deep reefs  usually 80 m plus  on livies or big baits  can also be caught on jigs
thresher shark  said to be ok eating  but generally release sharks myself  ...
 mullet  caught in nets  up saltwater estuarys  , mudflats  or some beach areas 
 conger eel  ok smoked
 shortbill spearfish  caught trolling  for gamefish  not super common in nz but a few seem to get caught each season in the warmer water
scallops  collected by divers or freedivers but also can be dredged on some beds
porae generally caught on reefs from 10 to 30 m they have long blue pec fins and rubbery juju lips
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Brown trout, lengths and bag limits vary across the country caught on fly spin fishing and bait most rivers have restrictions to what you can use
Rainbow trout, lengths and bag limits vary across the country caught on fly spin fishing and bait most rivers have restrictions to what you can use
Crayfish min length across the tail just below body male 540 female 600mm
scallops across the shell 100mm 20 per person per day
kina no size 50 per person per day
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Butterfish min length 35cm bag limit part of 20 fin fish limit
paua min length across the long part of the shell 12.5 cm limit 10 per person per day
 
 
 
Witch flounder unsure of length taste bad let it go very bony 
Gidday Mate
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Eagle Ray
7 gill shark
Red Gurnard
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Sevengiller Shark (Notorynchus cepedianus)


School Shark, Tope, Greyboy (Galeorhinus galeus)

(Can someone please provide a photo)


I decided to include these two together because simialar technquies, gear and tatics are required for both.
They are fairly common shark, often caught on surf beaches during Summer and Autumn, and enclosed coastal waters during the spring.  Sevengillers  are easily identified by their spots, seven gills and flat appearance. They also have several rows of small teeth.   They can be confused with Sixgill sharks, the main difference.... Sixgills grow over 100kg, sevengillers rarely do. Sixgill do not have spots, Sixgill sharks have Six Gills. Sixgill sharks typically occur in deeper water. 

School sharks are commonly caught, they range from a few kgs to around 100kg. They have a more 'generic' shark appearance then Sevengillers. They range from Grey to a pale bronze in Colour.  


Regulations

Check www.Mfish.govt.nz for area specific information.

School shark: In most areas part of the combined daily bag Finfish limit.

(South East Area Bag limit of 5)

Sevengiller: Not a listed Finfish in most fishing areas. 

 (South East area Bag limit of 1)


Bait: They regularly eat most fish baits, Pilchards, Kahawai fillets, whole mullets and Squid if desperate. They do eat Red Cod and Dogfish fillets to but I would not consider them a preferred bait.  The more oily the bait the better in my opinion.  I would avoid using shellfish or crustacean bait when targeting them. 

Burley can help but is not really needed.


Presentation: When fishing surf beaches, I like to cast the bait just behind the first breaker. If the beach is very shallow then longer casts would be required. I find two hours before, and 1 hour after high tide is the best time to target them (probably depends on beach). 

Hooks: 8/0 or larger, circle or recurved hooks to aid in  a quick release. 

Trace: The rig body needs to be made from heavy line, I use around two meters of 250lb. To the hook I would attach a short section of 80lb wire trace. The purpose of the wire trace is to prevent bite offs, the heavy rig body is to protect against the sharks abrasive skin. They do like to roll.  Use strong swivels.  I then use a trace the length of the rod plus same of 40lb, just as extra insurance against abrasion. 

Fight: Sevengillers have a lot of fight to begin with, but tire quite quickly.  A trick, if you remove pressure they are quite likely to stop fighting and rest on the bottom. So if you receive a double strike, just let one rest while landing the other.

School Sharks are less likely to rest up and can fight hard or gentle depending on the shark.

Landing/Release: Use the surf to bring them in close, then grab the 250lb rig body... be careful of the bitey end. Gentle pull and maneuver the shark up the beach. I like to keep them on the edge of the surf. A bit wetter but nicer on the sharks.

I take three tools, long nose pliers, hook removers and wire cutter. If the pliers or removers can not reach the hook, then simply cut the hook or trace with the cutters. maneuver the shark back to the water edge and gently push in with the out going surf.  Do not pull or swing the shark around by the tail, they have weak bones and prone to organ damage. Treat them gently before release.  If they must be carried consider taking a fish sling to help even out the pressure. 

