Silver Trevally
Pound for pound one of the gamest fish in the harbour, silver trevally school over the reefs and structure year-round and pull hard on light gear. They are willing biters, great fun on finesse tackle and fine on the plate.
About silver trevally
Deep-bodied and bright silver with a yellow-green sheen, a small mouth and a strongly forked tail, silver trevally, also known as silvers or skippy, are built to pull. They school in numbers over the reefs, wrecks and structure, and while they are not big fish, they punch well above their weight on light line and keep you honest all the way to the net.
Trevally are found through Sydney Harbour and along the coastal reefs, and because they are available year-round they are a great option any time you head out. They take jigs and bait readily, respond well to a bit of finesse, and make a solid, tasty catch for the table.
Silver Trevally at a glance
| Name | Silver Trevally |
|---|---|
| Also known as | Skippy, Jacks |
| Scientific name | Pseudocaranx georgianus |
| Best season in NSW | Year-round |
| Habitat | Reefs/Harbour |
| Where found in NSW | Sydney Harbour, coastal reefs |
| Size and bag limits | 30cm min, bag 20 |
| Average size | 30–60cm |
| Max size | 80cm |
| Fishing method | Jigging, bait fishing |
| Best bait / lure | Bait, lures |
| Difficulty | Medium |
| Eating quality | Good |
| Taste | Firm slightly strong |
| Recipe ideas | Grilled, pan fry |
Jigging and bait fishing
Trevally hold tight to structure, so get down to them with a light, finesse approach.
The proven methods
Trevally hold tight to structure, so get down to them. Drop small jigs and soft plastics over the reefs and work them near the bottom, or berley up and float baits back through the school. Light line and a bit of finesse gets the most bites, and once you are on a school the action can be steady. All the gear is on board.
How Wahoo puts you on them
Trevally school over specific patches of reef and structure, and knowing which ones are holding fish is the key. George Aslanian has more than 30 years of local knowledge on the harbour and coastal reefs, and we will anchor or drift you right over them, then show you the light-tackle techniques that turn a quiet session into a hot one. A great year-round option. Ready to go? Book a Sydney sport fishing charter.
Other Sport & pelagic fish
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Bonito
Australian bonito (Sarda australis): a fast, hard-hitting coastal speedster around Sydney Harbour entrances. Season, size, methods and eating quality, plus how to catch them.
Tailor
Tailor (Pomatomus saltatrix): a fast, slashing surf and harbour predator off Sydney. Season, size and bag limits, methods and eating quality, plus how to catch them.
Yellowtail Kingfish
Sydney's premier sportfish. Brutal, fast and famous for busting anglers off in the reef, the yellowtail kingfish holds right around Sydney Harbour and along the coast, and going toe to toe with a big model is a genuine rite of passage.
Keen to chase some trevally?
Tell us your dates and crew and we will get you onto Sydney's hard-pulling silver trevally, all gear supplied, every level welcome. Browse the full species guide, or mix it up on our sport and reef charters.