Giant Trevally

The giant trevally, which grows to over 130 pounds, is the largest of the eight Caranx species which occur in the Indo-Pacific region.

 

HOW TO IDENTIFY A GIANT TREVALLY

It has a small oval-shaped patch of scales in the center of the larger scale-free area of the body on the breast in front of the ventral fins, distinguishing it from the bigeye trevally whose breast is fully scaled. In some specimens (about 5%) this oval patch of scales is extensive enough to make detection of the scale-free area difficult. The body and head are usually very deep with a blunt snout. The lateral line is strongly curved anteriorly. The straight portion is covered with scutes; 25-33 in the giant trevally and 28-37 in the bigeye trevally. The first dorsal fin consists of 8 spines, the second of 17-21 soft rays, and an anal fin of 3 spines and 15-17 soft rays. Gill rakers on the first arch total 18-23. There is no spot on the operculum such as is found on the bigeye trevally, nor is there a spot at the base of the pectoral fins such as appears on the crevalle jacks, the close Atlantic and eastern Pacific relatives of this species.

 

WHERE TO CATCH GIANT TREVALLY

The giant trevally inhabits coral and rock reefs in warm coastal waters of the Indian and central Pacific Oceans, eastward to the Hawaiian and Marquesas Islands. This fish is very common in the waters off Kenya and other parts of Africa as well as off Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Malaysia, and Hawaii. This is the most common of the trevallys found in Hawaii’s and Kenya’s waters. The following list includes additional details on where to catch this fish:

 

BAITFISH PATCHES                                    COASTAL WATERS

MERGING WATER                                      REEFS, WRECKS, AND SHOALS

SHORE POINTS                                          CLIFFS

DEEP SHORE WATER                                NIGHT FISHING

ROCKY SEA FLOOR                                   SURF AND SHORE

 

HOW TO CATCH GIANT TREVALLY

Adults are sedentary, prefer rocky areas near shore or outside reef drop-offs, and feed most actively at night. Hawaiian anglers report that the darker the night the more actively the giant trevally will feed. It is a highly rate sport fish in the waters of Hawaii and Kenya both for its large size and the tough fighting ability it possesses. Fishing methods include surf fishing, drifting, or still fishing using live or cut baits. Trolling with baits and lures can also produce good results. Baits and lures include mullet, herring, sauri, garfish, anchovy, squid, cut strip baits, jethead trolling lures, trolling feathers, plastic jigs, and spoons. The pinkish flesh is highly esteemed as food in some areas and is also frequently used for strip baits, cut baits or chum. The following are fishing methods used to catch this fish:

 

JIGGING                           FLY FISHING                 BAIT CASTING

STILL FISHING        SALTWATER TROLLING      DRIFT FISHING

BOTTOM BOUNCING      SURF CASTING            SPIN CASTING

 

GIANT TREVALLY LURES, TACKLE & BAIT

The following are lures, tackle or bait that can be used to catch this fish:

 

CUT BAIT             JIGS                             SALTWATER LIVE BAIT

SPOONS             TROLLING LURES         FLIES

PLUGS              SOFT PLASTICS               SQUID