Mullet & Bass

[Mr. X]

We recently got onto the subject of "sea" bass, "sea" bream, "sea" mullet & even "sea scallops" on the Sussex thread this week. While there are freshwater varities of bass, bream & mullet, we're not aware of any freshwater scallops. There are also several varieties of bass, bream & mullet in the sea.

Varieties
I thought it might be interesting to see how many variaties of these fish there are and, if possible, get images of them for future reference.

Bass/Mullet Reproduction
Also, looking at one of the threads on the new BSA forums, I noticed a poster claimed specific sizes for bass & mullet reaching maturity (i.e. reproducing). The Bass size was much lower than I had previously read (less than 36cm vs. more than 42cm). The mullet size claimed was, I think, 3 or 4lb -- quite large. Anybody got some references on this?

Migration Habits/Location
The migration habits of Bass seem fairly well known & have been discussed on the forum and elsewhere (Mike Ladle's books & website, for example). Do mullet have a similar migration behaviour?

 

[Mr. X]

Something to start off with:

An American perspective from this great webpage:
Gourmet Food - THE NIBBLE - Great Food Finds - Page Not Found

BASS
A general term used for many, sometimes unrelated, fresh- and saltwater fish, many with spiny fins. True bass available in the U.S. include the grouper (a class of sea bass), sea bass and striped bass. Many of the freshwater fish usually referred to as bass are not actually bass but sunfish. These include the Largemouth, Redeye, Rock, Smallmouth and Spotted Bass.

BREAM
More of a catch-all term for any of several freshwater or saltwater fish than a fish species, per se. It’s most close to an alternate term for any fish of the sunfish family, a major North American freshwater fish. But, bream is also loosely used to refer to saltwater fish such as the American porgy, the Japanese sea bream and the French daurade, which are all quite different.

MULLET
A sort of catchall term, mullet refers to many unrelated fish (particularly goatfish, such as the red mullet), as well as to mullets themselves, of which there are over 100 species. But, true mullets, such as the quite common striped and silver mullet, are available in U.S. markets most of the year, depending on the region. Mullets are moderate- to high-fat fish range in size from 1/2 to 12 pounds, have firm, white flesh, and a mild, nutty flavor. ...

SEA BASS or CHILEAN SEA BASS or MERO or PATAGONIAN TOOTHFISH
A round saltwater fish whose flesh has a firm white flesh, flaky texture and rich, oily flavor—putting it in great demand in the U.S., Japan and China. The name “Chilean sea bass” stems from the fact the fish was first commercially harvested in Chilean waters, and a more attractive marketing name was sought than its actual name, Patagonian toothfish—a unique species and not a bass at all. Now, however, sea bass are also fished off the coasts of Argentina, South Africa, an Australia plus assorted other waters in the southern latitudes. ...

Ah...shoot ...can't post images on this thread!:head:head:head:head Maybe the BSA site is better equipped for such threads?

 

[sunfish]

That looks upside down to me X!

 

[sunfish]

Maybe not-I just turned it over and it still looked upside down!

 

[Mr. X]

Ah well, in case they upgrade this Forum to display image links in the future:

Mullet:
Grey Mullet (thick & thin lip):
Golden Grey Mullet:
Jersey Spearfishing Club
Red mullet:


Striped Bass (like a giant bass-mullet cross!):

ADW: stripedbass2.jpg
Striped bass fishing - Stripers 247.com - striped bass fishing for hybrid stripers
Osprey Marine

Calico Bass:

Black Bass/Black Sea Bass:

Brazino or European Sea Bass (Dicentrarchus Labrax):

REX Marine Genomics Europe

"Sea Bass":

-- Looks to me like "Sea Bass" is something quite different to the beautiful Bass we get here in the UK (European Sea bass - Dicentrarchus Labrax):

Red Sea Bass ("really a type of snapper"):

Japanese Sea Bass:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5f/Sea_Bass(side.jpg

White Sea Bass:
http://www.stardustsportfishing.com...e.DownloadItem&g2_itemId=58&g2_serialNumber=2

Potato Bass:

(Fishing Ski in South Africa Incredible kayak fishing images)
From Len Jones book:
Brindle Bass (a type of "rock cod"):
Potato Bass (a type of "rock cod"):
Cuckoo Bass (a.k.a Black Parrot):

Spotted Bass:

Large Mouth Bass:

Small Mouth Bass:
http://www.whitetaileddeer.net/bass1.jpg

Amazon Peacock Bass;

Amazon River Tough Tackle Fishing for Peacock Bass

Bass Mailboxes (funny):
Mailboxes : Bass Fish Mailbox
Mariners Mailboxes by Brian West Bass mailbox

 

[foxfish]

Sea bass, sea bream & sea scallops, yep you can find them on many restaurant menus - makes me mad!

