Open Year-Round
Mirror Dory
Zenopsis nebulosus
Also known as: Mirror John Dory
DPIRD Category
Demersal
Peak Season
Year-Round
Difficulty
Intermediate
Fight Rating
★★☆☆☆
Regulations & Limits
DEMERSAL
⚖️ Mixed Species Limit Applies
Mirror Dory count towards your total demersal scalefish bag limit. You can keep a maximum of 2 demersal scalefish total statewide.
Limits by Bioregion
West Coast
N/A
Species not commonly found in this region
South Coast
OPEN
Min Size
—
Individual Limit
3 fish
Mixed Limit
Within 5 demersal total
✓ Open year-round.
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
Good to Know
- No minimum size
- Deep water species
- Similar to John Dory but deeper body
- Grows to 70cm
ℹ️ Regulations can change. Always verify current rules at rules.fish.wa.gov.au
Size & Weight
| Typical Size | 35-50 cm |
| Max Size | 70 cm |
| Typical Weight | 1-3 kg |
| Max Weight | 4 kg |
Habitat
Where: Deep continental shelf, sandy/muddy bottoms
Depth: 50-400m (deeper than John Dory)
ID Features: Similar to John Dory but deeper body, more silvery. Large dark "thumbprint" spot on side. Usually caught as bycatch while deep dropping.
Season
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Peak
Available
Poor
Peak: Year-Round
How to Catch Mirror Dory
1
Deep Dropping
Setup
- Line: PE6-8 / 60-80lb braid
- Leader: 80-100lb mono or fluoro
Best Baits
- Fresh squid strips
- Pilchards
- Fish strips
- Blue mackerel
2
Targeting Tips
Eating Quality
Flesh: White, delicate, moist
Best cooked: Pan-fried, steamed, baked
The Fight
Mirror Dory don't put up much of a fight. They come up from depth with minimal resistance. The challenge is in the deep drop technique itself, not the fish.