At the Deep Cove Hostel, on Doubtful Sound in the Fiordlands of New Zealand I was fishing with my buddy when I caught a Perca fluviatilis, also known as a Redfin Perch. This specific type of perch belongs in the Percidae family, a family that has many different relatives in the northern hemisphere. There are 204 species in the Percidae family in 10 genera. Originally it was imported to New Zealand from England and has now become a main freshwater species in the Southland, Otago and many other parts of New Zealand as well. The Redfin Perch can be differentiated from other perch species by its two dorsal fins that have 13-17 sharp spines on it. It also has a broad flat spine on the gill cover. These perch have six plus dark bands along their sides; these are more prominent in juvenile fish. The bottom edge of the caudal fin is a reddish-orange as, the anal and pectoral fins have this same color as well.
As discovered while fishing, Redfin Perch are easy to catch and are good for children and new fishermen to catch. We caught them at the end of our lines, anywhere from 40-60 meters, if not more. They are quite difficult to unhook from a rod because of their extremely pointy fins. These fish prefer slow moving water and still water areas, where they hangout on the bottom and wait for food to fall or find small crayfish and smelt at the bottom. They are carnivorous, hence why we caught so many using other fish as bait. They reduce the amount of inanga, crayfish and smelts in lakes, but also have shown evidence of reducing the amount of common bullies as well.
I got this information from the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research in New Zealand.
Caught four longfin, quite fat, probably heading to migrate. 2 over a metre long.
Small fish, Monarch Park - suburban reserve stream. At least 6. Further down stream a hand sized fish was seen - dark, bit wedgy, rather than round.
On the track between Okiato to Russel in a creek. 2 big fish.
Many Banded Kokopu seen in Waiora stream from the main river to above the ford on the road by the DoC campground.
Ages varied from this years juveniles to adults of maybe 3+years
Swampy area of the track beside a boardwalk. These fish have been here for at least 3 years. Observed approx. 10+ in various sizes. Koura are also living in the swamp.
A known population. The fish have been in this small inland waterway (not connected to a stream) for many years. There are a variety of sizes (largest one not pictured). No sign of the koura (freshwater crayfish) that usually share the pond.
Fresh water fish in small pool of water approximately 180mm long
Several large and small fish in the freshwater stream near the Manukau Harbour.
Not sure though.
In the shallow end of the Karekare waterfall pool. Fish were being chased by a Little shag.
Juvenile banded kokopu.
Observation and photo by Whitebait Connection who surveyed ponds, streams and rivers at Matuku Link in October and November 2019. Pin on map not exact location. Date observed not exact date of observation
Report from Stephanie Mcleod: http://matukulink.org.nz/2019/12/06/nibbling-eels-left-handed-snails-and-kokopu/
An adult banded kokopu observed in the upper catchment of Kaitara Creek - a bush refuge on the upper catchment, with the remainder of downstream catchment being pasture grazed to the stream edge...
Banded Kokopu? Not very strippy