Technicolour dolphinfish and reddy - pink snapper are the order of the day offshore at present as Ken Davies found out on the weekend.

Ken and "Deckie Dan" went out in his 6.8m Barcrusher, a boat Ken reckons would have survived the perfect storm that did for George Clooney and got some nice fish at a FAD, somewhere out off Newcastle.

Their catch included eight dolphinfish, which where between 600mm and a meter in length, of which they kept two which went 710mm and 760mm on the brag mat.

Their fish where caught on both trolled lures (No, apparently, Ken didn't think we need to know what type)and unweighted, live, slimy mackerel.

Dolphin fish (no kids, not Flipper,) but Mahi Mahi, as they're also known are a spectacular, if slightly odd looking, fighting and eating fish.

They're a tropical fish which come down the coast with the East Australia current and you'll know it when you catch one as they're up there with the hardest fighting fish around.

They display spectacular iridescent blues, greens and golds when first caught but be warned, once you get them in the boat they really go ballistic. Larger specimens have been known to break bones in the feet of unsuspecting fishermen; such are their antics when hauled aboard.

It's recommended that you humanely dispatch them before bringing them into your boat if you plan to keep them, but remember bag and size limits.

Or do as Ken Davies suggests, keep an xl sized pair of long nose pliers on board and de-hook them while they're still in the water.