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Fish ID

Printed From: The Fishing Website
Category: General Forums
Forum Name: The Fish Tank
Forum Description: Discuss fish species here - ecology, ichthyology, biology, habitats etc
URL: https://www.fishing.net.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=134722
Printed Date: 02 Feb 2026 at 7:52am


Topic: Fish ID
Posted By: MB
Subject: Fish ID
Date Posted: 20 Dec 2020 at 7:02am
Over on Facebook, they don't know the difference between a porae and a blue moki, can't identify yellow eyed mullet, stargazers, or shark species etc. It's not just muppets on Facebook. I've had interesting discussions with lifelong anglers, spearos and even NIWA representatives and they're just as clueless! No disrespect to newbie anglers, everyone has to learn, but old salts who argue incorrect fish identification until they're blue in the face grind my gears. 

Rant over. Merry Christmas! 






Replies:
Posted By: smudge
Date Posted: 20 Dec 2020 at 7:23am
Yeah the amount of social media warriors around just amazes me. It's not just fishing sites Boosh, it's pretty much a feature of all social media. I'm sure some of those people would never behave like that face to face but yeah, there is a lot of ignorance around fish ID and the recreational fishing rules.

I once fished on a charter that had just started up. Someone on board caught a tiny trevally about 15cm long. He asked the skipper if he could keep it and the skipper told him that was ok as there were no restrictions on yellowtail.Yepp they are everywhere. The Newbies forum was introduced here to try and educate people on recreational fishing matters I think those of us who can give solid advice should do our best to continue to educate others. Unfortunately we all think we're experts sometimes. 


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Best gurnard fisherman in my street


Posted By: Steps
Date Posted: 20 Dec 2020 at 9:21am
This sort of BS goes far beyond fish
 Have a look at this thread on NZ birds..And these guys know their stuff.
https://www.birdingnz.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=8400&sid=40689f61d3143dea58d3e725e65563ed" rel="nofollow - https://www.birdingnz.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=8400&sid=40689f61d3143dea58d3e725e65563ed


Posted By: cirrus
Date Posted: 20 Dec 2020 at 12:55pm
Real worry if a charter skipper cant tell difference between a jack mack and trevelly. 



Posted By: FishMan
Date Posted: 20 Dec 2020 at 2:56pm
There seems to be something about Facebook that if anyone asks a question a moron will answer first


Posted By: BFIST
Date Posted: 24 Dec 2020 at 7:05pm
Anyone know what this is? Caught it in 170m behind the mokes?




Posted By: MB
Date Posted: 24 Dec 2020 at 8:34pm
Eyebrow perch and in the spirit of my own thread, very happy to be corrected!


Posted By: MB
Date Posted: 24 Dec 2020 at 8:44pm
...and the most tasteless fish I've ever eaten! Not bad in any way other than completely devoid of flavour.


Posted By: BFIST
Date Posted: 24 Dec 2020 at 11:03pm
Thanks mate, any guesses for the response if I ask on Facebook too?

Haha


Posted By: MB
Date Posted: 24 Dec 2020 at 11:18pm
LOL

Red moki
Sea perch
Scorpion fish

Basically, any fish with stripes or spines will be mentioned, then some joker will say something ridiculous like gurnard.  


Posted By: smudge
Date Posted: 25 Dec 2020 at 8:09am
Post that pic and ask 'what fish is this' on fb and you will get at least 3 each of these responses:

A dead one (and three laughing emojis)
A pororae
If you don't know what it is don't kill it
It's Steve!
And all of MB's ID's too




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Best gurnard fisherman in my street


Posted By: MB
Date Posted: 25 Dec 2020 at 4:18pm
It is unfortunate that many names for our fish have been borrowed from completely unrelated species in the northern hemisphere. It adds to the confusion. Snapper, cod, ling etc. Maori names are useful in this respect. Look at what the Aussie's call kahawai. Salmon, really?  


Posted By: Catchelot
Date Posted: 25 Dec 2020 at 7:50pm
Originally posted by MB MB wrote:

It is unfortunate that many names for our fish have been borrowed from completely unrelated species in the northern hemisphere. It adds to the confusion. Snapper, cod, ling etc. Maori names are useful in this respect. Look at what the Aussie's call kahawai. Salmon, really?  

Good points Andy, Capt Cook named our Snapper, Bream. And Bream Bay where they anchored and caught many and were alleged to witness many schooling and spawning on the surface. Otherwise Squirefish is the IGFA name also. I believe Porgy/Porgie is another name...

Cod, I think Blue Cod is a Weaver fish and not a cod.

Ling, Prehistoric looking cod-like without a tail or rather an eels tail.

Kahawai... Sea Salmon and a similar but smaller version is a Tailor. ( In Aust)

Porae - Morwong (In Aust)

Red/ Golden Snapper - Nannygai (In Aus)

Parore - Luderick (In Aus)

...


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"The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever." - Jacques Cousteau


Posted By: pjc
Date Posted: 25 Dec 2020 at 9:24pm
Ky in tasmania "sea trout"

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Sex at 58.Lucky I live at 56


Posted By: MB
Date Posted: 25 Dec 2020 at 10:37pm
Originally posted by Catchelot Catchelot wrote:

Originally posted by MB MB wrote:

It is unfortunate that many names for our fish have been borrowed from completely unrelated species in the northern hemisphere. It adds to the confusion. Snapper, cod, ling etc. Maori names are useful in this respect. Look at what the Aussie's call kahawai. Salmon, really?  

Good points Andy, Capt Cook named our Snapper, Bream. And Bream Bay where they anchored and caught many and were alleged to witness many schooling and spawning on the surface. Otherwise Squirefish is the IGFA name also. I believe Porgy/Porgie is another name...

Cod, I think Blue Cod is a Weaver fish and not a cod.

Ling, Prehistoric looking cod-like without a tail or rather an eels tail.

Kahawai... Sea Salmon and a similar but smaller version is a Tailor. ( In Aust)

Porae - Morwong (In Aust)

Red/ Golden Snapper - Nannygai (In Aus)

Parore - Luderick (In Aus)

...


The history of this stuff is pretty interesting, to me at least! I believe bream is scientifically accurate for our "snapper", as is porgy. Europeans tend to refer to this family as breams, Americans as porgies. True snapper are a different family. Don't some South Islanders refer to snapper as bream or am I mistaken?



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