Monaco St. bridge; a stingray feast

[onionpants]

Have a friend visiting from Japan. Took her fishing Saturday. Tried the Monaco St. bridge, Gold Coast, the bridge closest to Gold Coast Hwy. Used peeled prawns for bait. Caught heaps of triangle-shaped fish. I had no idea what they were, but they'd bite as soon as the bait hit the water. I kept the bigger ones, 6 of them, and they were actually pretty good dusted in flour and fried. I later searched the internet and discovered that the fish were butter bream, and they are indeed good to eat.

Went back to the same bridge Monday night and the fish were again biting away. But this time it was those little saltwater eel-tailed catfish with the poison spines. After catching 5 in 1/2 hour we moved to another bridge on Monaco St., toward Bermuda St. Caught a big sand whiting (kept), a smallish Mangrove Jack (released), and a big, rod-bending, reel-screaming stingray. Had to climb down the bridge (not easy) and get to the canal bank to land it. My friend said that stingray is popular in Japan and that she would prepare it. There was enough meat for two meals. She fried half of it in a coating of flour and curry. The other half, steamed with chicken broth, soy sauce, and ginger. Say what you want about stingray but it was absolutely delicious, and I wouldn't mind catching more of 'em.

[Darryl]

Used to fight for a position with Paul Burt in our boats for jacks at Bermuda street,some horse specimens around there.

[sharkymark2]

Hey onionpants if you want stingrays; the red beacon at the tip of Macleay Island has heaps if you fish the bottom. I caught about 7 of them one night averaging about 600-900 accross the wings. Boy do they fight. I never knew how powerful 12 lb line is :). Needless to say I now dont fish on the bottom any more ;(. Asian people have away with making food out of almost anything, and it tastes real good. Mark.

[Craigus]

Well done onionpants.
Well done on the jack too like Crestcutter said I've heard of some good jacks coming from around there.
Were you landbased or on a boat and how big was the jack?

Cheers
Craig

[land_based]

Nice one onion pants, always good to take a foreigner fishing and show them what our great waters have to offer! Your getting quite the vermin name for youself, you could become Kingtins apprentice!!! Only joking mate, suprised that the butter bream cooked up well. Good luck for future trips!