b'Species Profile GurnardGurnardBY MATHEW HEWETSON The gurnard is upI f you want to targetGodzones best table fish. baby flounder and shellfish.fish like trevally orGurnard are found inGurnard are common the top of mostsnapper which willclose to shore in harbourson the east coast but it Kiwi anglers listput up a good fightand coastal waters, butis on the west side that on the rod, thenalso in deeper water overprovides a much larger of best eating fish,gurnard wont be150m.This is quite a depthpopulation and average found year-roundwhat you are wanting. range over most otherfish size for anglers.The Gurnard or carrots, arentinshore fish species, theyManukau and Kaipara in coastal watersrenowned for their linecan live for 15-16 yearsharbours are renown for they are often ascreaming pulling runs! and grow up to 50-55cmbig gurnard, due to the They are, however, anin length.Being a bottomabundance of natural bycatch but not outexcellent pan-fried fishdweller, they typicallyfood and we have caught on the west coast.up there with blue codprefer sandy bottomsthem up to 1.5kg and and John dory as one ofwhere they prey on crabs,around 50cm often when 44FISHING IN GODZONE MAGAZINE'