Identity please.

[pazza]

Hi all,
My 13 year old son went on Roker Pier with his cousin and a couple of mates today. After catching a few macky, they decided to go to the Rat house to use the macky as bait. On his first cast, it was only about 5 minutes when his rod knocked while he was filleting some macky. When he picked it up, he initially thought he was snagged, then as he tried to reel in he knew he was into a fish.
When he bought it in, he didn't have a clue what he'd caught, so he rang me to describe it. I thought it might have been a sea bass the way he described it, but after getting it home i'm not too sure what it is. I've weighed it and it's a few ounces under 3lb, so i'd appreciate if you can clarify what it is please.

[pazza]

I should of maybe's put this on the 'shore catch report'.

[mickbrennan]

It's not a bass

[lambtonworm]

its a greater forkbeard and a very unusual catch at that ....

[Chris-scott]

Nice tiles them Steve mate haha canny fish rare catch, get a pic of ur son with it and drop Alan charlton a pm may get a bit of claim to fame

[jamiebrennan]

keep that fish! ive just had scout through internet and from what ive seen theres no current record holder for the species and the qualifing weight is only 1lb.
i would take it to your nearest tackle shop to have it officially weighed asap

[pazza]

Never heard of one of them Lambtonworm, i'll look it up, Cheers mate.

Aye Chris i told our lass to polish them tiles especially for ye mate .
I've never gutted it yet, so i will take his photo with it and look into how rare it is. He'll want to come out on the boat next with us.

[pazza]

keep that fish! ive just had scout through internet and from what ive seen theres no current record holder for the species and the qualifing weight is only 1lb.
i would take it to your nearest tackle shop to have it officially weighed asap

Your joking mate? Just told my lad and he's jumping about thinking he's won the lottery

[Chris-scott]

Hey Steve tell ur lass shes missed a bit lol and hope the lads got a record, well chuffed for him

[lambtonworm]

just checked and it does look like the record is vacant ...nice one

[Davey1970]

big welldone to the bairn,

it`s 1 ugly fish...........!

[codseeker]

excellent catch and from roker pier even more welldone that lad

more unusual species turning up every year

[pazza]

excellent catch and from roker pier even more welldone that lad

more unusual species turning up every year

It was the Ratty mate.

[codseeker]

well roker anyway LOL

[pazza]

The bairns weighed it again, still 2.89lb, and measured it at 55cm . He's over the moon, bless him . I think that's him hooked now.