Scott’s Species
Scott’s south coast gems
The south coast is a delightful part of the world, especially at this time of year. Autumn truly is the time to enjoy everything it has to offer, with the best weather of the year featuring still, warm day days and…
Scott’s Species – buffalo bream – buff, tough and a great species for kids
Buffalo bream Kyphosus cornelii (western buffalo bream) Eating: One star ID – Dark section on tail, with white colouration on extremities. Oval shaped, with silver to brownish sides. One of the fun things about…
Scott’s Species — Sand whiting, great fun and easily accessible for the whole family
Sand whiting Sillago vittata Eating: 4.5 stars ID – Narrow bars of brown spots across the back. The ubiquitous sand whiting. Rarely the target of a day’s fishing, but prolific, fun to catch and fantastic…
Scott’s Species – Long-nose emperor, the forearm burners
Long-nosed emperor Lethrinus olivaceus Eating: 3 stars ID – Extended snout, mottled blue/grey colouration. I will never forget my first long-nosed emperor. We were fishing off Ningaloo Reef in around 50m and I had…
Scott’s Species – Goldspot trevally – a much-loved sportfish of the north
Carangoides fulvoguttatus Eating: 3 stars ID: Elongated shape, spots along sides. I don’t rate goldspot trevally quite as highly as goldens, which are one of my favourite sportfish to catch. It’s hard to quantify…
Scott’s Species – Marron – the craze for freshwater crays
Marron Eating: 5 stars It has been some years since I marroned with a purpose, but the memories of chasing them in our beautiful southern forests remain strong and it is something I probably should try again before…
Scott’s Species – Breaksea cod – one of the finest-eating by-catches
Breaksea cod Epinephelides armatus Eating: 4.5 stars ID – Dark black blotch around anus. Colour can vary including orange, brown and grey. Breaksea cod, long known by another colloquial name that I won’t repeat…
Scott’s Species – Red Bass – the mangrove jack look-alike
Red bass Lutjanus bohar Eating: 3.5 stars ID – Forked caudal fin, deep nostril grove forward of eyes. Brown colour to the top of the body with deep red flanks, yellow colouration of the eye. One of the toughest…
Scott Species – Broadbill swordfish, iconic globally, elusive locally
Xiphias gladius Eating: Four stars ID: Long, broad bill. Large eye. Brownish/black along the back. Broadbill swordfish are an iconic species, a global sportfishing target prized by recreational and commercial…
Scott’s Species – bludger trevally, the north coast party gate crashers
Carangoides gymnosthesus Eating: 2 stars ID: Elongated body with brown/golden spots. Pointed head. Bludger trevally aren’t something you generally expect to catch. They are more an occasional capture bobbing up…
Scott’s Species – Bluefin Trevally, the electric blue adrenaline rush
Caranx melampyrgus Eating: 3 star ID–Blue fins, blue and black speckles on top half. This smallish bluefin proved quite a challenge on light tackle at Kiritimati! As someone who is extremely partial to catching…
Scott’s Species – Rankin Cod, ranking high on the target list
Ephinephelus multinotatus Eating: 4.5 stars ID – Dark grey/brown colouration, white spots on flanks. A solid Rankin at the Mackerel Islands for Morris Wilkinson. Rankin cod, are to my eyes, one of the most striking…
Scott’s Species – permit, a fly fishers’ dream catch
Permit, aka snub-nosed dart, are sort of on my bucket list, but at the same time aren’t really. Confused? Try being me! We have two species of permit in WA, writes Western Angler editor Scott Coghlan, and they are…
Scott’s Species – sailfish, one of the ocean’s fastest fish
I have never really caught the marlin bug, but I do have an undoubted soft spot for sailfish as the billfish of the people, writes Western Angler’s Scott Coghlan in this week’s Scott’s Species…
Scott’s Species – harlequin fish, the coral trout of the south
In this week’s Scott’s Species, Western Angler editor Scott Coghlan turns his attention to one of the most eye-catching fish off the WA coast — harlequin fish. Species: Harlequin fish, Othos dentex…
Scott’s Species – brown trout, a memorable freshwater catch
They might be an introduced species, but I must admit I love brown trout. They hold a special place in my angling heart, Scott Coghlan of the Western Angler writes, perhaps as a result of several trips to New…
Scott’s Species – wahoo, a rapid bluewater pelagic
Really, if there is a species I probably shouldn’t write about, it would be wahoo, writes Western Angler editor Scott Coghlan in this week’s edition of Scott’s Species! For many years I failed to catch…
Scott’s Species – southern calamari, an inshore delicacy
Southern calamari are very popular and for good reason, writes Western Angler editor Scott Coghlan in this week’s Scott’s Species. Species: Southern calamari, Sepioteuthis australis Eating: 5 stars ID…