A Sunday fish bonanza

Hey, we had a very nice day today. Calm sea, blue and sunny sky and great fishing. Despite recent heavy rain and murky water, our catch rate was surprisingly good. And a nice mixed catch of bonito, tailor, mackerel, flathead, yellowtail, sweep and a 62 cm kingfish (undersize) and a lost Hammer Head Shark that worked Michael and Stavros for about 30 minutes before being lost. But the fish of the day was Martin’s two teraglin, 65cm and 60cm respectivly.

Trag’s colour is silver, while the back is generally bluish-brown in colour. The inside of the mouth and gill cover is yellow to pinkish-yellow, compared with the reddish/grey/orange lining of the mulloway’s mouth. Teraglin are only caught around offshore reefs, not from beaches or in estuaries. During the day teraglin reside near the ocean floor, but rise towards the surface to feed during the night. Teraglin tend to bite very softly so its essential to keep your line tight at all times to feel their subtle nibbles, they often move in large schools and its not uncommon to catch two at a time. They have very soft mouths so once you have hooked them its essential not to wind too hard and fast, ideally you just need to keep constant line pressure and bring them up at a smooth pace. using a jerking action or winding too fast will result in the loss of most fish.

Teraglin is an excellent eating fish. Place a well-cleaned fish on a large sheet of foil. Add sliced shallots, ginger, garlic, a splash of dry white wine, a little vegetable oil, and finish with a few drops of sesame oil. Make a parcel with the foil, sealing well, but allowing some space above the fish for steaming. Put in a moderate oven for about 40 minutes (depending on size) and serve with rice and steamed snow peas. This recipe is simply delicious.By Dr Julian Pepperell, as featured in Trailerboat issue 216