victoria Help identify this fish - noob fisherman help

[ciphrix1]

Hi, this is a bit embarrassing as myself (and my friend) are very new to fishing (as green as you can get), and first few trips we landed nothing (no surprises there) but then this weekend we finally got lucky and landed the below fishes.

We thought they were Carp and therefore an invasive species (we didn't mind, was just glad we caught something finally) but then when I asked my friend, they said it looked like Perch or Bass, and then my parents said it might be bream (as you can tell, my friends and family are as hopeless as we are...)

So what exactly did we catch?

Thanks for any help in advance!

[ellicat]

It looks like some kind of wrasse which is a saltwater fish. Where did you catch it ?

 

As a side issue, you shouldn't take fish that you don't know as they may be subject to state size limits or be a no-take species.

 

 

[AUS-BNE-FISHO]

Hey ciphrix1

If you got it in the fresh, my money is on a small Tilapia. Don't take my word for it though! Tilapia are an invasive species and should be killed and disposed of safely (buried or binned).

If you got it in the salt, the only thing I could think of would be a wrasse, like ellicat said. Hopefully someone on here will know exactly. 

Anyways, welcome to the forum. 

Cheers Hamish

 

[ciphrix1]

Thanks gents.

We did do our homework and had the VFA species and bag limit app and knew what we could or couldn't take and size limits, but since we thought it was 1) Carp, an invasive species you are not allowed to put back or use as bait and 2) the size was 29cm, where most fish limits are in the 20cm-27cm range, so we thought even if it wasn't, it'd be legal. and 3) It didn't look like any of the species that the VFA listed as not being able to take 

It was at Apollo Bay, in the Ocean but I think not that far from where a river meets the ocean.

I googled Wrasse, and maybe the photo is deceptive but it doesn't look like any of the images that came up, although it could be a sub species I guess. The fish was quite dark brown rather than colourful (which a lot of the Wrasse images seem to be).

[ellicat]

All good, wasn't sure if you were aware being new to the sport.

Not all wrasse are that pretty or spectacular, but I'm not certain. I doubt it is an invasive species though. Maybe @benno573 will have a better idea..

[ellicat]

Maybe a female bluethroat wrasse ?? -

https://vfa.vic.gov.au/recreational-fishing/recreational-fishing-guide/catch-limits-and-closed-seasons/types-of-fish/marine-and-estuarine-scale-fish/wrasse-parrot-fish-all-species-except-bluethroat-wrasse

 

[Another Wazza]

Your spot on Brian 

 

[Licespray]

Just a note an an above comment - “most fish size limits 20-27cm”. Most start at 30. Very few are in the 20-27cm bracket.

[ciphrix1]

9 hours ago, Licespray said:

Just a note an an above comment - “most fish size limits 20-27cm”. Most start at 30. Very few are in the 20-27cm bracket.

Are we talking about Victoria? If so, and I could be wrong, but looking at the VFA website and app, a lot (most?) of the fish are either no minimum or within the 20-27cm bracket, for eg:

https://vfa.vic.gov.au/recreational-fishing/recreational-fishing-guide/catch-limits-and-closed-seasons/types-of-fish/marine-and-estuarine-scale-fish

Salmon = 21cm

Perch = 27

Bream = 28

Flathead (not dusky) = 27

Dusky = 30

Flounder = 23

King G Whiting = 27

Luderick = 23

Snapper = 28 (40 for adults)

Sweep = 23

Tailor = 23

Wrasse = 27

Then there is a whole bunch with no minimums (at work so don't want to list them all)

So as far as I can tell, very few are >30cm? Please let me know if I am wrong. Also since we're new, very much shore fishing, maybe there are bigger limits with deep water fish.

 

[benno573]

you won't catch carp if the water is salt.  as far as i know there is no noxious fish that cannot be released that lives in the salty stuff.  surely the app has a bit of info about where you might catch a particular species?  also - the photo above bears next to no resemblance to a carp so not sure what photos they have on the app that lead you to this conclusion. 

 

best practice generally and particularly in the salt if you are not sure - handle very carefully (lots of things have toxic spines or other sharp things), take a good photo and do some research so you know for next time.  Certainly don't eat anything you aren't sure what it is as there are numerous toxic fish out there - and if you aren't going to eat it, why take it from the system?  do some research prior to going out as to what common species you may encounter in the area you are going to fish and how to identify them correctly.

 

The fish you have is definitely a wrasse, I am not completely familiar with all the species in Vic but I think @ellicat is on the money with a blue throat - they are very common in that area.  mostly detested by whiting fisherman as bait thieves but also used by gummy shark fishermen as cut bait.