Estaury perch

[Tadpole]

Does anybody ever catch estuary perch while fishing for bream?

[jm0771]

Hey Tadpole do you mean grunter (as they are called in the West)if so the one in my avatar was taken on a scorp 52

[blackwater]

Jeff,
He means Estuary Perch. They look like this...

[geoff_abrams]

except a lot bigger(well mine anyway)

[blackwater]

Yeah, but i don't see you posting any pics of these monsters you catch Let's see the proof.

[jm0771]

Thanks blackwater,Macquria colonorum was what he was meaning.I was watching a fishing program(Rex Hunt I think?) and they called what looked like a grunter(Amniataba caudauittata) a perch.

[Tadpole]

Are they reasonably common depending on where you are? And do you consider them pest or friend?

[Christopher]

Where I fish for bream, at Tuggerah Lake, they're very uncommon. I picked one up on a soft plastic meant for a bigger bream just two days ago, however. They're usually very welcome, I believe, as they're excellent fighters.

Are they good for eating? I threw my 1.6-2kg EP back. First one I've ever caught! I was very pleased.

All the best.

[bparker]

Estuary Perch are a close relative of the Australian Bass and a quite difficult to tell apart. They are a beautiful fish and excellent fighters. According to fisheries surveys they are quite common in the Southern NSW and Victoria (except of Yarra!!). In some systems like the Tambo, Mitchell etc. they may even out number bream.

They are a great fish and are a very welcome catch. Not too many people actively target them, probably because they don't seem to take baits anchored to the bottom, and are caught more by accident than design.

I've only ever caught a few small ones from Andersons Inlet and would love to catch one over 50cm!!!

[pete s]

for ep's on plastics try the hopkins in warrnambool

[pw-bream]

Pete's suggestion is an excellent one, the Hopkins and adjacent Merri are amazing fisheries, Ep's, Bream, huge Mullet, Mulloway, and sea run Trout can all be caught here is pleasant surroundings.

Or closer to Melb:
Thompsons (Bream) Ck above the road bridge at Breamlea
Painkalac Ck upstream of Bambra Rd at Aireys Inlet - boat reqd
Erskine River between the beach and the Great Ocean Rd at Lorne.

I've tried Thompsons Ck without success, but conditions were far from ideal at the time.

If anyone wants to have a try at these spots let me know and I'd be happy to accompany you as I have an unsatisfied urge to catch an EP myself :-)

Wed/Thurs evening/night is my preferred time.

Hey Guys,
Just curious, is the EP a native fish?
Also, which fish is it that the govt has made illegal to put back?
I saw it on Rex Hunt a few times, but i cant remember the exact fish?

Dave

[bparker]

Estuary Perch are very definitely a native fish. I think their range is from about Mid to North NSW down the South-East SA with populations also in the North East of Tasmania.

In Victoria you cannot put European Carp back and (correct me if I'm wrong) I think this also applies to English Perch (aka Redfin)...maybe this is where the confusion lies.

Thanx mate.
I thought it was a perch that you couldn't put back. I also had a feeling it wasnt the Estuary Perch.
Thanx again for the clarification!!!

Dave

[mike_mad_fisho]

gday
yeah it is definatley the carp that u dont put back they a best dead i am afraid, they absolutley wreck the enviroment they r in.
michael