Coral trout (leopard coral grouper)

A long grouper, usually bright red to orange-brown (it can turn pale or dark in seconds), covered in tiny round blue spots on the head, body and fins, with a thin blue ring around the eye. The tail is square to slightly concave. Not a trout at all.

15–25 in and 2–8 lb.

About 4 ft and 50 lb (23.6 kg).

Small reef fish such as fusiliers, damselfish and wrasse, plus squid and prawns.

A fast ambush hunter that hovers over coral bommies and ledges and darts out to grab passing fish, then bolts straight back into the coral. Starts life as a female and many change to male later. Spawns on the new moons of the early summer.

Found from Queensland & the Great Barrier Reef, Northern Territory & Western Australia, Indonesia (Bali, Komodo, Raja Ampat, Sulawesi), Philippines, South Pacific Islands & Papua New Guinea, Southeast Asia (Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam), Japan & South Korea and China, Hong Kong & Taiwan. Coral reefs, bommies, reef edges and rubble patches, from the shallow reef flat out to deep shoals; the Great Barrier Reef is its stronghold.

Coral reefs, bommies, reef edges and rubble patches, from the shallow reef flat out to deep shoals; the Great Barrier Reef is its stronghold.

10–330 ft; most are caught in 30–130 ft.

30–130 ft over bommies and reef edges.

All year; winter (June to August) is excellent on the Great Barrier Reef. Queensland closes all coral reef fin fish for two five-day spawning closures around the new moons in October and November.

Early morning, late afternoon and the tide change.

Moving water: the hours around the tide change, when current pushes over the reef edges and bait gets swept along.

Stable weather with clean water; a few days of steady conditions beat a front coming through.

Whole pilchards, live fusiliers or hussar, squid and fresh fish strips.

Soft-plastic paddle tails and jerk shads on 1/2–1 oz jig heads, micro jigs, and deep-diving minnows trolled over the reef.

7 ft medium-heavy spinning or overhead rod (10–15 kg) with a strong drag.

4/0–7/0 octopus or circle hooks on paternoster rigs.

30–50 lb braid.

50–80 lb fluorocarbon.

Drift or anchor over bommies and reef edges, drop baits or plastics close to the coral and lift the fish hard and fast before it reaches its hole. Use a release weight or descender for fish you let go from deep water.

Coral trout hit and run in one move: keep the drag tight and start winding the instant you feel weight, or it will be back in the coral.

Catch and release: wet your hands, keep the fish in the water when you can, and release it quickly. Use circle hooks and a dehooker.

Excellent eating — one of the best-tasting fish in its range.

Bleed and ice it right away. Fillet, then remove the skin and any dark bloodline.

One of the best-eating reef fish: white, sweet and flaky. Steam whole with ginger and soy, or fillet and pan-fry.

Big reef fish from some tropical areas can carry ciguatera (a fish poison that cooking doesn't destroy); ask locals which fish and sizes are safe to eat. Sharp spines and gill covers — handle with a towel or gloves.

Queensland has a minimum size (38 cm), a combined coral trout bag limit, the October–November spawning closures and Great Barrier Reef Marine Park green zones where all fishing is banned. Other countries set their own rules; check before fishing. Licenses and rules differ by country across the Indo-Pacific: Australia's states, Asian countries and the Pacific islands all set their own bag limits, size limits and marine park zones. Check the local rules or fish with a licensed charter.

Heavily targeted for the live-fish trade in Asia. Keep only what you need and release fish with a descender if they come from deep water.