Fish

Silver trevally (white trevally)

Jurel plateado (trevally)

Pseudocaranx georgianus

SaltwaterBrackish

At a glance

Typical size

1–5 lb.

Depth

10–650 ft; mostly 15–100 ft.

Best time

Daylight hours, especially early morning and late afternoon.

Found in

4 areas

Spot it, size it up and learn its habits.

Identification: A silver jack with a blue-green back, a yellow stripe along the side in fresh fish, a dark spot on the gill cover, and thick, rubbery lips that stick out. Scutes (hard scales) along the rear lateral line and a forked yellowish tail.
Typical size: 1–5 lb.
Maximum size: About 4 ft and 40 lb (18 kg).
Diet: Worms, shrimp, crabs, shellfish and small fish, sucked off the bottom with its protruding lips; also plankton.
Behavior: Schools over sand near reefs, in harbors and bays, often feeding on the bottom, sometimes boiling on plankton at the surface. Can live nearly 50 years.

Where, when and how deep to look.

Where to find it: Found from South-East Australia & Tasmania, New Zealand, Northern Territory & Western Australia and Queensland & the Great Barrier Reef. Bays, harbors, estuary mouths, inshore reefs and the shelf from southern Queensland around southern Australia to Western Australia, and northern New Zealand (called trevally or araara).
Habitat: Bays, harbors, estuary mouths, inshore reefs and the shelf from southern Queensland around southern Australia to Western Australia, and northern New Zealand (called trevally or araara).
Depth: 10–650 ft; mostly 15–100 ft.
Fishing depth: 15–80 ft.
Best season: All year; autumn and winter in many areas.
Best time: Daylight hours, especially early morning and late afternoon.
Best tides: Moving water: the hours around the tide change, when current pushes over the reef edges and bait gets swept along.
Best weather / conditions: Stable weather with clean water; a few days of steady conditions beat a front coming through.

What to tie on and what to throw.

Best bait: Peeled prawns, pipis, squid, pilchard pieces and worms, with berley.
Best artificial lures: Small soft plastics, micro jigs and small metal lures.
Tackle setup: 7 ft light-medium spinning rod (3–6 kg).
Hook size: Size 1–3/0 hooks.
Line: 8–15 lb braid.
Leader: 12–20 lb fluorocarbon.

The rod, reel, line and lures BigJoe would use.

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Step by step, from first cast to landing.

Go where it lives: Bays, harbors, estuary mouths, inshore reefs and the shelf from southern Queensland around southern Australia to Western Australia, and northern New Zealand (called trevally or araara).
Rig up: 7 ft light-medium spinning rod (3–6 kg). 12–20 lb fluorocarbon.
Pick your bait: Peeled prawns, pipis, squid, pilchard pieces and worms, with berley. Lures: Small soft plastics, micro jigs and small metal lures.
Fish it: Anchor and berley near reef edges or in harbors, and float lightly weighted baits back; trevally have soft mouths, so play them gently.
Time it: Daylight hours, especially early morning and late afternoon. Moving water: the hours around the tide change, when current pushes over the reef edges and bait gets swept along.

Fishing techniques: Anchor and berley near reef edges or in harbors, and float lightly weighted baits back; trevally have soft mouths, so play them gently.
BigJoe's tip: Use a soft drag — the hook tears out of the lips easily.
Catch and release: Catch and release: wet your hands, keep the fish in the water when you can, and release it quickly. Use circle hooks and a dehooker.

Is it good to eat, and how to prepare it.

Edibility: Good eating when fresh.
Cleaning: Bleed and ice it right away. Fillet, then remove the skin and any dark bloodline.
Cooking suggestions: Good raw as sashimi when bled and iced; also grilled or smoked.

Safety, rules and taking care of the fishery.

Safety warnings: Sharp scutes near the tail; otherwise harmless.
Regulations: Minimum sizes and bag limits in each state and in New Zealand. Check current rules. Rules differ between Australia and New Zealand: NSW, Victoria and Western Australia (boat fishing) require a recreational licence, other Australian states and New Zealand's sea fishing need none, but bag limits, size limits and marine reserves apply everywhere.
Conservation: Keep only what you'll eat and release the big breeders; wet your hands, support the fish's belly and get it back in the water fast.

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Sources & photo credits