queensland Triple Tail in the River

[jaybee]

Bit of a late report, however i was approached to post a pic that i posted on Ausfish back in 2004. Checking our crab pots on the way home from fishing for squire in the river a few bait fish were breaking the surface near a small creek ajacent to the bulimba boat ramp, first cast into the mouth of the creek resulted in a freight train run, we all called it for a jack. When the fish was bought boat side and netted, we were dumafounded as both my brother and i have worked at the markets and fished professionally and recreational most of our lives. it wasnt until we posted the pic on Ausfish, that is was identified as a triple tail. Glad we kept the fish as it was excellent eating, the idea though if it was not identified was to take it to the meuseum. here are a few picks of the fish, and some squire caught in the river. Have been following with interest the threadfin caught in the river lately, and my brother has told me they have been catching heaps of juvenile red emporer in the shallows at Brunswick Heads over the past few years.

cheers

Joe.
/>http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b337/jojoe_au/triplet.jpg

/>http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b337/jojoe_au/brissquire.jpg

Post edited by: jaybee, at: 2006/05/28 06:04

[BIG DAVE 1]

i just saw the pic, very interesting. are they from australia?

[blue_mako]

lol yes dave they are from australia:P lol u shuda let it go tho ive seen at pik on ausfish aswell... have herd they fight gud aswell... i stil remember from 2002 a fishing report on brownies coast watch... a fella cort an 8kb one i think it was :S off shorncliffe pier... it was a 15min fite he said....

troy

[jaybee]

Hi Troy

initially we kept the fish to give to the qld meuseum, but when it was identified on Ausfish, probably the same fish, had a few different photos, we ate it damn good chewing if you catch one. i beleive there is a restaurant up near cairns somewher called the triple tail, and this fish is their main dish.

cheers

Joe.

[roobs]

triple tail are ambush predators that lie on the top of the water and pretend to be a floating mat of debris- you would think they'd be snapped up by osprey or brahminy kite- lots of them on the river all the way up- they're found all around the world and are very popular to fish for in america but not that common in any other place- except in various inlets in victoria. i would seriously doubt there is a breeding population in the brisbane river but who could say.. does anyone else think maybe the drought is to blame for all of the grunter and salmon, and various other oddities coming into the river?

[Oztrav]

i would say its the river getting cleaner and a lack of rain pushing the salt levels up throughout the river but then gain i wuldnt really know

[jeff f]

every one thats spent any amount of time on the river has probably seen a juvenile triple tail and doesn't even realise it, they look like yellow mangrove leaves floating on the surface you can have them drift right past you and wouldn't know unless you scare it and it moves.

i used to see a few of them in the sandy straits and along dundowran beach in hervey bay. got one about 70mm in a castnet once. watched a bloke catch one on dundowran once and it really gave him the runaround.