Overview
The Longtail Tuna is Australia's most common coastal tuna. Unlike other tunas, it hunts close to shore and often in very shallow water. Offers explosive fights with long, fast runs. Excellent flesh both raw and cooked.
Identification
Long caudal finFirst and second dorsal fins close togetherBlack spots below the pectoral finBright colorationTapered bodyLong pectoral finsLarge eyes
- Body
- Fusiform and robust body with a long tapered tail.
- Colouration
- Bluish back with metallic silver hues on the sides and a white belly.
- Sexual dimorphism
- Absent/not prominent
- Growth
- Fast, reaching adult size in a few years
Taxonomy
- Family
- Scombridae
- Order
- Scombriformes
- Class
- Actinopterygii
Related species
Thunnus albacaresThunnus alalungaThunnus obesusThunnus maccoyiiThunnus atlanticus
Habitat & distribution
- Environment
- coast, open_sea
- Preferred bottom
- sand, reef
- Geographic distribution
- Found along the western Indian Ocean and eastern Pacific Ocean coasts, particularly around Australia and Southeast Asia.
- Micro-habitat
- Often takes shelter near coastal reefs and in sandy inlets.
As a coastal tuna, it adapts well to different marine areas near the coast.
Presence by sea area
Af Indiano EstPeak
As Mar ArabicoPeak
As Golfo BengalaPeak
As Mar Cinese SudPeak
Au Nw ShelfPeak
Au Nt TropicalePeak
Au Gbr NordPeak
Au Gbr CentroPeak
Au Coral SeaPeak
Open Indiano TropPeak
Diet
- Primary prey
- small fish, squid, shrimp
- Secondary prey
- sardines, anchovies, winglets
- Occasional prey
- jellyfish, crabs
- Feeding behaviour
- Hunts in schools, making quick raids on fish shoals or single prey.
- Natural predators
- tiger shark, mako shark, humans, marlin
Primarily hunts during the day, utilizing sharp eyesight to spot and pursue prey.
Behaviour
- Activity
- diurnal
- Social behaviour
- large_schools
- Aggressiveness
- medium
- Migration
- Undertakes seasonal coastal migrations following warm currents.
- Seasonal behaviour
- Moves closer to shore for spawning in warm months and ventures offshore in colder months.
- Juveniles
- Juveniles tend to form large groups to protect themselves from predators.
- Adults
- Adults gather in larger numbers during the spawning period.
Reproduction
- Spawning season
- April, May, June
- Spawning depth
- between 20 and 60 meters
- Eggs
- Highly numerous pelagic eggs, small in size.
- Larval stage
- Larvae are pelagic and disperse widely before growing up.
- Sexual maturity
- 3-4 years
When to catch Longtail Tuna
Activity calendar
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
PeakGoodLowInactive
Activity by season
Best times
DayDawn, Morning
Night—
This species shows peak fishing activity in spring, summer and autumn, when the productivity index (FPI) reaches its highest values.
Fishing activity decreases in winter, when conditions are less favourable.
Ideal conditions
Water temperature
10°COptimal zone: 14-24°C27°C
Preferred tide: moving
Where to catch it
Best spots
coastal coral reefssea surface hotspotscoastal transition areasriver mouths
Bottom preference
Spot type
Fishing techniques
Recommended
spinningtrollingjiggingfly fishing
Other applicable
Trolling OceanicoSpinningShore JiggingLive BaitingDriftingDrifting LeggeroPoppingSpinning OffshoreSpinning PesanteTraina CostieraVertical Jigging
Recommended baits
live baitartificial luressmall fishsquid
Baits by pressure
Low
Cedar plugMetal jig extra heavy (300g+)Popper grande (GT)Skirted trolling (Pusher/Chugger)Soft plastic grande (20-30cm)Stickbait lungo (pelagici)Feather jig
Medium
Goggle-eye vivoSardina vivaSgombro vivoTonnetto vivoAcciuga vivaEsca viva (generica)Pezzo di pesce
High
Cedar plugGoggle-eye vivoMetal jig extra heavy (300g+)
Catch & handling tips
- Fight
- Strong fighter with long runs, quickly changes direction.
- Handling
- Use gloves and handle gently to avoid damaging the fins.
- Release
- Release quickly after retrieval to minimize stress.
Curiosities & culture
- Record catches
- The IGFA world record for the longtail tuna is 79.1 lbs caught in 2001 off the coast of Queensland, Australia. Scientifically, individuals of this species can exceed 77 lbs in weight and 51 inches in length.
- In the kitchen
- The meat is prized both raw as sashimi and cooked in various dishes.
- Cultural notes
- Considered significant in many coastal Australian and Asian cultures for sport fishing.
- Historical notes
- Longtail tuna fishing has been practiced for centuries in the coastal marine waters of Australia and Southeast Asia.
