⚠️

West Coast Demersal Closure in Effect

Coral Trout is part of the West Coast demersal scalefish closure. Boat-based recreational fishing for this species is prohibited until Spring 2027.

View full closure details →
West Coast Closed

Coral Trout

Plectropomus leopardus

Also known as: Coral Trout, Leopard Coral Grouper

DPIRD Category Demersal Scalefish
Peak Season Year round
Difficulty Moderate
Fight Rating ★★★★☆
Coral Trout

Regulations & Limits

DEMERSAL SCALEFISH

⚖️ Mixed Species Limit Applies

Coral Trout count towards your total demersal scalefish bag limit. You can keep a maximum of 2 demersal scalefish total statewide.

Limits by Bioregion

West Coast CLOSED
Closed to boat fishing until Spring 2027
South Coast N/A
Species not commonly found in this region
Gascoyne OPEN
Min Size 450mm
Individual Limit 1 fish
Mixed Limit Within 5 demersal total
✓ Open year-round.
Pilbara N/A
Species not commonly found in this region
North Coast (Kimberley) OPEN
Min Size 450mm
Individual Limit 1 fish
Mixed Limit Within 5 demersal total
✓ Open year-round.

Good to Know

  • Individual species limit of 1 STATEWIDE
  • Includes common coral trout, barcheek coral trout, and vermicular cod

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

Size & Weight

Typical Size45 cm
Max Size75 cm
Typical Weight3 kg
Max Weight10 kg

Habitat

Where: Coral reefs, reef edges, lagoons

Depth: 5-50m

ID Features: Red/orange with blue spots, large mouth, powerful build

Season

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

Peak: Year round | Water Temp: 26 – 30°C

How to Catch Coral Trout

1

Jigging reef edges

Setup

  • Line: PE3-5 / 20-30kg
  • Leader: 50-80lb fluoro

Top Lures

  • Soft plastics 5-7inch
  • Slow jigs 100-200g
  • Vibes

Best Baits

  • Live baitfish
  • Squid
  • Pilchards
2

Trolling

Setup

  • Line: PE2-4 / 15-24kg
  • Leader: 40-60lb fluoro

Top Lures

  • Deep diving minnows
  • Soft plastics on lead

Best Baits

  • Garfish
  • Pilchards

Eating Quality

★★★★★ Excellent

Flesh: White

Best cooked: Steamed, grilled, sashimi (premium)

The Fight

★★★★☆ 4/5

Hard initial run, uses structure

Explore More Species

Browse our complete database of 122 species.

View All Species