What is it?

Stuart

Stuart

Aye carumba!!!
Staff member
Audi caught this on his boat Saturday. We're all clueless as to what it is; we've never seen anything like it. Anybody want to venture a guess?

That's part of the thrill of saltwater fishing - you never know what's going to be tugging on the other end of the line!
 

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Seadweller

Seadweller

chum
Stuart said:
Audi caught this on his boat Saturday. We're all clueless as to what it is; we've never seen anything like it. Anybody want to venture a guess?

That's part of the thrill of saltwater fishing - you never know what's going to be tugging on the other end of the line!
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Stuart... it looks like a fish to me... are you feeling OK Stuart? of all people you should have known that... with all those dead fish photos you post...:ugeek:

it looks like a cross between a red snapper and a totauva :confused:
 
Stuart

Stuart

Aye carumba!!!
Staff member
Mark - always the comedian! Fish, duh, a given! What kind of fish? The tail is almost like an eel, the rest of it looks like a baqueta or grouper.

I find it amazing that after fishing the Sea of Cortez for over 20 years, you can still catch something nobody has ever seen before. Well, maybe somebody somewhere has seen it before, but certainly not among my circle of fish expertise.

Locally, they were referring to it a "linga" or tonguefish.
 
Seadweller

Seadweller

chum
That is a bizzare fish after your description, I couldn't see the tail... while swimming Sunday I shot some video another wierd fish I will put up a short clip of it soon... there's something strange coming out of the sea every day... I like it...
 
Roberto

Roberto

Guest
Stuart said:
Mark - always the comedian! Fish, duh, a given! What kind of fish? The tail is almost like an eel, the rest of it looks like a baqueta or grouper.

I find it amazing that after fishing the Sea of Cortez for over 20 years, you can still catch something nobody has ever seen before. Well, maybe somebody somewhere has seen it before, but certainly not among my circle of fish expertise.

Locally, they were referring to it a "linga" or tonguefish.
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You might have the great honor of catching the last of a species. Wouldn't that be great.
 
La Huerita

La Huerita

Guest
I googled "tonguefish" and came up with this Wikipedia offering:

Tonguefishes are a family, Cynoglossidae, of flatfishes.[1] They are distinguished by the presence of a long hook on the snout overhanging the mouth, and the absence of pectoral fins. Their eyes are both on the left side of their body, which also lacks a pelvic fin.[2]

They are found in tropical and subtropical oceans, mainly in shallow waters and estuaries, though a few species found in deep sea floors, and a few in rivers.

Some species have been observed congregating around ponds of sulphur that pool up from beneath the seafloor. Scientists are unsure of the mechanism that allows the fish to survive and even thrive in such a hostile environment. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tonguefish
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There's a long list under that of different kinds of tonguefish, one of them is "red tongue sole". A quick google doesn't bring up much, but there's a picture of one at this URL:
http://www.alibaba.com/product-tp/231715550/Red_Tongue_sole.html

Does that look like it might be yours?

Interesting looking fish, whatever it is.
 
Stuart

Stuart

Aye carumba!!!
Staff member
Mystery solved! The unusual fish is commonly called a "cusk eel." Technically, a "Pacific bearded brotula." Some guys on another fishing forum I frequent knew what it was right away. Apparently, they catch them in the Gulf of Mexico, too.

"I've caught fish like that in the Gulf. Ours were a pinkish tan color. We called them "cusk eels" but they were really "bearded brotulas." Basically it's a half grouper, half eel....with a little bit of catfish thrown in!"

http://www.rodnreel.com/articles/images/584-cuskwl.jpg

http://www.mexfish.com/fish/pacbb/pacbb.htm

By the way, they are supposed to be excellent eating.
 
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