Narrow-barred Spanish mackerel (kingfish, couta, kanadi)

A long, sleek mackerel with a blue-green back, silver sides crossed by many thin, wavy dark vertical bars (more bars as the fish grows), a sharply dropping lateral line under the second dorsal fin, and a mouth full of sharp, flat triangular teeth.

10–30 lb.

About 8 ft (240 cm) and about 150 lb (70 kg) published. The IGFA all-tackle record is 99 lb (44.9 kg) from Scottburgh, South Africa (1982).

Small fish — sardines, anchovies, scad, garfish and fusiliers — plus squid.

A fast coastal hunter that follows baitfish along reef edges, headlands, shoals and offshore platforms, often in loose schools; it migrates with the seasons and water temperature.

Found from Red Sea & Arabian Gulf (Egypt, Oman, UAE), East Africa & Indian Ocean Islands, Southern Africa, India, Sri Lanka, Maldives & Pakistan, Southeast Asia (Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam), Indonesia (Bali, Komodo, Raja Ampat, Sulawesi), Philippines, China, Hong Kong & Taiwan, Japan & South Korea, Queensland & the Great Barrier Reef, Northern Territory & Western Australia, South Pacific Islands & Papua New Guinea, Guam & Northern Mariana Islands, South-East Australia & Tasmania and Turkey, Cyprus & the Eastern Mediterranean. Coastal waters from the Red Sea, the Arabian Gulf (kanaad) and East Africa (couta in South Africa and Mozambique) to India and Sri Lanka (seer fish, vanjaram, kanadi), Southeast Asia, China, Japan, Australia and Fiji; it has also spread into the eastern Mediterranean through the Suez Canal.

Coastal waters from the Red Sea, the Arabian Gulf (kanaad) and East Africa (couta in South Africa and Mozambique) to India and Sri Lanka (seer fish, vanjaram, kanadi), Southeast Asia, China, Japan, Australia and Fiji; it has also spread into the eastern Mediterranean through the Suez Canal.

Surface to about 230 ft.

Surface to 60 ft over reef edges, shoals and around bait schools.

Changes by area: winter (about May to August) off KwaZulu-Natal during the sardine run and after; about October to April in the Arabian Gulf and Oman; winter in northern Australia; post-monsoon in India and Sri Lanka.

Dawn and dusk; strong current days can be good all day.

Moving tides over shoals and points, especially the change of tide.

Clean, clear water; a building current and baitfish on the surface are key.

Slow-trolled live baits (mackerel, scad, garfish, mullet) or whole rigged dead baits (sardines, garfish, ribbonfish).

Diving minnows and bibbed lures, spoons, metal slices and skirted trolling lures; spinning metal from shore and rocks.

Medium 7 ft spinning rod or 20–30 lb trolling outfit.

Wire-rigged trebles or a single hook with a stinger treble (they bite baits in half).

20–40 lb mono or braid.

30–60 lb single-strand wire — the teeth slice mono instantly.

Slow-troll a live or rigged dead bait on wire along reef edges, points and shoals where bait is showing, or troll diving lures at 6–8 knots. From the rocks, cast metal spoons far out and crank fast.

Add a stinger hook near the tail of your bait — Spanish mackerel love to chop baits in half from behind.

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 fish in its range — steaks grilled, fried or curried (seer fish curry, Arabic sayadieh), and excellent smoked.

Razor-sharp teeth — never put fingers near the mouth, and watch out when a live fish thrashes on deck. Very large Spanish mackerel from parts of Queensland and other reef areas have caused ciguatera — ask locally before eating the biggest fish.

It's heavily fished commercially; South Africa allows 10 couta per day, Australian states set size and bag limits (Queensland has tightened them), and Gulf states have size limits and seasonal bans for kanaad. Check local rules. Rules are set by each country and state — from licenses and bag limits in South Africa, Australia and the Gulf states to marine parks across the Indian Ocean and Pacific where fishing is limited or banned — check the local regulations where you fish.

Stocks are overfished in parts of the Arabian Gulf and Indian Ocean — keep only what you'll eat.