Giant Trevally: Caranx ignoblis

Anglers are advised to show great respect for this mighty fish. Pound for pound, it must be one of the hardest fighting fish in the sea.  

The overall appearance of the Giant Trevally is extremely deceptive. It looks rather slow and clumsy but - as many anglers will agree - the GT is fast, cunning and incredibly powerful. Light tackle is generally abused and treated with contempt by these unattractive and virtually inedible savages.  

While we often catch GT's by trolling lures, by far the most exciting and rewarding method of capture is popper casting. This technique provides an adrenaline rush that will thrill any dedicated fishing fanatic. John Pearce, skipper of the Wahoo Fleet's "Reel Hooker" is the master of putting anglers in touch with these tackle-busting bruisers. On certain tides during almost every month of the year, vast schools of GT's gather to participate in what can only be described as a feeding frenzy. The water surface positively boils with hungry Trevallies, crashing shoals of petrified baitfish. The trick is to determine the direction in which the school is heading and anticipate the spot where they are most likely to surface - not a simple task. If the boat is within casting distance of the school when they do surface, you are in for some spectacular action. In areas around shallow reefs of rock or coral, these incredibly powerful fish will immediately head for the reef the moment they feel the hook. The trick then is to try and stop their downward rush by applying as much pressure as you can muster and by using a much drag as your line can handle.  

The average size of Phuket GT's is 30 - 60lbs, with the occasional 80lb monster showing up to do battle. The current IGFA World Record stands at an outrageous 145lb - taken off Hawaii in 1991 - I can't begin to imagine what a fight with a fish like that can be compared with!