Have you been Trigger Happy?

[KERRY1]

If there is one species of fish that I would love to catch (apart from a Tope or a Stingray from the shore) it is the Trigger Fish.
The reason for this is because they are abit different and are not caught as often by anglers compared to the more common species found around our coast.
Has anyone been lucky enough to catch one? If so, how did they compare to other fish of similar size when it came to the fight etc.

Last edited by KERRY1 on Tue Jul 21, 2009 1:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.

I think we would need a few weeks of calm warm weather to get them in waters here.
I caught them in Waterford a few years during a hot summer.
Easy to catch , a bit of back on a hook, they have relatively big mouths and were swimming close to the shore.
No great fun catching them.

I have caught them before, back in the Philippines when I was still living there. I agree with the above comment. Not much of a fight, but a bit heavy to drag.

ross on the site here has caught them down in clare

Thanks for your responses, as always they are all very much appreciated
I have to say though I am abit disappointed.
I thought they would have give quite a good fight once you have hooked them.
Still, I would like to catch one for the fun and to add it to my list of species caught.
I know that they have been seen and caught in recent years in the Co.Kerry area. This is probably due to the waters down there being that bit warmer than anywhere else.
I have yet to see them myself when I have been down there despite looking for them at a few marks where they have been caught before.
I know that they tend to feed on the top of the surface and so if they are about you know thet are and can see them.

Gilthead Bream are the ones I'd be interested in catching. I've seen them while snorkelling in the med and they look like they'd give a good scrap. Very tasty too.

Catch them every year since 1995 in West Clare. My best was 4.23 lbs. This one did scrap well!
August best month and crab best bait though I have caught them on Limpet and Shrimp.
Same territory as wrasse though sometimes they swim just under the surface. If bottom fishing for Wrasse retrieve slowly from the bottom and they will attack anywhere from the bottom to just under the surface.
Had a lot in the 2 lbs. range last year. Fish light and you will have fun but beware the Big Wrasse!

Have caught triggers from the boat in Weymouth and they went like stink, a bit like bream on steroids!

Have caught triggers from the boat in Weymouth and they went like stink, a bit like bream on steroids!

Sounds good! "A bream on steroids" - brilliant

Sounds good! "A bream on steroids" - brilliant

Might have to get one in Cork when im down even a gilthead you never know what you and k2 will be missing if you dont come down

Sounds good! "A bream on steroids" - brilliant

Might have to get one in Cork when im down even a gilthead you never know what you and k2 will be missing if you dont come down

Good luck with that one, hope you do catch either fish