Fishing Victoria Forum

I honestly haven't seen one of these in years and years..
A fisho next to us caught in PPB (around Port Melbourne), there was 2 others on the same day, all around the 1.5-2kg range..
I mean, it looks like a Salmon but with that coloration and in that size? Have others seen many like it?

Looks like some kind of morwong to me. Those lips not like a salmon. Dusky morwong?

Maybe....

Its a dusky morwong mate also known locally as a butterfish. Alright on the chew, not amazing but not bad. Very common fish for spearfisho's as they're an uncommon catch on line. Do you know what bait was used?

They get pretty big too, I've seen and speared a few in the 50's and seen em above 60. They go hard

This photo of a dusky morwong seems better than the Fisheries one.

If they eat bait, why aren't they caught more often, I wonder?

Oh sweet as, thanks for the info.. Makes sense. Not sure what bait he was using.

Glad it wasn't something lethal, the guy said it was a salmon and took it home to eat!

bilby wrote:If they eat bait, why aren't they caught more often, I wonder?

Because they are generally an algae eater.

The other members are 100% correct. They are very common in South Australia particularly where there is weed and low reef - even in very shallow water. They just sort of sit immobile in the weed if you swim close to them and we have even speared a few with crab spears but have never caught one. The flesh is very soft even when just out of the water and is not highly regarded. In SA the local name is "strong fish" for some obscure reason - perhaps because they have a weedy taste.

My mate caught one of them at st kilda on a soft plastic over summer