Fish

West Australian dhufish (jewie)

Dhufish de Australia Occidental

Glaucosoma hebraicum

Saltwater

At a glance

Typical size

10–30 lb.

Depth

30–650 ft; mostly 60–300 ft.

Best time

Daylight hours, especially early morning and late afternoon.

Found in

1 area

Spot it, size it up and learn its habits.

Identification: A deep-bodied, silver-white to gray fish with a big head, large eyes, a black stripe through the eye and, in males, a long trailing filament on the soft dorsal fin. Found only in Western Australia.
Typical size: 10–30 lb.
Maximum size: About 4 ft and over 55 lb (26 kg).
Diet: Fish, squid, octopus and crabs.
Behavior: A slow-growing, long-lived reef fish that holds on ledges and lumps; badly hurt by barotrauma when pulled from deep water.

Where, when and how deep to look.

Where to find it: Found from Northern Territory & Western Australia. Limestone reefs and ledges off Western Australia from Shark Bay to the south coast; Perth, Rottnest and Geraldton waters are well known.
Habitat: Limestone reefs and ledges off Western Australia from Shark Bay to the south coast; Perth, Rottnest and Geraldton waters are well known.
Depth: 30–650 ft; mostly 60–300 ft.
Fishing depth: 60–250 ft.
Best season: Open months only: the West Coast has seasonal demersal closures for dhufish and pink snapper. Check the current dates.
Best time: Daylight hours, especially early morning and late afternoon.
Best tides: Moving water: the hours around the tide change, when current pushes over the reef edges and bait gets swept along.
Best weather / conditions: Calm to moderate seas; light wind against the current stirs up bait. Watch for storms and cyclone season.

What to tie on and what to throw.

Best bait: Whole squid, octopus, mulies (pilchards) and fresh fish strips.
Best artificial lures: Octopus-skirted jigs, slow jigs and big soft plastics.
Tackle setup: Medium-heavy jigging or bottom rod (10–24 kg).
Hook size: 5/0–8/0 circle hooks.
Line: 40–65 lb braid.
Leader: 60–80 lb monofilament.

The rod, reel, line and lures BigJoe would use.

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Step by step, from first cast to landing.

Go where it lives: Limestone reefs and ledges off Western Australia from Shark Bay to the south coast; Perth, Rottnest and Geraldton waters are well known.
Rig up: Medium-heavy jigging or bottom rod (10–24 kg). 60–80 lb monofilament.
Pick your bait: Whole squid, octopus, mulies (pilchards) and fresh fish strips. Lures: Octopus-skirted jigs, slow jigs and big soft plastics.
Fish it: Drift over reef lumps and ledges marked on the sounder and fish baits or jigs near the bottom.
Time it: Daylight hours, especially early morning and late afternoon. Moving water: the hours around the tide change, when current pushes over the reef edges and bait gets swept along.

Fishing techniques: Drift over reef lumps and ledges marked on the sounder and fish baits or jigs near the bottom.
BigJoe's tip: Once you have your dhufish, move to shallower water or stop fishing deep — released fish rarely survive without a release weight.
Catch and release: 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.

Is it good to eat, and how to prepare it.

Edibility: Excellent eating — one of the best-tasting fish in its range.
Cleaning: Bleed and ice it right away. Fillet, then remove the skin and any dark bloodline.
Cooking suggestions: Excellent: thick, white, moist fillets; bake, grill or pan-fry.

Safety, rules and taking care of the fishery.

Safety warnings: Sharp dorsal spines and gill covers — hold the fish firmly with a wet hand or towel and use pliers to remove hooks.
Regulations: Western Australia has very low bag limits for dhufish, a minimum size, seasonal West Coast demersal closures and a required release weight on boats. You need a Recreational Fishing from Boat Licence. Check current rules. Each Australian state sets its own rules: NSW and Victoria require a recreational fishing licence in fresh and salt water, Western Australia needs a licence for boat fishing and freshwater angling, Tasmania for inland waters, and Queensland only for stocked impoundments; the Northern Territory needs none. Bag limits, size limits, closed seasons and marine park zones apply everywhere.
Conservation: Western Australia's iconic fish was overfished; strict rules are bringing it back. Respect the limits and closures.

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Sources & photo credits