Eating: If desperate they can be eaten, but I would stick to the smaller specimens. Bleed, Gut and trunk and put on ice for the best eating. 



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Blue Moki (Latridopsis ciliaris)



These little fellows live in weed and rocks around most of our coast, they do travel into the surf break during the night to feed. They can be caught or speared during the day, but many more come out of hiding in the evenings.  They rarely grow larger then 10kg. 

Regulations

Check www.fish.govt.nz for area specific information.

They are part of the combined daily bag limit in most fishing areas. They have a size limit of 40cm.

(South East Area Bag limit 15)
(Southland Area Bag limit 15)
(FiordLand Area Bag limit 15)

Bait: These little fellows love shellfish and  crustacean, does not seem to matter if its cooked or raw. Bring a selection because they can be fussy at times. They would sometimes take squid. Mussels is a top bait choice so is raw/cooked shrimp and prawns. Some people like to use Crayfish but I consider thats a waste. Wrapping two or three whole mussels onto a hook is a good way to tempt the bigger ones. 

Burley does help bring them in, use shellfish ones. If the burley contains fish then chances are you would attract dogfish, red cod and other undesirable species.  They are also attracted to light. 

Location: They can be found around the entire coast, but probably more common south of the Coromandel.   During the day look for rocky, weedy kelpy regions.    After dark, they leave the protection of the foul and feed along the surf break.  Try and look for gaps in the foul to minimise snags. Like most fish, they like a bit of current or movement in the water. 

Hooks:  I use 2/0 to 4/0 circles. 

Rig:  I keep things simple... if surf-casting I would use a standard pulley or ledger rig.  Rock or boat fishing would stick to stray lining to minimize tackle loses.  

Fight: Comparable to similar size Snapper. 

Landing/Release:  Just like a Snapper. Remove the hook and place gently back into the water. Pliers and hook removers make things easier. If you must hold onto the fish use a wet towel, or at least wet your hands before handling.  The use of a landing net might makes things a bit easier and kinder on the Moki. 

Spearing: They are one of the easiest fish to spear, popular target for novices.  Just move slowly and non-threating and they would swim in for a better look. Leave the big old guys because they are cool to have around and can be quite friendly at times. 

Eating: I do not rate them highly,  Bleed and gut  then put on ice for the best eating.  They seem to be popular smoked (probably to hide their flavor) but I release most of the ones I catch. 

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Rig, Lemon Fish, Spotted Smooth Hound (Mustelus lenticulatus) 




These little guys eat paddle crabs and probably crayfish. They patrol the surf break during the warmer months. The large mature females go into sheltered bays to have their pups. They are great fighters and go spastic once landed. Uncertain on exact weights but mature adults probably reach 30kg. 

They are easily confused with Spiky Dogfish another shark of similar size. The main differences

- Rig have a pad, Dogfish have teeth.

- Rig have many more and smaller spots.

- Rig do not have a spike, Dogfish have a spike. 

- Dogfish would not take Crab baits. 

Regulations


Check www.fish.govt.nz for area specific and up to date information.

They are part of the combined daily bag limit in most fishing areas. They have no size limit.

They have a Bag limit of 5 in the three southern management areas.

Bait: These little fellows love crustacean, especially paddle crabs some people like to use Crayfish and it is effective but I consider it a waste. If you can not get crabs they would happily eat cooked or raw prawns.   They would sometimes take squid or fish bait. 

Location: They can be found around the entire coast,  they more common in our southern waters during the summer months, but seem to be around year round further north.  They can be caught during the day but are more common after dark.  Like most surf species, I target them just behind the first breaker, but sometimes longer casts bring results especially on gentle sloping beaches. 

Hooks: I use 4/0 circles. 

Rig: For surf-casting I use a standard pulley or ledger/flasher rig (80lb trace).  More baited hooks seem to catch more but they love to tangle multi-hooked ledger rigs.  I do not think the bling on flasher rigs help much, but it can help hold bait on at times.
 
