Tuna

Fish Species Of North Queensland

Tuna

Tuna are another popular pelagic fish found throughout the warm tropical seas although their average size is a bit down on those fish caught further south in the cooler waters off the east coast of the Continent.

They can be caught using trolled baits or lures, or site-casting chromed slice lures to quite large schools marauding bait fish on the surface. Matching the lure size to that of these bait fish is often paramount, tuna’s having exceptional eye sight, will often refuse any offering not matching their single minded attack on these schools.

Fish to 50 kg are quite common and are exceptional eating, raw tuna (sushi) is considered a delicacy in Asian / Japanese cultures and command very high prices for quality fish.

Big Yellowfin arrive just prior to the Marlin season while Dog Tooth are renown tackle busters on the more remote reefs. The northern tropical waters, especially around Weipa & Seisia (Cape York), see huge schools of seasonal pods of Northern Bluefin / Longtail Tuna. These fish are excellent targets on medium spin or fly fishing tackle – not bad on the chew either.