Open Year-Round
Southern Bluefin Tuna
Thunnus maccoyii
Also known as: SBT, bluefin
DPIRD Category
Large Pelagic
Peak Season
December - May
Difficulty
Advanced
Fight Rating
★★★★★
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 Size | 80-120 cm |
| Max Size | 225 cm |
| Typical Weight | 15-40 kg |
| Max Weight | 260 kg |
Habitat
Where: Deep offshore waters along the continental shelf, particularly off the South Coast
Depth: Surface to 500m+
ID Features: Robust body, short pectoral fins, yellow finlets with dark edges, silver-white lower body
Season
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Peak
Available
Poor
Peak: December - May | Water Temp: 15-22°C
How to Catch Southern Bluefin Tuna
1
Trolling
Setup
- Line: PE 4-8
- Leader: 80-130lb fluorocarbon
Top Lures
- Skirted lures
- Large bibbed minnows
Best Baits
- Whole garfish
- Whole mulies
2
Jigging
Setup
- Line: PE 4-6
- Leader: 80-100lb fluorocarbon
Top Lures
- Knife jigs
- Slow pitch jigs
3
Cubing/chunking
Setup
- Line: PE 4-6
- Leader: 80-100lb fluorocarbon
Best Baits
- Pilchard cubes
- Tuna chunks
- Squid
Eating Quality
Flesh: Deep red, rich and buttery with high oil content
Best cooked: Sashimi, seared rare, tataki
The Fight
Among the hardest fighting fish in the sea. SBT combine raw power with incredible endurance, making blistering runs that can strip hundreds of metres of line in seconds.