Fight: Good for their size, the big ones are a bit of fun.  

Landing/Release:  Use the surf to help beach, upon landing they would twist, turn and be a complete pain to remove the hook from. The large ones are slightly less wiggly then the small ones. If planning on keeping, a hammer blow to the head does slow them down. 

Eating:They seem to contain quite a lot of ammonium, so bleed, gut and trunk then put on ice for the best eating. Small to medium size ones are better eating  They are one of the main species sold in fish and cheap shops. 
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Salmon



These guys can be caught both in sea and as they run up the rivers to spawn. The most popular salmon rivers are the Rangitata, Waimakariri and Rakaia but reasonable runs occur up all sizable Canterbury rivers.  They also enter rivers right around the South Island. A handful occasionally run up rivers in the North Island but its a rare event.  

There is a sizable fishery in Dunedin Habour,  and farm escapes are caught in the Marlborough Sounds and other areas where Salmon farming occurs.  There are also lake based and canal based populations.

They can be confused with Kahawai and Sea Run Trout. The main difference is the size. But Salmon also have a black mouth while Kahawai are pink. They also have black spots along their backs.   


Regulations

Check F&G regulation books for the freshwater fisheries.

Salmon caught in the Sea are treated slightly differently from other fish, for starts they can only be taken on rod and running line. No spearing, netting ect... They typically have no size limit except for in Otago Harbor where the limit is 45cm.  

These a national bag limit of 4, except for South East and Southland where the limit is 2. 


Tactics: In the sea they can take pilchard and other fish baits, bait fishing in most rivers (excluding the Kaiapoi) is not allowed.  

Most would be taken on lures.  Anglers at the river mouths try and cast a weight forward ticer as far as possible into the Surf. They do this for days and they might get lucky and catch one. They typically cast heavy ticers up to 85g in weight. Other anglers fish in the river gut, there they use Zed Spinners.  There is also a strange method using a the lure rod, they flick out  flies  weighted down with a ball sinker. 

Further upriver, the use of Zed Spinners (about 22g) and Colorado Spoons are more popular, they are cast across pools and allowed to drift down bouncing along the bottom. One experience River angler once told me he averages a Salmon for every 40 hours spent on the river. The best water conditions to target Salmon is when its milky after a fresh or small flood.  Learning to read the rivers and identifying likely holding water is a important skill to learn. 

In Otago Harbor anglers often livebait for Salmon.  




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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote ThomasW Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Apr 2011 at 8:43am
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Marble Fish, Marble Trout, kelpie (Aplodactylus arctidens) 

 

The name Marble trout might confuse a few people into thinking this is a freshwater fish, that is incorrect they live in the sea.  Not a target species, but are often taken by mistake by novice spearfishers. They are very easy targets because they lay in the weeds and freeze. I do not know much about them, all I have seen have been hiding in sea weed, often just poking their heads out.  They are suppose to be herbivores.  I do not beleive they grow to a large size. 

They can be confused with Butterfish, but once both have been seen they are easy to tell apart. Butterfish are dark with bands, while marble fish have pattern of white dots. They appear brown underwater but darken once dead.


Regulations
Check www.fish.govt.nz for area specific information.

I do not beleive they are listed as a Finfish in any fishery management areas. That means no size or bag limit. But still check the regulations for your local area before taking one. 

Location: Have only seen them in and around weed. So rocky foul ground with plenty of cover for them to hide.  

Bait: I can not remember ever taking one on the bait, but I would suggest to use the same bait as when targeting Butterfish. So corn Kernel, peas, sea weed pieces, small piece of prawn, mussel or squid. 

Hooks: I would use small hooks, so 2/0 or smaller. Would not go smaller then size 10. 

Rig: Keep things simple... Strayline if suitable. otherwise a basic ledger rig should do.   

Spearing: They are one of the easiest fish to spear, often taken as a first fish by novices (including myself Embarrassed) . Not really something one would go out and purposefully target.   

Eating: Lots of bones, not the best flavor was quite strong from memory.  
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote secala Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 04 Apr 2011 at 4:32pm
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anyone got a pic of a greenbone. heard about them but don't know what they look like.
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