Seaway Bigeye Trevally Overview

Bigeye Trevally are the most common trevally species in the Seaway.  They can be caught all year round though they are much more common in the summer months.  They will feed quite willingly on the surface depending on the amount of bait around.  December sees the larger fish holding in the seaway in big numbers and they will feed on the surface at first light during a run in tide.  Just look for the birds.

Locations

Bigeye trevally can turn up anywhere at anytime but there a few locations that hold them consistently.




The North Wall

Bigeyes can be caught around the entirety of the north wall, poppers, metals, shallow minnows, vibs all work here.  During a runin tide work the edges with poppers or minnows, and prospecting the current lines with metals also works well.  During a runout, the point and the flats still hold a few.   Surface feeding fish are common around the north wall, with schools of smaller fish popping up from time to time as well as occasional bustups by larger fish, getting a lure in there within 15 seconds or so almost guarantees a fish.

The South Wall

Not as consistent as the north wall but still worth a try around the southern side in the bay, the point and along the walls with poppers, metals and vibs. Surface feeding schools can pop up anywhere but are more common from the pipeline up to about halfway towards the point.  Look for schools feeding just offshore after first light.

The Pipeline

The pipeline can hold massive schools of Bigeye Trevally but these fish usually only feed during dawn and dusk, its almost impossible to catch these fish during the day.  At dawn or dusk they move out and hunt schools of baitfish on incoming tides.  You have to  keep an eye out for these fish as they bust the surface for only 30 seconds to a minute at a time, speed is essential as you have to get your lure in there while they are still feeding.  If no schools are visible you can also try dropping metals or vibs down next to the pipeline and retrieving them quickly back to the surface.

Wavebreak Island

Wavebreak has 2 points of interest for bigeyes, The north wall and the flats.  While not a consistent producer its always worth a look if no other spots are producing.  The north wavebreak wall holds a few transient fish and its worth a cast along the current lines with metals and around the walls with poppers.  Keep an eye out for surface feeding fish and cast at them with metals or small poppers.  The flats hold a few bigeyes at night and early morning, either cast to surface feeding schools with metals or prospect with poppers while its dark.

Lures

Bigeye trevally will take most lures, but metals like the 20gram twistie and 40gram raider will take most fish.  They will also quite happily take poppers such as the Tackle House feed popper 100, the 90mm Skitter Pop or the zipbaits ZBL popper.  Minnows account for their fair share as well such as the Rapala X-Rap and megabass vision 110.  Vibs such as the Zipvib 80 and Eclipse heavy slight 90 also work well when dropped down to the bottom around current lines.   Plastics work as well but are not as consistent.

See also Bigeye Trevally Videos

See also Ian Banks Diving the Gold Coast Bigeye Trevally Underwater Pics and Vids