Milkfish (bangus)

A long, streamlined, bright silver fish with a small toothless mouth, a big deeply forked tail and a single dorsal fin in the middle of the back. Looks a little like a giant bonefish or a tarpon without the big scales.

2–4 ft and 5–20 lb in the wild.

About 6 ft and 30 lb (14 kg).

Algae, plankton, soft bottom mats and small invertebrates — a grazer, which is why it's hard to catch on hook and line.

Swims in schools along coasts, lagoons and reef flats, often cruising and sipping at the surface. Spawns at sea; the young move into mangroves, lagoons and even freshwater lakes. One of the most farmed fish in Asia (bangus in the Philippines). Pulls incredibly hard and jumps when hooked.

Found from Philippines, Indonesia (Bali, Komodo, Raja Ampat, Sulawesi), China, Hong Kong & Taiwan, Southeast Asia (Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam), Hawaii, Guam & Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, South Pacific Islands & Papua New Guinea, Queensland & the Great Barrier Reef, Northern Territory & Western Australia, Japan & South Korea, East Africa & Indian Ocean Islands, Red Sea & Arabian Gulf (Egypt, Oman, UAE), India, Sri Lanka, Maldives & Pakistan, Galápagos Islands and Pacific Central America. Shallow coastal waters, lagoons, reef flats, estuaries and brackish fish ponds; wild fish around islands like the Seychelles, Christmas Island and Hawaii.

Shallow coastal waters, lagoons, reef flats, estuaries and brackish fish ponds; wild fish around islands like the Seychelles, Christmas Island and Hawaii.

Surface to 100 ft.

Surface to 10 ft.

All year in the tropics.

Daylight hours, especially early morning and late afternoon.

Incoming tide on flats and lagoon edges.

Calm, sunny days for spotting cruising fish.

Bread, dough balls and algae (moss) on a small hook, especially in harbors and ponds.

Small algae flies (green fiber or "weed" flies) presented right in front of feeding fish; most lures are ignored.

9–10 weight fly rod or a 7 ft medium spinning rod with a smooth drag and lots of line.

Small, strong #4–1/0 hooks.

15–20 lb braid with at least 200 yards of backing.

15–25 lb fluorocarbon.

Find milkfish sipping at the surface, cast an algae fly or bread bait into the school, and let it drift with no movement. Set gently and be ready for a 100-yard first run.

Chumming with bread or algae in a harbor gets milkfish feeding and is the easiest way to hook one.

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.

Good eating when fresh.

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

Very bony but tasty — the Philippines' national fish. Deboned ("boneless bangus") it is fried, grilled or made into sinigang soup.

No teeth or spines; just watch your fingers on the reel during the first run.

Few rules for anglers; fry and fingerlings are collected under rules in many countries for fish farms. Check local rules. 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.

Keep only what you'll eat and release the big breeders; wet your hands, support the fish's belly and get it back in the water fast.