Trevally
Silver Trevally, White Trevally, School Trevally
Pseudocaranx georgianus
Overview
Trevally are a familiar and fun catch around South Australian jetties, bays and gulf waters. They school over sand and near structure, fight hard for their size on light gear, and are a reliable species for juniors and beginners — the silver flash and strong fight making them great fun on light tackle.
Quick Info
Identification
A round-bodied, bright silvery fish with a forked tail, faint dark spots near the gill plate and a blunt head. Common in schools around jetties, sand and bay structure.
Bright silvery round body, forked tail, a faint dark shoulder spot near the gill cover and a blunt, rounded head. Small dark spots are common but faint.
Silver Trevally are easily confused with other trevally species — SA's common Silver Trevally is the round-bodied silver fish with the dark shoulder spot. Snapper juveniles are spotted differently and have a more pointed snout.
Where to Find Them
Typical depth: 1-30 m
Fishing environments: Shore, Jetty, Boat
When to Fish
How to Catch Them
Fish a light paternoster or running sinker rig with a small bait over sand near a jetty or bay structure, adding light berley to bring the school up. Trevally hit hard and fight strongly for their size.
Small fresh baits of pipi, prawn or fish fillet on small hooks, presented near the bottom and lightly berleyed.
A steady medium-speed retrieve with occasional twitches; trevally respond strongly to a change of pace.
A firm tap followed by steady weight — trevally bite hard for their size and pull strongly on light gear.
Lift smoothly into the weight; trevally mouths are relatively soft, so a firm but not violent strike is enough.
Fish a light berley trail from a jetty or boat over sand and drop a small fresh bait down — trevally are one of SA's most consistent fun fish for beginners and juniors.
Tackle too heavy and hooks too large, and skipping the berley trail — a light berley is the key to drawing a school in and keeping it around.
Best Baits
Rigs & Gear
A simple but devastating setup — a small metal slice lure cast hard and retrieved fast through busting fish. This is how salmon, snook, trevally and tommy ruff get caught from beaches, jetties and boats all over South Australia.
The simplest and most natural presentation rig in fishing — a sinker that slides freely on the line so a fish can pick up the bait without feeling any weight. Perfect for finicky biters like whiting, bream and mullet.
A versatile and highly effective rig for King George Whiting and many other species.
Current SA Fishing Rules
CURRENT SA FISHING RULES
Always check current regulations before fishing. Fishing rules and closures can change.
Keeping Your Catch
Support the body with wet hands and release undersize fish quickly — trevally are hardy and recover fast in the water.
If keeping, dispatch and bleed promptly before icing.
Slush ice promptly — trevally flesh stays firm when chilled quickly.
Cleaning & Filleting
Scale and gut. Trevally scale easily with a scaler under running water.
Trevally fillet cleanly along the backbone; larger fish give good-sized fillets.
Skin crisps well when pan-fried skin side down or crumbed.
Few pin bones; feel the fillet and remove any you find with pliers.
Cooking
White, firm flesh — dust in seasoned flour and pan-fry, crumb and deep-fry, or grill whole with lemon. Trevally are decent eating, especially fresh.
Where to Catch Them in SA
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