Elephant Fish
Printed From: The Fishing Website
Category: Saltwater Fishing
Forum Name: Landbased & Surfcasting
Forum Description: From rocks or beaches, here's the place for the landbased fishos to share information
URL: https://www.fishing.net.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=72530
Printed Date: 04 Jun 2026 at 7:34am
Topic: Elephant Fish
Posted By: RJ51
Subject: Elephant Fish
Date Posted: 21 Nov 2011 at 9:30pm
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Hi just wanting to know if anyone on here has caught a elephant fish as my brother has caught one tonight down south island and just wanting to know if they are any good eating and do you just fillet them like any other fish? Any advice much appreciated thanks.
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Replies:
Posted By: Capt Asparagus
Date Posted: 21 Nov 2011 at 10:16pm
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Yes, they are good to eat apparently, before commercial pressure (I have been told) had reduced their numbers markedly, they were a prime target for beach fishermen down Chch way. I guess they would be similar to lemon fish etc, as they are related to sharks.
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Posted By: flyfisher
Date Posted: 21 Nov 2011 at 10:22pm
They are a weekly catch for me in Wellington, I don't actually rate them, a bit 'rubbery' for my liking. They are a shark, so to stop the amonia build-up, you need to take off all fins and gut the fish as SOON as possible. They are a TOP SCRAPPER!!! Long searing runs on light gear. Watch the spine, very nasty, got one through a gumboot and into my ankle years ago. They reach impressive sizes, most here are 3-4kg lately, but Stormbringer got a 9kg the other day which is the largest I have heard off ever.
As Capt. said above, we're a very important commercial species and still are to a degree. They have no bones - just soft cartilage which can be a paid if the fillet knife goes astray!
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Posted By: RJ51
Date Posted: 22 Nov 2011 at 11:01am
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Great cheers for the info i will pass it onto him.
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