Fish ID (Crimson Banded Wrasse, Southern Maori Wrasse,Eastern Wirrah)

[SWAGB]

Hi,

Managed to get out to a local bommie off Wollongong just on sun up on Saturday morning. On the first drift we missed the reef but managed to land a keeper flattie (38cm), so we repeated the same drift a couple of times and managed 3 more flatties for the table.

After that we decided to actually drift over the reef to try our chances for a snapper. The snapper didn't seem to be about, but we got a heap of good sized wrasse (35-40cm). They all went back except 2 which we kept for the table, as we'd never tried them. We also got a few other colourful reef species which I wasn't able to ID. My thoughts are; Parrot fish in the first photo, and some sort of cod in the other photo with the 2 wrasse??

Cheers

[xerotao]

Crimson banded wrasse

Southern maori wrasse

Wirrah cod?

[Oldfella]

Hullo Swag;

A lot of Australians turn up their noses at fish like these (except  Wirrahs.)

But cooked in the Asian style (deep fried or steamed)  hey are beautiful

If you go into an Asian eatery and they have a live tank take a look.

Fish like that are not cheap by any means.

Try them in that manner and enjoy.

Cheers.

Roger

[Oldfella]

Correction;

Wirrahs are known as boots or @#$%^&!! or Mother in law fish!!

[SWAGB]

Thanks xerotao!

[SWAGB]

I filleted, skinned, beer battered, and fried the southern maori wrasse and they made great eating! will definitely be keeping a couple more next time I make it out! Didnt have as much flavour as the flathead, but a few seasonings in the batter soon fixes that!

Thanks for your help!