Trumpeter

TRUMPETER

Latris lineata

RECORD:  12.6kg, T George, Wairararapa, 1973

DESCRIPTION:

An extremely good eating yet rarely speared fish the trumpeter is a close relative of the blue moki and a very similar shape.  It's most striking feature however is of course it's brilliant colour scheme.  It is silver on its lower half but on top it has long black and gold stripes.  While they grow to 140cm long and are regularly line caught in the 10kg+ range they are not usually speared anywhere near this size due to the great depths that the larger fish live at.

MoF REGULATIONS:

Size limit:                          35cm

Bag limit:                           15

FEEDING HABITS & HABITAT:

Trumpeter live on a variety of crustaceans and molluscs as well as small fish.  They live in rocky areas out to about 300m.

HUNTING TECHNIQUES:

Trumpeter are very similar when hunting to their cousins the blue moki.  They are not a particuarly nervous fish and as long as you don't make any overtly aggressive movements they will come right up to check you out.