Striped Trumpeter Fishing Tasmania

by Carl Hyland on 9 Jan 2012 During the warmer summer months, Stripey fish as its locally known, comes into its own with many seeking these delicious table fish. Usually found in healthy numbers around the Island state, they are great adversaries on light gear and they can also grow to a tremendous size. These fish have also been caught from South America, South Australia, Victoria and at some locations in New Zealand.

Most are captured in waters that are extremely deep, well the larger ones are but some smaller specimens can be taken on inshore reefs. Local anglers can expect to travel at least 20 km’s offshore to do battle with this fish.

Stripeys can grow for 30 years and reach a whopping 25kg in size, but most captures by recreational fishermen are fish that usually are around the 4-6kg size, still a great sports fish by anyone’s standard.



Gear required: Stripeys are not kind to equipment that is not up to scratch…….good braided line 20-50lb, spooled onto a sturdy, robust overhead reel will suffice and winding large fish from depths around 100metres will test all the gears, bearings and load capacities of most rods so something say from the Penn Spin fisher range would do the job nicely. I have been told the geared deck winches from Alvey are also good reels to use when targeting Stripeys.

Baits: Firm strip baits are best, those such as squid, octopus or fish fillets. Again fresh too is best with most anglers sourcing bait specifically for Stripey fishing either on the day or the day before. Fish fillets in the form of couta are deadly and when coupled with circle hooks say on a paternoster type rig and big heavy sinkers, well the results will speak for themselves.

Some say the addition of night glow sticks will increase your hook up rate but, quite often I find big fresh sloppy bait will do the job just as well.

The catch: Once you have secured your catch aboard, bleeding and placing on ice is essential as this fish is rated as one of the finest table fish in the sea. Looked after, when captured and presented correctly, this is a fish most will come back for seconds for.

This is what the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries has to say about the Striped Trumpeter in its fact sheets.

Common names: stripey, Tasmanian trumpeter.Minimum size: 500mm.Possession limit: On-water possession limits four. Total possession limits eight. The total possession limit applies everywhere, including the home season. Striped trumpeter have a closed season.

Striped trumpeters are an elongated, flattened, yellowish-green fish with three longitudinal stripes along the upper half of their body. Their fins are bright yellow. They are reported to grow to 1.2m and about 25kg and live for about 30 years

They are found throughout southern Australia, from Sydney to Kangaroo Island, including Tasmania.

Around Tasmania, spawning occurs between July and October. These fish produce large numbers of eggs. Typically a fish of 3.2kg can produce 100,000 eggs. Females reach maturity at around 45cm or five years old, while males reach maturity at around 53cm or eight years old.

Larvae go through an extended larval phase of around nine months before settling on inshore reefs. Juveniles are targeted by recreational fishers on inshore reefs while larger fish are mainly caught in deeper water. Line fishers favour baits such as fish and squid, however these fish will occasionally take a lure or fly. Striped trumpeter are carnivorous and feed on crustaceans, fish, squid and octopus.

A prized eating fish that is highly regarded amongst Tasmania’s recreational fishers.

Further information available here