My First Couta

Dexy

New member
Caught it at about 6:45am directly in front of the tidal pool area.
 

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Nepptune

Sealiner
That ain't no couta mate, thats a Natal Snoek ( Queen Mackeral )...... and a monster one to boot!!

Congrats, great fish! And some damn fine eating right there!
 

Dexy

New member
Don't say that Neptune i have been telling everyone i caught a couta:) How do you tell them apart?
 

tkei

Sealiner
Easy way, Couta got stripes, Queen Mackerel got spots. There are lots of other ways, but thats the easiest.
 

Nepptune

Sealiner
Dexy - Mate I may have jumped the gun in calling it a snoek, but as Tkei said, couta have stripes, and Snoek have spots...
I was actually judging it a snoek more by its proportions than its markings.... snoek are deeper bodied as well as having a slightly smaller head in comparison to their body than couta....

Can you remeber if it had spots or stripes?

Also, if that was a couta, its a pretty small to average couta.... but as a Snoek, its a trophy size, and far better eating too!!! So you should be even more stoked!! :)

Either way mate, congrats on your first mackeral species, may there be many more!
 

Dexy

New member
Neptune - i don't mind what it is/was but would like to be able to tell the difference:) I have posted another pic of it. Which will give you a better idea. I see spots and stripes so now i am really confused. I thought it was too big to be a snoek. I caught it trawling with dead mackerel. I could agree it's a snoek because i decided to paddle a lot faster for a short period and that's when i hooked it and i know snoek like a fast moving bait.
 

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Nepptune

Sealiner
Dexy - Defintely a Snoek mate... the spots and squigly stripes are a give away...Sneok stripes run in shorts spurts along the fish ( nose to tail ) where as couta stripes run top to bottom ( Top of body to belly )
Great fish...
When you say you got it in front of the Tidal Pool, what area are you talking about?
 

B8FISH

Senior Member
Neps, When you drive into Umhloti, turn left at the circle. Its a natural tidal pool right next to the Life Guard Tower.
I am not sure if there is a small tidal pool south of the Bush Tavern.
 

Dexy

New member
I launched in front of that parking bay opposite the service station and headed north. You pass that first clump of rocks then you get to the bigger clump of rocks i think that's where the tidal pool is but we weren't close in. We were quite a way past the shark nets caught somewhere around there if that makes sense to you.
 

Nepptune

Sealiner
Thanks guys.... I was just wondering the general area.. i.e - North or South Coast.... as an ex-Sheppy boy, I miss the warm water and the variety of species of my home waters...

Keep it up guys... Dexy - Fill in your profile mate, will help us with info.. shot.
 
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