|
(Click for large pic. 9Kb)
Whenever a Queensland angler claims to have taken a Summer Whiting of 1.8Kg or more, it is fairly certain that the comparatively rare catch of a Bonefish has been made. Although the two species are superficially similar, the Bonefish should never be confused with the Summer Whiting if only because of the gross dissimilarity in the dorsal fin arrangement - the Bonefish has one, the Whiting two. Furthermore, the comparatively small mouth of the Bonefish is obviously underslung; that of the Whiting is terminal.
A brilliant silver fish with a greenish tint to the back, the Bonefish gives outstanding sport to the angler lucky enough to have taken it, fishing with worms, small soldier crabs or prawns - quite usual whiting baits.
It reaches a length of 1.1 metres in Queensland waters and a 750 mm specimen caught in 1954 weighed 3.9 Kg. They do not reach the size reached in some overseas regions (Florida Keys, Cuba, and the Bahamas where this species is almost venerated as a fighting sport fish and is recorded to attain a weight of over 27 Kg). Many regard Bonefish, pound for pound, as the fastest thing with fins and there are reliable accounts of a Bonefish taking 350 m of 4 Kg line on its first run. Two principle angling techniques are used overseas; the first requires anchoring up and awaiting the fish to come in over the shallow flats on the rising tide (as we do with large Summer Whiting). The second calls for wading about the shallows and spotting the very large solitary fish, either by the mud trail they leave or by their tails breaking water, and literally stalking them to within casting range.
Season: all year
Location: sand flats
|
