Luderick Part 1

Luderick Part 1

Luderick Part 1

Part one of this blog we will cover the following:

  1. Fish Description
  2. The Build of the Fish
  3. Fighting Ability
  4. Luderick Movements
  5. The Diet of the Fish
  6. Where to Find Luderick
  7. Tricks of the Trade

Narrowly related to the rock blackfish or black drummer also the zebra fish and the bluefish, the luderick is a affiliate of the Girella family. Sometimes identified as black fish, or black bream, in other locations, luderick can be found anywhere from the coast line of Noosa Heads in QLD down the East Coast around to South Australia and even the northern parts of Tasmania. New Zealand is also the home to luderick.

Muscularly Built Fish

The luderick is a deep bodied, solid fish with a sturdy wide tail. Its colour fluctuates according to its environment. Fish taken around the shoreline of NSW are silvery grey while those from QLD waters are darker brown.

There are a succession of five to nine dusky upright bands running down the back and sides. These bands weaken quickly after capture.  The fish is largely grey to silvery beneath and the cheeks and boundaries of the pectoral fins may be coloured yellowish.

Luderick taken from rocks are a striking fish with bands typically more prominent than those of the blacker coloured estuary fish. Numerous old fishermen call large ocean luderick ‘Bronzies’ as they are stunningly coloured fish with a bronze shine and commonly of denser build than their estuary equivalent.

Outstanding Fighting Capability

Pound for pound luderick is regarded as an outstanding fighting fish. Notwithstanding its moderately small dimensions, it is a gutsy combatant when hooked, they have never say die attitude and will use every trick to escape.

The fish possesses great endurance even when fatigued and brought nearby in to the boat or rocks, it regularly makes a last frantic dive towards the bottom, hopeful to catch the fisherman off guard and make an attempt for freedom.

Luderick Movements

Big schools of luderick migrate up the east coast throughout autumn and winter, arriving at the estuaries, where they are caught in remarkable quantities throughout this period of their spawning run. Nevertheless, decent catches can be had all year round. Predominantly in many renowned inlets, estuaries and tidal lakes that are recognised stomping ground of luderick. They can similarly be captured in exposed bays and around the rocky foreshores and capes of the coast. Luderick share many of the haunts favoured by bream, channel drop-off, Jetty piles and nearby the foam that breaks along oceanic fronted rock shelves.

Luderick Predominately Vegetarian

Luderick are essentially a vegetarian. Nourishing primarily on algae weed and sea-cabbage, this grows in locations such as on rock ledges and in rock pools. Sea-cabbage differs in form from a small cluster when it is called cabbage or lettuce, to long streamers when it is known as ribbon or streamer weed. Nevertheless, there are occurrences when luderick can be lured by other offerings such as oceanic worms, molluscs, conjevoi and crustaceans.

Various Diverse Habitats

Luderick can be found in a diversity of habitats in the estuaries they can frequently be seen foraging around jetty piles. They also favour weed beds, mangrove areas and the deeper holes of estuary mouths. The mossy aquatic foliage around bridge pylons beneath wharves and jetties and on submerged trees and sunken logs all offer food for luderick and entice them to these areas.

In these quiet, enclosed waters, they are frequently fished for from a vessel with a quill float rig using very dainty lines, supple fiberglass rods. On the ocean foreshore the fish favour those section where there is a active wash with plentifully white water, particularly where their natural food, the sea-cabbage is growing on low lying rock ledges.

Tricks of the trade

Much has been penned about conquering the art of luderick fishing, but undeniably practice is the ultimate teacher. Once the hands-on understanding has been gained, it often helps to observe or seek out the help of a knowledgeable luderick angler, there are plenty of them on social media platforms. It is well know that luderick are cautious and simply spooked, a rattling anchor or a stuttering motor can rapidly send the fish in the opposite direction. It also helps to know that the fish has a small mouth and draws the bait in through a close array of tiny raspy teeth. Triumph often depend on on the angler’s judgement in letting the fish the right sum of time to take the baited hook. Tide and current are essential aspects whether fishing an estuary or from the rocks. In the estuaries, luderick take cover in weed beds and even alter their colouring to match their environments which gives them extreme protection from predators. They will often feed at one spot throughout the run-in tide and at alternative spot throughout the ebb tide, so resident knowledge can be an immense benefit in locating them. Tide is mostly important for the rock fishermen, many of the deep holes and gutters along a rocky shoreline are much more fruitful on a rising tide. However, large tides are bad news for luderick anglers fishing the rocks. The fish often vanish or go off the bite. The best tides are those with fewer rises and falls.

In part two of this blog we will cover the following:

  1. Best types of rods to use
  2. Light line Tactics
  3. Using Floats
  4. The best types of Hooks and Sinkers
  5. The timing of the Strike
  6. Bait Presentation
  7. The Ultimate Luderick Berley
  8. Playing and Landing the Fish
  9. Preparation and Eating of Luderick