Rankin Cod
Offshore / ReefWA-endemic tropical grouper of the Pilbara and Gascoyne, found across rubble bottom and broken reef from around Shark Bay north. Often comes up alongside red emperor on the same demersal rigs and shares the same 40–100m depth range. One of the better-eating grouper species on the WA coast and a regular guest in the mixed northern demersal bag.
Rankin cod (Epinephelus multinotatus) are a WA-endemic grouper, distributed from roughly Shark Bay north through the Gascoyne and Pilbara into Kimberley waters. They live on rubble, broken reef and coral edges in 30–100m, often holding alongside red emperor, spangled emperor and goldband snapper, and they're a routine catch on the same paternoster rigs that target reds. The Gascoyne and North Coast bioregions hold the bulk of the recreational fishery — charter boats out of Coral Bay, Exmouth, Onslow and Dampier put clients onto rankin most trips. Despite the shared 'cod' label with the unrelated coral trouts (Plectropomus species), rankin cod is a true Epinephelus grouper with a paler, mottled body and a dark tail margin.
Whole squid, butterflied mullet, slimy mackerel fillet, octopus, large pilchards
Slow-pitch jigs 150–300g, large soft plastics on heavy jigheads, vertical knife jigs
Paternoster rig with two 8/0–10/0 circle hooks on heavy droppers and an 80–100lb mono leader — the same rig you'd run for red emperor. Use 16–32oz of lead to hold bottom in deep water and current. Strong knots and quality terminals are non-negotiable; rankin cod fight hard for the bottom on the strike.
Drift or lightly anchor over rubble and reef edges in 40–100m, working baits hard on the bottom with a couple of cranks up. Rankin hold around the corners and edges of structure rather than the peaks, the same as reds. Slow-pitch jigging produces well when fish are aggressive, with short sharp lifts off the bottom. They strike decisively and try to bury you in the reef — lock up immediately and lift them clear before they get their head down. Carry a release weight; barotrauma is real at depth and undersized or surplus fish need to go back properly.
Year-round in northern WA, with the cooler April–October window offering the best weather for the Gascoyne and Pilbara grounds. Tide changes trigger the bite; neaps make bottom-fishing easier than springs. Dawn and dusk are most productive, but rankin will feed through the middle of the day on the right tide.
Up to 15kg, commonly 3–8kg
Year-round (Gascoyne, Pilbara)
Excellent table fish — firm, white, mild-flavoured flesh that holds together well on the grill or in curries. Bleed and ice on capture in the heat; tropical fish deteriorate faster than they look. Skin off, the fillets are some of the cleaner-tasting grouper meat on the WA coast.
Bag limit: 1 within the demersal mixed bag of 5 (Gascoyne and North Coast bioregions). Minimum size: 400mm. The West Coast demersal closure applies south of Kalbarri until spring 2027, but the rankin cod fishery sits north of that line. A Recreational Fishing from Boat Licence (RFBL) is required when fishing from a powered boat. Always check current DPIRD rules — regulations may change.
Rankin cod are a routine bonus when targeting reds — same rig, same depth, same grounds. Charters out of Coral Bay, Exmouth, Onslow and Dampier put them on the deck most trips through the cooler months. Keep a release weight on board and use it; rankin pulled from 80m don't recover unassisted.