What species is this?

[pixelbaste]

Hi everyone,

I'm new to saltwater flyfishing, but gave it a go this December and had a mountain of fun. Especially Leeries on topwater flies...

However, being new to saltwater, identifying some fish has proven difficult. Can somebody please help me identify the following fish? I believe its a Silver Moony, but have no real idea. Its about the size of the palm of a hand, and took that #2 Flipper at sunrise while fishing the Cintsa river.

Thanks!
moony.jpg

[Pipe]

Hi everyone,

I'm new to saltwater flyfishing, but gave it a go this December and had a mountain of fun. Especially Leeries on topwater flies...

However, being new to saltwater, identifying some fish has proven difficult. Can somebody please help me identify the following fish? I believe its a Silver Moony, but have no real idea. Its about the size of the palm of a hand, and took that #2 Flipper at sunrise while fishing the Cintsa river.

Thanks!
moony.jpg

I think it is called a Cape Moonfish, have a caught a few on the South coast

[briansflyfishing]

Yip - a Moonie it is.

[Kevin James]

Same as a kitefish in Natal waters.

There used to be heaps of them around the rocks at Inyoni ('Toti), but that is going back to the days of the dinosaur. Long time ago.....

Nice catch mate.

[shark_za]

They are fun to catch but mess up the fishing time when you are after wave garrick.

DSC02713small.jpg

[dtayl13]

Same as a kitefish in Natal waters.

There used to be heaps of them around the rocks at Inyoni ('Toti), but that is going back to the days of the dinosaur. Long time ago.....

Nice catch mate.

Kitefish that you catch off the rocks if I am correct is not actually a moony. It is the same shape but slightly darker and grows a lot bigger than a moony. they are also known as stonebream. I might be wrong. First pick is a stonebream second is a moonie.
Stonebream.jpgMoonie.jpg

[poppernel]

MOONIE!!!
dave

[Kevin James]

Thanks dtayl13.

I'll check that out mate.

Edit:14.25

Righto - this has been worrying me.
Have done some digging and I think there may be an answer here.

http://www.south-african-game-reserv.../capemoony.htm

I believe they are the same fish depending on where you are.
Bit like Poenskop = Brusher = Musselcracker

At the end of the day it's still Monodactylus falciformis (thankfully not pteradactyl)

Also checked out the Moony and the Stonebream (stinkies) - bit of a difference.

So well done pixelbaste - when you have a beer with the banana boys you can brag about your kitefish <grin>

Hey, just thinking.......if you catch a shad on fly, does it count for 5 different species?
Bluefish, tailor, elf, choppers <wink>

All good.

Edit: 14.48

Just to confuse everyone some more, you also get the Natal Moony ( Monodactylus argenteus ) - different to the Cape Moony.
Forgot about him.....

[dtayl13]

Ok so a kitefish is a moony, but it seems that a stonebream is different altogether. The moonies we get here are Monodactylus argenteus and Monodactylus falcoformis and the stonebream is Neoscorpis lithophilus

[RobG]

At Dogtooth, dont know about OZ but in SA a Poenskop is a Black Mussel Cracker, a Brusher is a Silver Steenbras/Musselcracker. Definately different fish....yes same family but different