Species › Global · Open Ocean & Worldwide › Giant Trevally (GT)

Saltwater

Giant Trevally (GT)

Caranx ignobilis · GT, Ulua, Giant kingfish

Water temp
75–86°F
Peak season
Mar–Apr, Oct–Nov
Best light
Daytime
IGFA record
160 lb 7 oz (72.8 kg)
Giant Trevally (GT) (Caranx ignobilis.jpg)

Photo: Dr. Dwayne Meadows, NOAA/NMFS/OPR · Public domain · via Wikimedia Commons

OverviewWhere & WhenHow to CatchGearRegulationsRecordsForecastCatches

Overview

Giant trevally are deep, heavily built jacks with a steep forehead, a silver to dark gray or near-black body (big males turn almost black), small black scutes along the tail base and a powerful forked tail. They range throughout the tropical Indo-Pacific from South Africa and the Red Sea through the Seychelles, Maldives, Indonesia and Australia to Japan, Hawaii and the Pacific atolls, with juveniles in estuaries and adults on outer reefs. Fish of 30–60 lb are typical where populations are healthy; the Seychelles outer atolls and Japan's Tokara Islands produce 100 lb+ giants.

GTs are opportunistic predators that eat fish, crabs, squid, birds and anything else they can catch, often hunting in packs along reef drop-offs, channel mouths and surf zones and pushing onto flats with the tide. They are intelligent, wary in clear water and brutally strong, running for coral at full power the moment they are hooked. Fly anglers stalk them on the Seychelles and Christmas Island flats with 12 wt rods, while popping and stickbaiting from boats is the standard approach elsewhere. Nearly all sport-caught GTs are released.

Typical size20–50 lb (9–23 kg); 28–40 in
Trophy80 lb+; 100 lb+ is world-class
Table fareMostly catch & release — edible, but large fish risk ciguatera and are released by sport anglers

Where & when

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Seychelles outer atolls and the Maldives fish best October–April outside the southwest monsoon; northern Australia peaks in the dry season May–October, and Hawaii's ulua bite is strongest in summer around the new and full moons.

Cosmoledo and Astove atolls, SeychellesThe best flats fishery for GTs on a fly rod in the worldGreat Barrier Reef (Lizard Island), AustraliaPopping the outer reef edges and passesTokara Islands, JapanHome of the world record; shore-casting for giant GTsSouth Point (Ka Lae), HIHawaii's legendary shoreline ulua grounds; slide-bait fishing at night

How to catch

Popping and stickbaitingCast 150–250 g poppers and sinking or floating stickbaits along reef edges, pressure points and channel mouths on a moving tide, working them hard with long sweeps. Lock the drag near 25 lb, keep the rod low and reel through the strike; a GT hooks itself against a tight line.
Fly fishing the flatsWade or pole shallow flats on an incoming tide and cast a 6–8 inch brush fly or baitfish pattern on a 12 wt with a 100 lb bite tippet into the path of cruising fish. Strip fast and long, strip-strike hard and then clamp down to turn the fish before it reaches the drop-off.
Live-baitingDrift or slow-troll a bridled live bonito, scad or mullet along reef passes and drop-offs on 80 lb gear. This is the method for the largest fish and for shore anglers in Hawaii, who slide live baits down a heavy line anchored to the bottom.
Shoreline slide-baitingIn Hawaii, cast a heavy sinker from a cliff or ledge, then slide a live or whole dead bait down the taut line on a separate leader and clip so it rests in deep water near the rocks. Ulua feed at night and hit hard; 13–14 foot rods and 80–100 lb line are standard.

Gear

Rod7'8"–8'2" PE6–PE10 popping rod; 12 wt fly rod; 12'–14' heavy shore rod in Hawaii
Reel14000–20000 size spinning or large-arbor 12 wt fly reel with a strong sealed drag
Line80–100 lb (PE6–PE8) braid with a 130–200 lb fluorocarbon or mono leader; 100 lb bite tippet on fly

Lures

Cup-face poppersFloating and sinking stickbaitsLarge brush and baitfish fliesHeavy swimbaitsLarge metal jigs

Baits

Live bonito or skipjackLive scadLive mulletWhole dead eel or octopus (Hawaii)

Regulations

In Hawaii, a saltwater license is not required for shore fishing but ulua are subject to a minimum size, and some areas are closed to fishing. Overseas destinations such as the Seychelles and Australian marine parks are release-only or have bag limits; check the national or park rules for your trip.

Records

IGFA all-tackle world record: 160 lb 7 oz (72.8 kg) — Tokara, Kagoshima, Japan, 2006 (Keiki Hamasaki). State and regional records are kept by each fish & wildlife agency.

Frequently asked

What tackle do you need for giant trevally?

Heavy popping gear: a PE8 rod around 8 feet, a 14000–20000 size spinning reel with at least 25 lb of smooth drag, 80–100 lb braid and a 150–200 lb leader tied with a strong knot like an FG. Lures need upgraded single hooks or heavy trebles and split rings rated to 200 lb or more; standard hardware straightens.

Can you catch giant trevally in the United States?

Yes, in Hawaii, where they are called ulua and are the most prized shore-caught fish in the islands. Anglers fish rocky points and cliffs at night with slide-bait rigs, and boat anglers pop and jig the reef edges. Fish over 100 lb are caught every year, though most run 20–50 lb.

Bite forecast — Giant Trevally (GT)

Recent catches

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