I am new to this site .I live in Sydney and am a keen angler.
My question is :
Does anyone know where I might find information on fish species common to California and the coast around Sydney ?
I have been reading posts and find the common names American and Aussies use to be very different and confusing.
But our climate is very similar and we share a common ocean ,so a lot of the fish must be the same, I think?
I know that Yellowtail=Yellowtail Kingfish
&Bluefish=Tailor,White Bass=Mulloway,Ballyhoo=Garfish
I have 3 daughters who live in the USA and also fish,so I would also like to be able to relate to them when they tell me what fish they are catching.
I am not a complete 'greenhorn'as I have fished(only fresh water large mouth bass,& panfish mostly) ,lived ,worked,&loved in the USA for a few years.I had a great time in your Country and found everyone very helpful and friendly.
If you have any knowledge in this area or you know of another site where I could find information please respond
:-)

G'Day

G'day!

Welcome to the site!

I lived in Australia (Sydney) for a number of years and spent more time fishing than just about anything else. There are a few fish species that are found in both the US and the Australian east coast, and then there are a lot that are not. Here are some of the ones that I can remember (including the ones you listed).

Australian Name - US Equivalent
Mulloway - very similar to white seabass
Yelllowtail kingfish - California yellowtail
Bonito - Bonito
Yellowfin tuna - yellowfin tuna (you can catch these at "The Peak" off Sydney)
Mackerel tuna - False albacore
Striped tuna - Skipjack
Tailor/Chopper - bluefish
Blue pointer shark - mako shark
rockcod - grouper (the US rock cod are in a different family, the scorpionfishes)
bream (black, yellowfin, silver) - grunts and/or porgies
mullet - mullet (there are more species of mullet in Australia, all make good live or cut bait)
Groper - wrasse
Flathead (dusky, sand, tiger) - no equivalent...but the americans can imagine a fish that looks like a northern pike that's had it's head flattened...same bad attitude, similar set of teeth.
Striped sea pike, Snook - barracuda of various types
Trevally (various species) - Jacks
Perch/Sea perch - Snappers (various species)
black kingfish - cobia
Luderick + Rock Blackfish - opaleye (same family, different species)
Slimy mackerel - Pacific mackerel
yellowtail- Pacific Jack Mackerel (same family, different species)
leatherjacket (various species) - triggerfish (same family, but different species)
whiting (various species) - no US equivalent

Hope this helps! A good book to get a hold of (if it's still in print) is Grants Guide to Fishes by E.M. Grant.

- Prescribing a steady diet of steel to the local fishes -

Great Stuff ! Just what the DR. ordered !
Where did you fish in Aussie,& what sort of fishing do you enjoy most Doc ?:)

G'Day