🇳🇿 Scorpion Fish, also known as Grandfather Hapuku from New Zealand by Mark Totzke
Scorpion Fish, also known as Grandfather Hapuku from New Zealand
views: 4100 | Nov 19, 2020

First time I caught one of these. I was on a catch and release mission today targeting kingfish. And then this guy took my jig. As I heard that they are really good tasting I couldn't help myself and keep it. After an initial burst it was like dragging up a heavy weight. It had lots of tasty looking meat on it. Apparently it has poisonous spines that can give you a nasty jab. I was lucky to avoid them. Unfortunately it brought my catch and release mission to an abrupt end as I didn't have any cooler bag with me. So had to head back straight to camp and fillet the fish to keep it in good condition. It will be dinner tonight.

Comments

4 years ago by dazzling79
A beautiful fish in a beautiful scenery ?
4 years ago by itsaboat
Great catch:)...Here in the real world of Australia, we call them Red Rock Cod. Yes, the spines have poison. They are or were also known as poor mans lobster. In the old days, like 1700's - 1800's - early 1900's lobster was given to convicts and slaves. Lobster was poor mans food. When lobster started to decline in numbers from over fishing a new food source was needed to feed the convicts and slaves. Red rock cod when cooked is very much like lobster. So the red rock cod became the new convict and slave food. Hence the name poor mans lobster. Today lobster is rich mans food and heavily regulated with size and catch limits. Due to the sheer number of convicts and slaves the red rock cod is now also regulated. Don't worry. That one is perfectly legal and a great eating size. They are often are found in groups so where you found this one there will be more.
4 years ago by sallad61
looks like a grand-dad too LOL, hangon it`s not me!.?
4 years ago by Mark Totzke
Interesting piece of history :) I must try and cook it like lobster - just boil in water then? I was gonna try some fried and some steamed maybe. It fits to me I'm a poor man and I love lobster so I guess that my signature fish then, LOL
4 years ago by sallad61
never seen em as big as that guy`s,maybe 6inches is max!.
4 years ago by itsaboat
Some times fishing does reveal links to history...But that wont change the fact that you are a poor man haha :) .... I guess you can cook it like lobster, but I wouldn't. Lobster has a shell like crab so boil works. I would treat it like any other fish and keep the cooking simple. A gentle fry in some butter or olive oil.
4 years ago by itsaboat
Hey sallad61....Don't worry "that guy" brags and boasts about all sorts of things....Truth is he does not even go fishing. It is all PhotoShopped....haha
4 years ago by dazzling79
I wondered why the photo looks so good(By photoshop^.*)
4 years ago by itsaboat
Yeah...It is true...Just look at that guy's fish !! Check out the look on that poor fishes face --- Oh no, I have been Photo Shopped !! haha :)
4 years ago by Mark Totzke
Well half of that photoshopped fish went into the frying pan last night. Can see why it's called poor man's lobster. The meat is really chewy. You could probably also call it 'a rich Man's Leatherjacket' LOL. Taste is alright, bit like a watered down chicken. I'll try a steam the other half tonight, see if it makes it less chewy.
4 years ago by sallad61
Hey mark what do you do at a red light?, STOP!lol, ah u in Nz that`s rite u don`t have traffic lights, rounda bouts & sheep aye mate???? that`s why we dont eat`em,man bet snapper was lookin good after 1st mouthful??
4 years ago by itsaboat
Don't panic Sallad...I have this under control....This "mark" guy has been pushing the limits for quite some time. What with his Photoshopped pics and dodggy vids...Leave this with me and I will sort this out !!
4 years ago by Mark Totzke
Hahaha, well we had the other half steamed Chinese style tonight and that was actually pretty good. I bet with the right spices and a bit of marinating it could probably pass as a crayfish. If I ever catch another one I will try that and serve it to some unknowing suspects as crayfish. Maybe to itsaboat and sallad ? We were just discussing which one to go for if we had a choice between snapper and scorpion fish. Couldn't make up our minds.
4 years ago by sallad61
if you come here here you gotta quarantine for2 wks!,in that time fish either way would be pretty ripe?
4 years ago by Mark Totzke
I though I'd just invite you guys over for dinner one night, LOL.
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