 

[podge]

I had one of those Billy Wide Mouth Bass that come on a board and sings to you every time you walk passed, until it got so bloody annoying that I took it to the range and gave it a few 12gauge solid slugs.

 

[octpora]

I n the south US there are 'bay scallops' and then there are the larger 'sea scallops' . Both are saltwater, however the bay variety we collect in 1-3m of water. They are, to me at least, sweeter, more flavorful than the larger deeper water variety. Mostly catch them in the grass flats in the southern bays. Meat is about the size of your pinky finger tip.

and then beware the 'sea scallops' made with a cookie cutter and stingray wings. Stingray is tasty, but apparently some people get a tad squeemish if they know. :yack

 

[Mr. X]

I had one of those Billy Wide Mouth Bass that come on a board and sings to you every time you walk passed, until it got so bloody annoying that I took it to the range and gave it a few 12gauge solid slugs.

Classy I suspect many suffered a similar fate. (Bass decoy?).

 

[Mr. X]

Interesting site for fish data. A quick search for bass yielded this: Search ZipcodeZoo

(Many species of bass have no common name - so opportunities to make you own! As David Attenborough did for the huge flower, now called Titan Arum, because it had no common name and the Latin name, Amorphophallus Titanum, is cumbersome & faintly rude.)

 

[Mr. X]

All you wanted to know about bass and a whole lot more: FAO Fisheries & AquacultureDicentrarchus labrax

 

[Mr. X]

But if you need even more bass info, this is pretty interesting: SEA BASS (NE Atlantic Fish) Dicentrarchus labrax

 

[SurfnSpear]

(from here: Fishing Ski in South Africa Incredible kayak fishing images)
From Len Jones book:
Brindle Bass (a type of "rock cod"):
Potato Bass (a type of "rock cod"):
Cuckoo Bass (a.k.a Black Parrot):


X, that is a Dagga Salmon. Excellent spearo fodder back home. 'Rockcod' refers to a very long list....
Have a look HERE and click on each for photo. Again, excellent eating.

*IMPORTANT The brindle and potato bass are a nationally protected fish and therefore could you edit your post above to Dagga Salmon.

Regards

 

[agbiv]

Hey guys no one cuts "scallops" from skate wings anymore--too much market for them labeled properly. Besides most Fish Markets sell them unbreaded & it's really easy to tell the difference. The easiest knock off--it lacks the ligament on the side (regardsless of bay or sea). Also the muscle fibers are verticle not horizontal. It's really too much work (& crappy profit) to make faux scallops with the excellent quality of the IQF on the worldwide market. :friday

 

[Mr. X]

(Also see here: Fishing Ski in South Africa Incredible kayak fishing images)
From Len Jones book:
Brindle Bass (a type of "rock cod"):
Potato Bass (a type of "rock cod"):
Cuckoo Bass (a.k.a Black Parrot):


X, that is a Dagga Salmon. Excellent spearo fodder back home. 'Rockcod' refers to a very long list....
Have a look HERE and click on each for photo. Again, excellent eating.

*IMPORTANT The brindle and potato bass are a nationally protected fish and therefore could you edit your post above to Dagga Salmon.

Regards

Thanks for the tip off SurfNSpear. I am unable to edit the original post now without removing 2/3 of the images (10 image limit). Hopefully your post & the inclusion of it here will provide sufficient clarification.

 

[spadefish]

The South African 'Daga Salmon' is in fact a very close relative of the Atlantic Meagre (Ombrina) Argyrosomus regius so not related to any of the 'bass' species, but rather the drums. These fish are the same species (I think) as the Australian Jew Fish. A great spearing fish as they can get very large (70kg) and are quite common, but mostly in shoals so many fish or nothing!

Cuckoo Bass too is not related as this is in fact a Cape Knifejaw (probably the most stupid fish you are likely to encounter - always wanting to commit suicide infornt of a diver). They also tend to have a bad habit of frightening away any decent fish by their habit of rushing up to a diver getting a fright, bolting away while farting half their undigested seaweed, only to come rushing back to have another look and getting another fright..... We sometimes shoot them out of revenge when that fish of a lifetime has just been frightened away by these bandits!

Brindle and Potato Bass are in fact groupers - the former growing to about 250kg the latter probably 150kg (very agressive bastards!) Protected in SA.

Rock Cods refer to the grouper family generally.