Open Year-Round

Bigeye Tuna

Thunnus obesus

DPIRD Category Large Pelagic
Peak Season Year-round (offshore)
Difficulty Advanced
Fight Rating ★★★★★
Bigeye Tuna

Regulations & Limits

LARGE PELAGIC

Limits by Bioregion

West Coast N/A
Species not commonly found in this region
South Coast N/A
Species not commonly found in this region
Gascoyne N/A
Species not commonly found in this region
Pilbara N/A
Species not commonly found in this region
North Coast (Kimberley) N/A
Species not commonly found in this region

ℹ️ Regulations can change. Always verify current rules at rules.fish.wa.gov.au

Size & Weight

Typical Size80-150 cm
Max Size250 cm
Typical Weight20-80 kg
Max Weight210 kg

Habitat

Where: Deep offshore waters, often near seamounts and current edges

Depth: 50-500m+

ID Features: Large eyes (distinguishing feature), plump body, long pectoral fins reaching past second dorsal fin

Season

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Peak Available Poor

Peak: Year-round (offshore) | Water Temp: 17-28°C

How to Catch Bigeye Tuna

1

Deep trolling

Setup

  • Line: PE 6-10
  • Leader: 100-150lb fluorocarbon

Top Lures

  • Deep-diving lures
  • Skirted lures

Best Baits

  • Whole squid
  • Whole garfish
2

Deep jigging

Setup

  • Line: PE 4-8
  • Leader: 80-130lb fluorocarbon

Top Lures

  • Knife jigs
  • Slow pitch jigs

Eating Quality

★★★★★ Exceptional

Flesh: Deep red, rich flavour with high fat content

Best cooked: Sashimi, seared rare

The Fight

★★★★★ 5/5

Exceptionally powerful fighters that use their bulk and depth to full advantage. Known for strong, sustained runs deep into the water column.

Explore More Species

Browse our complete database of 122 species.

View All Species