Coral Trout

Size and possession limits:

For up-to-date information on size and possession limits visit QLD Fisheries.

Targeting:

Coral Trout are fairly simple fish to target and don’t require an abundance of high-quality gear or lures. In fact, most commercial live trout anglers prefer to use simple 80lb handlines with a running sinker down on an 8/0 circle or suicide hook. They target numbers of smaller (legal to 60cm) fish around the reef edges using strip baits, pilchards or squid. Because they want the fish live, they prefer shallow water, rarely fishing deeper than 30m. This same method works well around the edges of most of the offshore islands.   

Bigger coral trout tend to hold on the deeper, more isolated structure, and these fish are best targeted with braided lines and combos rated over 15kg.  Anglers can either target isolated rocks and reef pinnacles off the reef or island drop-offs, or explore the Shipping Channel country for more isolated structure. 

Big baits equal big trout, with many anglers opting for large strip baits. Big vibes, plastics, and slow-pitch jigs also tempt trout.