havn't tasted Ruby yet (planning to change that this year) but I'd put the rest in this order.

Greyband

Blue Eye

Harpuka

Bass

Greyband
hapuka
bass groper/ blue eye equal 3rd havent caught or tasted ruby but on the list

 they all taste great when there under 15 kilos over that and they all start getting chewy with big segments of fat between the flesh

 We caught some 8 bar at the Montes last year and skipper rated them highly. They certainly need to be cooked differently or they go like rubber. Found them good in a laksa, but you soon get sick of laksa with 23 kilo fish. Are the 8 bar the same as grey band or are we talking about a different fish ?

Ill let ya know if i ever get one haha

 Red snapper/nanna guy

ruby snapper 

6-15kg bass

6-10kg 8bar 

big bass

big 8bar

Blue eye

puka 

the key is bleeding them! I cut both sides spike them put a rope through there gills and mouth then hang then in the water for the next drift. Seems to be working really well

Never been out on a deep drop.

But mates have. Tasted 3 of the mentioned fish.

Way way ahead IMO Ruby Snapper

Gray Band

Travella

Note all three rate above Dhu, snapper, but not above KGwhiting, coral trout and red emp in that order.

I've only tried Blue-eye and Grey-band so far....still yet to catch the others

I reported on the eating quality of the Grey-band in this post...

http://fishwrecked.com/forum/jurien-deep-drop

In summary, the Grey-band were big.  The 3 biggest were all > 26kg.  It was tough...tasty enough, but tough.  I've cooked some more since and I cut it thinner and cooked it quicker, and it was definately much better.

The Blue-eye were also quite big, the biggest being just over 21kg.  Quite nice eating, but not as nice as Grey-band and if cut acoss the grain (like a cutlet) was not tough at all.

Now I know these were all on the big side, but in my opinion Baldchin, Dhufish and Breaksea Cod are better eating than Grey-band and Blue-eye....at least at the size I caught them.

The other issue that is in my post above was the worms.  All the big Grey-band had lots of them.  They were quite dark, and whilst I'm sure they aren't going to hurt you, they don't make the flesh look that inviting.

Cheers

 I will tell you in the next week , caught a bit in my recent exxy trip

Ling are also a worthy mention as a by catch!

Yo Bodie

Caught plenty and eatin many, for me;

Ruby
Bass
Hapuku
Greyband

Blue-eye Trevalla

In saying that the top 4 are hard to compare as they're all top shelf!!!!

 The big ones are all not that good

under 15kg are best

Those big ones are like fish flavoured steak

ruby<10kg

bass

Greyband

hapuka

I am a little surprised that hapuka gets rated poorly in comparison to the other species by some people (not all). I haven't caught a hapuka over here but I used to catch them regularly in NZ before I migrated to Oz in 1980. I agree with the comments others have made that preparation is a key issue and that includes chilling and how the fish itself is processed. For example we would never fillet a hapuka. These would be scaled and cut into cutlets and the result was always first class on the plate. I suggest for some of you to try cutting the hapuka into cutlets and see if the results are better. This may also apply to other species.

 is it must be bleed well a couple of extra cuts around the tail helps get all the blood out 

Caught/eaten plenty and for mine rubes, puka, gb, bass all on par quality wise (unreal).  Rubes probably little better than the pack (smaller size?)

BET wierd hybrid chickenfish.  still tasty and i really like but pretty much use it for ceviche or a curry if theres gb/puka in same catch.

find that in addition to iki/bleeding if you leave them on slurry for 3 or 4 days before filleting they come up heaps better (longer if you can keep your slurry at 1deg).  Just remember to gut them else they wont sink.

Bon appetite