Expect to Catch

Your Skipper and Deckhand aboard Fat Hooker know where the fish are biting! Come out on one of our Deep Sea Fishing Charters and expect to catch the following fish.

Snapper

Snapper
  • head and upper body are red-brown while belly and sides are silvery
  • upper sides have small bright blue spots
  • fins are red
  • bottom-living, at depths of 10-150 m
  • common on rough and softer bottom grounds
  • grow up to 1.3m in length and 20kg in weight

    • Cobia

    Cobia
  • back and sides dark brown with a yellowish belly
  • two sharply defined narrow silvery bands (not as prominent in dead specimens)
  • first dorsal fin has seven to nine (usually eight) short but strong isolated spines
  • commonly 1.1 m but may reach up to 2 m maximum total length (at a maximum weight of about 50 kg)

    • Pearl Perch

    Pearl perch
    • a robust body, large mouth and second dorsal fin which is higher than the first
    • body is silvery to grey
    • each scale has a small golden brown spot
    • grows to 70 cm in length
    • lives in coastal waters to depths of 90 m

    Parrotfish

    parrotfish
  • brightly coloured fish
  • males, females and juveniles often very differently coloured and can be difficult to identify
  • colouration can be separated into bright (also called terminal phase) and drab (also called initial phase) forms
  • drab form may include both males and females, but the bright form are always males
  • species grows to 40 cm in length

    • Mahi Mahi

    Mahi Mahi
    • an elongate compressed body and a forked tail
    • long-based dorsal fin starts above or slightly behind the eyes
    • grows to 2.1m in length and over 22kg in weight (commonly up to 1m)
    • species is usually metallic blue-green above and silver with a golden sheen on the sides
    • iridescent blue to black spots on the sides

     

    Mackerel (Spanish and Spotted)

    Spanish Mackerel
  • numerous thin, wavy vertical bands on body
  • iridescent blue-grey back
  • silver sides with bluish reflections; juveniles frequently spotted
  • 50 cm to 80 cm common fork length, 120 cm maximum fork length (at a maximum weight of about 30 kg)

    • Kingfish

    Yellowtail Kingfish
  • usually blue to olive back
  • narrow bronze stripe from snout through eye and along middle of body
  • silver to white belly, sometimes with a rosy tinge
  • dusky spinous dorsal fin
  • second dorsal fin and anal fin are dusky olive near the body, bright yellow towards the tip
  • olive-yellow caudal fin
  • yellowish pectoral and pelvic fins
  • 60 cm common length
  • 173 cm maximum total length (at a maximum weight of approximately 53 kg)

    • For more information regarding fish species caught within Queensland waters, please visit the Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation (Queensland Primary Industries and Fisheries) and Australian Museum websites. The above species information and images have been taken from the Fisheries section of the DPI and Australian Museum websites.

    Gold Coast Fishing Charters supports responsible fishing practices. Please revise the 'Recreational Fishing Size and Bag Limits for Queensland' before you next head out.