Silly Wrasse

Find the fish

The big low tides this week seems to have confused a few fish.

On our Karame walk Keith heard a strange flapping sound. Closer investigation revealed a Ballan Wrasse (or Rockfish – Labrus bergylta) in a bit of a flap among the rocks having been left high and dry by the rapidly dropping tide.

Unfortunately we were not very good trying to get Mr Fish to understand that we were trying to help him (or her -I am not to good on spotting the difference). Instead the Rockfish was intent to try and flap up a narrow gap in the rocks until Keith managed to retrieve Mr Fish and pop him back into the ocean to swim another day.

Time to put Mr Rock-fish back into the ocean

My Father enjoyed catching Rockfish while kayak fishing in the 1970’s with an ancient canvas Klepper kayak. I recall the meat was quite crumbly and a bit dry. Rock-fish are not regarded locally as one of the best tasting fish around our coast but they do make good fish cakes and fish pie.

Some local catch and release fishermen reckon the are superb fish to catch and call them “Pig fish” because they fight like pigs.

I love the fantastic array of colours which vary around different areas of our coast.