Morwong
A steady, reliable catch on the offshore reefs, jackass morwong keep the rods bending when you are bottom-fishing the deeper grounds off Sydney. They are around all year, pull hard on the way up, and fillet into mild, good-eating slabs.
About the morwong
Jackass morwong are a deep-bodied silver reef fish with a dark band across the head and long trailing pectoral rays. They live on the offshore reefs and gravel country and feed on the bottom, so they turn up regularly when you are working a bait or rig down deep for snapper and other reef species.
They are not the flashiest fish in the box, but they are dependable, they are around all year, and they pull genuinely hard as you lift them off the bottom. Their flesh is mild and holds together well, which makes them a solid, honest feed to take home from a day on the reef.
Morwong at a glance
| Name | Morwong |
|---|---|
| Also known as | Jackass Morwong |
| Scientific name | Nemadactylus macropterus |
| Best season in NSW | Year-round |
| Habitat | Reefs |
| Where found in NSW | Offshore NSW |
| Size and bag limits | No min, bag 10 |
| Average size | 40–70cm |
| Max size | 1m |
| Fishing method | Bottom fishing |
| Best bait / lure | Bait |
| Difficulty | Medium |
| Eating quality | Good |
| Taste | Mild |
| Recipe ideas | Grilled |
Bottom fishing the offshore reefs
Morwong come from the same reef country as your snapper, and the same steady bottom-fishing approach puts them in the box.
The proven methods
Morwong are a bottom fish, so it is all about getting a fresh bait down onto the reef and keeping it there. Fish a paternoster or running-sinker rig with squid, pilchard or fresh strip baits, hold the bottom on the drift, and stay in touch with your rig so you feel the bite. They often bite steadily through the day, which makes them a great fish to keep the action going between the bigger reef targets. All the gear is on board and ready to go.
How Wahoo puts you on them
Finding morwong means finding the productive reef and gravel country out wider off Sydney. George Aslanian has spent more than 30 years marking the offshore grounds that hold reef fish, and he knows how to keep you drifting right over the top of them. We rig you up, set you on the bottom, and keep the rods bending so nobody has a quiet day. Ready to go? Book a dedicated Sydney reef charter.
Other Reef & offshore fish
Blue Eye Trevalla
Blue Eye Trevalla (Hyperoglyphe antarctica): a prized deep-drop fish off NSW. Season, size, bag limits, methods and eating quality, plus how to catch them off Sydney.
Hapuka
Hapuka (Polyprion oxygeneios): a giant of the deep NSW reefs. Season, size, bag limits, deep-drop methods and eating quality, plus how to catch them off Sydney.
Snapper
Snapper (Pagrus auratus): Sydney's classic reef fish. Season, size, bag limits, methods and eating quality, plus how to catch them on the reefs off Sydney.
Tiger Flathead
Tiger Flathead (Platycephalus richardsoni): an offshore NSW flathead. Season, size, bag limits, drift-fishing methods and eating quality, plus how to catch them off Sydney.
Fancy a session on the reef?
Tell us your dates and crew and we will get you bottom-bouncing Sydney's offshore reefs, all gear supplied, every level welcome. Browse the full species guide, or head wider on our reef and deep sea charters.