Topic thumbnail

What the heck is an elephant fish??

Hey guys, ever heard of an elephant fish?
Yes they really exist and are awesome fish to catch.
It has been on my bucket list for a while to catch one of these.
Check out our latest video on how to catch them.

Likes: 2 Login to reply 3 years ago
Interesting fish and great video :)

I have never caught one. I don't think we even get them here in Australia.
Do you get them from fish and chips places as well? We have them in the South Island but not in the North Island. 
Not that I know of Daz...But then again the fish'n'chips shops will call it what ever !!!

Credit to the "chipies" a lot these days do have the fresh fillets on display. But even then most is already skinned so you never really know. :)

If you get them in the south but not the north...Then maybe they just don't transport well...Or the north is just not telling you that it's elephant fish.
Over here you only get them in Fish and Chips shops on the South Island, as far as I know. 
Maybe it's cheaper for the shops to source locally caught fish. 
I haven't seen snapper in fish and chips shops in the far south for example, whilst every fish and chips shop in the North would have them
Supposedly you can also get them in South Australia and Tasmania. Also known as Australian Ghost Shark.
Maybe they don't come in as close to shore as they do over here and are only targeted commercially?

Wikipedia says: They are also a popular target of recreational fishers in Westernport Bay, Victoria and in the inshore waters of south-east Tasmania.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_ghostshark
I vaguely remember seeing one as a kid. But the memory is not clear...

The ghost shark certainly does look like the same fish. I have only ever fished Vic in winter. Well apart from a few months around Gippsland Lakes which will not hold any shark species even at the best of times.

I do my best to avoid Melbourne,,,,But I have fished around Geelong and Queenscliff which is on the other side. Maybe one might pickup an elephant off Philip ?? They wont let me on Cerberus anymore....The Bar%^&$ds took my ID card off me!! But that would be a good spot. They told me I could apply for a new ID card....But then again, the Bas#$%^&tards might not be happy to let me have a new "go anywhere" card...But Cerberus looks like a good spot to give it a try...I might make some phone calls and see if Cerberus is possible and see if Wki is correct !!
Most definitely catch them along The 90 Mile Beach in Gippsland and around Corinella in Westerrn Port Bay where they are very prolific when they come into spawn. So much so that there is a Bag/Possession Limit placed on them of 1 (one)
Cheers for that info. That's good to know. I guess the best time to target them there would also be from early Spring to early Summer?
March April is the go. Some very interesting articles if Search for Elephant Fish Western Port. It appears that they come in from the Continental Shelf ie 200 meters of water.
That is interesting. I have done a few house sits down that way but no one ever mentioned elephant fish to me.

Do you rent this out?
A few years since I have been there, in the earlier days there were no Bag Limits. Eventually limits were put on them and it wasn't worth traveling from East Gippsland for a couple of Fish. I fished West of the channel towards San Remo just after leaving Corinella. It wasn't unusual to catch 10-12 in an hour or so when they were on. Not a lot of Flesh on them, mainly head and fins with a cartilage back bone like a Gummy Shark. Nearly impossible to skin as it is very thin, bland and dry to eat (my opinion) certainly not in the same class as Gummy Shark!