I have seen this in a book before, but i dont know them name off the top of my head. I'll let you know tommorrow unless someone else tells you first.

Helps when you refresh your'e browser.

Thanks heaps guys.  

You were spot on, after finding out it was a bullseye, i was able to narrow it down to a small-scale bullseye, Pempheris compressa.

http://www.austmus.gov.au/fishes/fishfacts/fish/pcompressa.htm 

they make a great live bait---- just burley up next to spinnakers and take a catch net or cage and you can pick up heaps of em as well as a few small mullet and pilch

Used them for livies for Dollies and work well

They were the only livies around at the time.

I caught this monstrosity off Hillarys. I thought it was a leatherjacket, but when I compare it to other leatherjackets this one just doesnt seem the same. Does anyone know what sort of fish it is?

Also whilst im here, could someone recommend a good  fish identification book. WE already have Australian Fish Guide, but I find it lacking and want something better.

Hi Shortly  - looks like a boxfish  to me, though which one , I'm not yet sure.

Colin Molloy

(Colin 2 - Co-founding member of the prestigious Colin Club)

Thankyou Colin.

Colin Molloy

(Colin 2 - Co-founding member of the prestigious Colin Club)

one good book i know off is called "marine fishes of tropical australia and south east asia" written by gerry allen...  this book has been published by the western australian museum and gerry allen is a senior curator.... as far as im aware you can get the book from the museum.....

cheers Jes

if you're fishing down south all the time then get SEA FISHES OF SOUTHERN AUSTRALIA. It covers from about steep point south and covers right across to the other side where all the foreigners live [eastern states]It suppliments the ones that BOOFHEAD'S book doesn't cover.
I have both and also THE MARINE FISHES OF TROPICAL AUSTRALIA AND SOUTH EAST ASIA

Had a look in all 3 x books and only thing that resembles it is a MANY STRIPED PUFFERFISH ranges from NW Cape northwards.

thanks guys.  

I might look at getting all of those. I get rather frustrated when I cant identify what fish ive caught, and although the internet is good, it doesnt help when you dont know what your lookign for exactly.

Canarvonite - Do pufferfish have the hard carapace. This guy had like a honeycomb armour from his head down to the beginning of his tail, which was quite soft. 

My partner wanted to use him for bait until I told him he would have a hard tme getting a knife into him to fillet it lol 

 Shortly, reckon you'd need a circular saw to slice it, and a hammer to set the hook LOL. Not convinced on a puffer fish as they inflate - still leaning towards a boxfish - here's a link demonstrating one - though this is a different (sub) species:

http://www.amonline.net.au/fishes/fishfacts/fish/ainermis.htm

Clealy show the 'box' or boney ridges. 

Colin Molloy

(Colin 2 - Co-founding member of the prestigious Colin Club)

"Robust spotted box fish!" out of the em grant book, guide to fishes 2000 pages of speciesa and photos. My grandfather left it to me and im yet to find a fish thats not in there. cheers chris.

Keep it tight, reeeeeeel tight!

*****RECFISH MEMBER*****