Costa Rican mystery fish

[EZsurf]

So far no one has been able to tell me what kind of fish is shown at the top of this photo. It has the body of a lady fish but has a large eye and the mouth of a mullet. I was spearing off a cluster of rocks about 500 yards from shore. Big swells were smashing against the rocks making wonderful foam balls. All that I could see of this fish, when I shot it, was the tail and he was rocketing through the foam about fifteen feet out. Since it was a crappy shot he fought hard, really hard.
I usually only shoot what I can put on my table but there are a bunch of Nico workers building a house near me and they are overjoyed to get free fresh fish. they said that the mystery fish tasted like ciro.
Help me out here. None of my spero friends or local can Id this fish. Since it has the mouth of a mullet I don't imagine that you can catch it on a rod or reel.
Steve

[Rocky Mountain Spearo]

It looks like an Awa aka milk fish.

[SpearoTastic]

It is a milkfish. Although they are bony, they are very good to eat.

This may help with deboning it http://panlasangpinoy.com/2010/03/03...lkfish-bangus/

[spearhunter11]

Here is a link to your mystery fish http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Milkfish.jpg

[stevencabo]

The big mystery is an easy way to get the bones out of the milkfish. Here's a thread that suggests a different way of cleaning them http://spearboard.com/showthread.php?t=135458,,,post #9.

[EZsurf]

Thanks to all. I will have to check back with the guys and see if they could debone the fish or whether they were just being polite about eating it
Steve

[bombard666]

Its a sour mullet! At least that is the translation! They taste like s--t!

[phil herranen]

Originally Posted by bombard666

Its a sour mullet! At least that is the translation! They taste like s--t!

smoked they are great and when smoked the interlocking bones are not a problem . i take them whenever i get a chance .

they cant taste too bad they were heavily farmed in Hawaii and are a major food fish in the south pacific.
phil

[Spear CR]

Nice haul, Steve.

Originally Posted by EZsurf

So far no one has been able to tell me what kind of fish is shown at the top of this photo. It has the body of a lady fish but has a large eye and the mouth of a mullet. I was spearing off a cluster of rocks about 500 yards from shore. Big swells were smashing against the rocks making wonderful foam balls. All that I could see of this fish, when I shot it, was the tail and he was rocketing through the foam about fifteen feet out. Since it was a crappy shot he fought hard, really hard.
I usually only shoot what I can put on my table but there are a bunch of Nico workers building a house near me and they are overjoyed to get free fresh fish. they said that the mystery fish tasted like ciro.
Help me out here. None of my spero friends or local can Id this fish. Since it has the mouth of a mullet I don't imagine that you can catch it on a rod or reel.
Steve

[Hank49]

Originally Posted by bombard666

Its a sour mullet! At least that is the translation! They taste like s--t!

About 50 million Filipinos would strongly disagree with you. This is the national fish there, although 99% of what is consumed is farm raised. There is a method for deboning them. Then they grill them. The abdominal fat is the first part of the fish that gets eaten.
I consumed about 4 lbs of them in May while I was in Manila and Iloilo.

[johnnyp]

wow, u must have big tiles or that fish is tiny!

[djsmits305]

Looks exactly like a ladyfish with a mullet head!

Just about any fish tastes great smoked. I'm sure it was good.

Originally Posted by johnnyp

wow, u must have big tiles or that fish is tiny!

Haha I was thinking the same thing!

[EZsurf]

Really! The tiles are 2.75 inches square. These fish come from my secret Bonzai spot where everything is in minature. The fish taste sweeter and my shooting skills are improved. Truth is that they are metric at somewhere 12 and 13 inches across
Steve