Queenfish
Inshore / EstuaryFast inshore predator of the tropical north, hunting bait schools across flats, channels and creek mouths from Ningaloo to the Kimberley. One of WA's best lure targets — they smash surface poppers and small stickbaits with abandon, jump repeatedly when hooked, and most are released. Ordinary on the table.
Queenfish are the inshore lure angler's gift in northern WA — aggressive, abundant, and willing to chase a popper across a sand flat. They school heavily around creek mouths, harbour entrances and shallow reef edges from Exmouth north through the Pilbara and into the Kimberley. Sight-casting to schools busting bait at change of light is one of the better fishing experiences available in WA. Most anglers fish them as sport-and-release because the flesh is thin, soft and not especially good eating, though smaller fish are passable when iced down quickly.
Live mullet, hardyheads, prawn, strip baits — though most are caught on lures
Halco Roosta poppers, small stickbaits, chrome slugs, soft plastics on 1/4–3/8oz jigheads, surface walkers
Single-hook lure setups on 30–40lb leader, with a short heavy mono bite trace (queenfish have rough mouths and small teeth). For bait, a running sinker or unweighted live-bait rig on a 5/0 circle hook. Wire trace not needed unless mackerel are mixed in.
Sight-cast to schools busting bait at the surface — the strike is immediate. Walk-the-dog stickbaits and popped poppers both work; vary retrieve speed until they commit. When fish are deeper, soft plastics worked through the water column produce well. They follow lures repeatedly — keep the retrieve going right to the rod tip.
Active year-round in the tropical north, with the cooler dry season (April–October) the most fishable. Run-in tides over the flats and around creek mouths are prime. Early morning and the hour before dark consistently outproduce midday.
Up to 12kg, commonly 2–5kg
Year-round (Pilbara/Kimberley)
Mediocre on the table — soft, slightly oily flesh that doesn't hold up well. Best eaten very fresh, bled and iced on capture; smaller fish are better than bigger ones. Most anglers release queenfish and target trevally or emperor for the esky.
Bag limit: 20 (combined within the trevally and queenfish group, statewide). Minimum size: 40cm. Always check current DPIRD rules — regulations may change.
Onslow's Beadon Creek, Dampier harbour, Karratha back creeks and the Broome causeway produce queenfish on most outgoing tides. Crush the barbs on lures — most are released, and unhooking goes faster. Mind the rough scutes near the tail when handling.