Name this fish? Caught in mandurah estuary
Submitted by westozandy on Mon, 2015-11-02 19:45
Hi all
Was catching some yellowfin whiting in the mandurah estuary today and caught this fish which I haven't come across before. Can someone please tell me it's name??
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scano
Posts: 1247
Date Joined: 31/05/07
I think you will find
it is called a gurnard
from previous reports they have a reasonably nasty spine you gotta watch out for on thei back, but apparently are reasonably good on the dinner plate as well
scano
randall df223
Posts: 6454
Date Joined: 08/08/11
+1 for gurnard
+1 for gurnard
Fish! HARD!
carnarvonite
Posts: 8663
Date Joined: 24/07/07
Red Gurnard
Proper name is red gurnard or red butterfly gurnard as some call them
westozandy
Posts: 55
Date Joined: 26/11/12
I didnt keep it but yeah
I didnt keep it but yeah thanks people, I have seen other gunards before but not this type and only out in the ocean not within an estuary. It had the most amazing blue colours on its fins
meglodon
Posts: 5981
Date Joined: 17/06/10
Strange territory to catch one
That's very strange territory to catch one of these things nasty spikes on them that's for sure.
westozandy
Posts: 55
Date Joined: 26/11/12
Fishing shallow ish sand
Fishing shallow ish sand bottom in the dawesville area is where it was caught. Smashed the blood worm
bod
Posts: 2319
Date Joined: 03/05/06
Butterfly Gurnard
Butterfly Gurnard - Lepidotrigla vanessa
Butterfly Gurnard are often confused with Sharp Beaked Gurnard and Red Gurnard. The identifying differences are the colours and shape of the pectoral fins and the two distinctive spines on the snout of the Sharp Beaked Gurnard. The three lower rays of the pectoral fins are thickened and free from the rest of the fin, and used for walking over the bottom probing for food.
Butterfly Gurnard have a large bony head and a bony rostrum on the snout with a very small median notch with tiny spines. They are sandy with reddish bands and blotches and often turn red on capture. The greenish pectoral fins are round with bright blue spots and margins, and a roundish black blotch with a bright blue margin and scattered blue spots inside.
Butterfly Gurnard have been measured at 41cms in length.
They are considered good eating and need to be skinned but are most often too small to be worth the effort. They are valued for aquariums.
Butterfly Gurnard are found from Rottnest Island Western Australia, south around to northern Victoria, offshore in sand and silt habitats, usually in depths of 20 - 100 metres.
westozandy
Posts: 55
Date Joined: 26/11/12
Awesome thanks for that bod.
Awesome thanks for that bod. Great explanation. Mine was caught in about 2m of water! 1.5m of water :)