Black Drummer

(Girella Elevata)

Common Names

Eastern Rock Blackfish or Drummer, Pig.

Description

The Black Drummer is deep bodied with a small head and mouth. Color varies from black, blue-black, grey or slate-grey. The belly is paler than it's body. The fins are uniformly dark.

Size

Common weight 0.4-3.4 kilos; rarely exceeds 5.0 kilos.

Habitats

Inhabits rocky crevaces and caves. This is where it will seek refuge once hooked. It is a schooling fish which prefers shallow turbulent water.

Feeding

The Black Drummer enjoys crabs, prawns, shrimp, kelp and marine algae. Larger fish may take octopus.

Fishing Techniques

Lightly weighted baits of crab, bread, abalone or prawn. Most Drummer are taken from the shore. However, they can be caught from a boat, casting toward the shore.

Fishing Tackle

The most popluar tackle is a 3m-4m rod with a sidecast reel. I use a threadline reel myself. Double strength size 1/0-4/0 hooks, and 6.0-15.0 kilo fishing line.

Eating

Black Drummer are a tastey fish, particualrly if bled, cleaned, skinned and filletted immediately after caught. The smaller fish up to 3.0 kilos are the better tasting fish.

Bag Limit

New South Wales 10 per day

Legal Size

Victoria 22cm &closed season from september 1 to december 31
New South Wales 30cm.