Largehead Hairtail
Trichiurus Lepturus
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Quick Facts
Distribution
Interesting Info
- Largehead Hairtail are a schooling fish, found in tropical and temperate coastal waters throughout most of Australia.
- They are nocturnal predators, rising to the upper water column at night to feed and back to the sea bed during the day.
- Largehead Hairtail are carnivores, feeding on smaller fish, crabs, prawns & squid. Older fish tend to only eat fish including juvenile Largehead Hairtails.
- Estimated lifespan is around 15 years with maturity at around 2.
- The main predators of Largehead Hairtail include sharks, larger predatory fish & cannibalising adults.
Species Interaction
Commercial & Recreational Fishing
Largehead Hairtail are a popular recreational fishing species as they are a strong fighting fish and taste great. They can be caught from shore or boat in the evenings when they are most active. They are a highly targeted species throughout the world with trawlers.
Scientific Classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Perciformes
Family: Trichiuridae
Genus: Trichiurus
Species: Trichiurus lepturus
Conservation Status
Based on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Largehead Hairtail are currently categorised as “Least Concern”(LC).
LC is the lowest category on the scale for risk with “Extinct”(EX) being the highest.
Fish Taste Quality
Largehead Hairtail are a great table fish, popular throughout the world. Often served grilled or fried.
Taste Rating: 4/5
How to catch
Largehead Hairtail
Catch Difficulty: Intermediate
Tackle: Running Sinker Rig, Ganged Hook Rig, Artificial Rig
Bait: Crab, Fresh cut flesh baits, Herring, Lures, Pilchards, Prawns, Squid, Slimy Mackerel, Yellowtail Scad
Technique: Keep bait close to the reef/structure, Slowly sink bait towards bottom, Cast lures close to structure
Popularity: Popular
