Sunny coast Spanish?

[rtp1984]

Hi all
looking to head up to mooloolaba on Monday. Is anyone catching any Spanish, or should I try get some snapper?

thanks
Rob

[OcciferNick]

Hi Rob,

My wife and I are up from Sydney and we have fished out around Murphys Reef. I've hooked a 110cm Spanish Mackerel here along with a fair few spotted. Here is the Spanish.

112155

Ive been really lucky catching three Spanish over a metre with the biggest being 125cm. We would just throw out a floating pilchard whilst bottom bashing and every session we were getting hit by a Mackerel.

Regards,
Nick

[seashawgal]

I wouldn't eat them

[Watto79]

I wouldn't eat them

Nothing wrong with eating small fish like that size from that area..

A lot of Spanish supplied to the markets are caught by commercial fisho's from there and nearby areas..

Ciguatera is generally only a problem in larger specimens and can be found in lots of different species not just Spanish mackerel!

[seashawgal]

what size do you reckon the ciguateria gets into the spanish?

[cuzzamundi]

what size do you reckon the ciguateria gets into the spanish?

I'm probably a bit paranoid, but anything over 6kg doesn't make it to the ice box.

Cuzza

[Lovey80]

You should be fine with fish up to 1.25m

[Just_chips]

I always taste test a small piece raw / sashimi style whilst filleting prior to eating or handing out anything from any of the Spaniards I've caught. I don't know how much you need to ingest before feeling symptoms but I figure a small piece might only give me something mild as an alert to discard the remainder of the fish, and I fell it is better me get sick than one of my kids or one of my friends and family who are often recipients of fresh fish when I have some.

I'm not sure there is a particular size fish that you can say will have ciguatera but it is supposed to be more prevalent in bigger fish. I have known of somebody that ate one 35kg caught between DI and Noosa that was fine and nobody got sick despite quite a number of people eating it, but on the other side of the coin have heard horror stories of people eating small school sized models (+/- 1 metre) and ending up crook. Apparently the platypus bay region at Fraser is particularly bad and there is a no take on Spanish and a few other species from this area buried somewhere in the fisheries regs.

[Watto79]

Tasting a small portion won't save your family or friends from Cig poisoning unfortunately..

I believe it is a cumulative toxin and therefore what might/might not affect you may only slightly affect or wreak havoc on another individual..

But as you said there is no guarantee's with any fish size wise etc, all you can do is minimise/reduce the risk I think..

[jclay1773]

There is one trick I was taught by a number of different races that live remotely. Basically what they do is gut the Spanish and drop it on the ground. If the flies attack the guts they eat the fish.

No idea if it works but I now do it.

[Just_chips]

There is one trick I was taught by a number of different races that live remotely. Basically what they do is gut the Spanish and drop it on the ground. If the flies attack the guts they eat the fish.

No idea if it works but I now do it.

I've heard a few variations of that in regards to ants, one involved ants not going near the fish, and the other was that the ants would either slow or completely stop once on the fish. It's hard to know what's right or wrong.....

[gunna]

Quick call to mythbusters needed

[The Black Unicorn]

I eat every Spanish I get. Biggest one has only been 16kg but would eat bigger. Take a look at Johnny Mitchell's Spanish video. That fella has caught more than his fair share of big fish and mentions he has regularly eaten 30kg fish and would not hesitate eating the next one he gets.
Red Emporer are also a carrier of Ciguatera and not too many people would release a 15kg red!
Each to their own.

[Gimme5]

I believe Sydney Fish Market has a limit of 10kgs on Spanish Macks. That should give you an indication of what size is deemed an acceptable risk.

[rtp1984]

Hi all
looking to head up to mooloolaba on Monday. Is anyone catching any Spanish, or should I try get some snapper?

thanks
Rob

I caught 3 Spanish, plus a few bits and pieces. So therefore around.
and i will eat them all.
thanks for the advice.

Rob