Fish Identification (and other tasty stuff)

[apneaboy]

I'm just about to pop over to the sea and catch me some goodies with my new gun. I would like some help on the best things to catch. I remember reading an article somewhere which showed how to identify different fish and was wondering if we could have a thread to include and identify the main catchable life forms that you can take home and eat, even the ones that are obvious.

Maybe even point out the stuff to leave

The article i read went something like:

F: Fins
L: Lateral line
E: Eyes
M: Mouth
M: Markings
S: Size

Basically identifying the things to look for so you end up with the right thing.

But the thread could also include other stuff you are likely to see, edible crabs, lobster, conger, etc etc

Pictures of specimen fish would be ideal, maybe even would mean the FLEMMS isn't needed and maybe pictures that mention the size/weight so it can be compared to minimum so i don't end up catching stuff too small (NW Wales)

Feel free to add, and correct my FLEMMS?!?

:friday

Anyone fancy adding their pics to the thread

 

[agbiv]

Large 10-12 foot, Greyish blue upper, white lower, large dorsal fin, huge mouth with teeth = Great White. Smile nice'n purty! :blackeye

 

[Lazuli]

All spraypainted and friendly = Wrasse

 

[Lazuli]

If you are spearfishing in UK waters there is a book which I highly recommend you seek out:

Key to the Fishes of Northern Europe
By Alwyne Wheeler
Frederick Warne (Publishers) Ltd, London, 1978
ISBN 0 7232 2097 2

It is incredibly detailed and compact covering 350 species found in northern European waters.

 

[DafyddRees]

Hey Steve

There is a post in the Welsh forum about Min/Max size for the popular species caught.

(I will get onto the practice holds tomorrow! Promise!)

 

[apneaboy]

I thought this might be a good thread to post favourite pictures of bass, pollack etc and have just the pictures all in one place.

I was being a bit lazy rather than buying a book

I'll go and search the forums then, oh my poor fingers will be warn out

Good luck with the holds, i'll get them looong for you

 

[podge]

Have a little look through this lot http://forums.deeperblue.com/spearo-board/82043-deeper-blue-spearfishing-hall-fame.html as there are plenty of UK fish on show, or come on down to Portland and i'd be only to happy to show you were some of these fish are supposed to live.

 

[Old Man Dave]

It also occured to me that the Hall of Fame was almost exactly what you were looking for. However, I am always looking to improve the HoF and maybe we could incorporate some more info such as the latin name of each species and maybe an active hyperlink to a fish ID web site. What about that? Any other/better suggestions.

Dave.

 

[Lazuli]

It also occured to me that the Hall of Fame was almost exactly what you were looking for. However, I am always looking to improve the HoF and maybe we could incorporate some more info such as the latin name of each species and maybe an active hyperlink to a fish ID web site. What about that? Any other/better suggestions.

Dave.

Here's a few latin names:

Dogfish - Scyliorhinus canicula
Skate - Raja batis
Conger - Conger conger
Angler - Lophius piscatorius
Cod - Gadus morhua
Haddock - Melanogrammus aeglefinus
Pollack - Pollachius pollachius
Garfish - Belone belone
Dory - Zeus faber
Red Gurnard - Aspitrigla cuculus
Bass - Dicentrarchus labrax
Black sea-bream - Spondyliosoma cantharus
Gilthead bream - Sparus aurata
Dentex - Dentex dentex
Red Mullet - Mullus surmuletus
Thick-Lipped Grey Mullet - Chelon labrosus
Golden Grey Mullet - Liza aurata
Thin-Lipped Grey Mullet - Liza ramada
Ballan Wrasse - Labrus bergylta
Mackerel - Scomber scombrus
Brill - Scophthalmus rhombus
Turbot - Scophthalmus maximus
Megrim - Lepidorhombus whiffiagonis
Topknot - Zeugopterus punctatus
Plaice - Pleuronectes platessa
Flounder - Platichthys flesus
Dab - Limanda limanda
Lemon Sole - Microstomus kitt
Witch - Glyptocephalus cynoglossus
Halibut - Hippoglossus hippoglossus
Sole - Solea solea

:thankyou

Great suggestions for the HOF Dave!

 

[Old Man Dave]

Thanks, that's a big help.

Does anyone out there know which is the best fish base ID site that I could link to? I have used a few in the past but I'm looking to stick with just the one and hopefully the best one.

Dave.

 

[Lazuli]

Check out a site called "Fishbase".

Its a massive database on fish worldwide.

 

[apneaboy]

Thanks to those who pointed me in the direction of the hall of fame. Very good.

I used to be an expert (well not quite ) on tropical fish 'cos they are good to see on holiday, my UK fish ID was not so good.

Getting used to the main ones now.

Got a few days off in a couple of weeks so i'll be off somewhere salty, see you there