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Monkfish Skull

Discussion in 'Skulls and Skeletons' started by HondaXR250, Jan 27, 2020.

  1. Jan 27, 2020 #1
    HondaXR250

    HondaXR250 Well-Known Member

    264
    286
    Ohio
    Just got this bad boy in today. From a huge 18 pounder!

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    Tnrandy likes this.
  3. Jan 27, 2020 #2
    Sea Wolf

    Sea Wolf Well-Known Member

    14,141
    2,262
    Taxachusetts
    18 pounds is a good size. One ugly ass fish but real good eating. True name is a "Goosefish" but no one would eat it with that name. Changed to to a more user friendly Monkfish and now folks can't get enough of it. Used to catch them off the beaches here at night. No one has caught one in many years now. All gone to deeper water. Scallop boats and draggers get them now.
     
    HondaXR250 likes this.

  5. Jan 28, 2020 #3
    HondaXR250

    HondaXR250 Well-Known Member

    264
    286
    Ohio
    Yeah they are crazy looking. Ive heard they are good eating also. I do remember a goosefish. I have a old book called North American Wildlife, and it covers all plant and animal species in North America. I was reading it and looking at it ever since i was a kid, and i remember the goosefish being in it. I didnt know they renamed them though. Ive also got an angler jawset. I wondered how people caught these, when they frequent the deepest depths.
     
  6. Jan 28, 2020 #4
    Sea Wolf

    Sea Wolf Well-Known Member

    14,141
    2,262
    Taxachusetts
    Around here, years ago, you could catch them off the beaches at night. I think their numbers are reduced now and you just don't see them inshore like you used to. They aren't a real deep water fish but they seem to stay down during daylight. The coastal draggers for scallops pick them up frequently as well as flounder. Very good eating once you get past the ugly. Great fish for chowder too as it doesn't break up into bits. Some call it poor man's lobster. Wolf Eel or wolffish another nightmare fish we have here. Can take a chunk out of you too. Not sure which is worse looking. Someone decided to sell the fillets as "ocean catfish" and people vacuum it out of the counter when it shows up. Unfortunately, it is another one now that you don't see a lot of any more. Around here, it's even protected now.
     
  7. Jan 29, 2020 #5
    HondaXR250

    HondaXR250 Well-Known Member

    264
    286
    Ohio
    I always expected them to be in deeper water, like an angler. Pretty neat they are in shallower too. Not good that they are reduced that much. Hopefully they pull through. Definitely crazy looking critters! Wolffish are pretty crazy looking. Ive been wanting to get one of those skulls too.
     
  8. Jan 30, 2020 #6
    skullman123

    skullman123 New Member

    29
    0
  9. Jan 30, 2020 #7
    HondaXR250

    HondaXR250 Well-Known Member

    264
    286
    Ohio
    This was macerated. I didnt do this one though, i bought it.