Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(Aus.) a professional fisherman; a fish-seller.

[1858		Bell’s Life in Sydney 20 Feb. 3/1: He was but a humble itinerant fishmonger, and procured an honest living by hailing ‘Fish alive ho, fish ho’].
1899		Mornington Standard (Vic.) 5 Jan. 2/5: Our fisho-orchardists spent a day or two on the briny and made a few nice hauls.
1904		Sun. Times (Perth) 10 Jan. 4/5: The eldritch yell of the ‘fish-oh’ man.
1904		Sun. Times (Perth) 23 Oct. 1/1: It is odds on the Fish O financier being appointed.
1919		Brisbane Courier 26 June 6/6: [heading] Fish-O Again! Further ‘profiteering’ in [...] the fish industry is alleged.
1929		Townsville Daily Bulletin (Qld) 6 Dec. 6/6: [headline] Fisho’s Hoard [...] Tasker had saved a lot of money out of his earnings as a fish hawker.
1931		Sun. Times (Perth) 31 May 12/5: The ‘Fish-o’purveyed his wares at several vantage places.
1945		West. Australian (Perth) 27 Dec. 8/3: If ‘Fisho’ would like to be a fisherman he would have to depend on one of the so-called foreigners to learn the trade.
1953		Morn. Bulletin (Rockhampton, Qld) 13 May 4/3: [headline] Fish-o Man Again [...] the Queensland Fish Board is making an all-ouit effort to boost sales.
1969		Aus. Women’s Wkly 30 July 31/1: In Hobart we had [...] butcher, baker, milkman, grocer, fisherman (also another fisho with scallops) [etc.].
1996		J. Byrell Lairs, Urgers & Coat-Tuggers 87: Ern was a Grade A2 mullet-packer at the markets and in line for CO of the whole Local Distribution Division of the fisho’s set-up.
1999		Sea-Ex Aus. 🌐 Fisho-Speak — You would think it was another language, when fishermen get together and talk! [...] Following are some Fishing Terms and what they mean! [...] If you have any ‘Fisho-Speak’ words or phrases that we can add to this list, please send us an e-mail!
2001		(con. 1945–6) P. Doyle Devil’s Jump (2008) 180: Now this Mealey bloke was a mad rock fisherman. Used to get around [...] all those spots the fishos like.