Saltwater · Year-round in Hawai'i; best May to October for shore ulua fishing

Giant Trevally

Caranx ignobilis

The ulua of Hawai'i — the centre of a whole shore-casting culture of slide-baiting, bell-rigged poles and night fishing from cliffs. A giant trevally is the apex reef predator of the Indo-Pacific, and a big Hawaiian ulua on heavy shore tackle is one of saltwater fishing's ultimate tests.

Seasons · Peak

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

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Aug

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Oct

Nov

Dec

Giant Trevally — Photo: Dr. Dwayne Meadows, NOAA/NMFS/OPR, Public domain — Wikimedia Commons

Identifying features

Massive, steep, blunt head and powerful, deep body
Adults silvery-grey to almost black; large males often darkest
Deeply forked tail on a thick, muscular tail base
Breast mostly without scales except a small patch near the pelvic fins
Juveniles are yellowish with dark bars and live inshore and in harbours

Habits

Apex reef predator feeding on fish, octopus, eels and crustaceans
Most active at night and at dawn and dusk around reefs and channels
Adults are solitary or in pairs; juveniles school in estuaries and harbours
Famous for explosive surface strikes on poppers and stickbaits
Big ulua patrol cliff ledges and channel edges after dark

Distribution

Honolulu, HI · Hawaii★ Primary

Where to find them

Hawai'i cliff ledges fished with slide baits at night
Reef channel edges and passes for plugging
Deep harbour entrances and rocky points after dark

Where they live

Reef flats, channels and drop-offsCliff ledges over deep waterHarbour entrances and deep rocky points

How to catch them

Slide-baiting from cliffs with big baits Rock fishing

Rig: Heavy 12-13 ft ulua pole in a holder with a strike bell, main line sent down a slide rig from a cliff ledge, big eel or octopus bait settled over deep reef

Bait/lure: Whole eel, octopus (tako) and large baitfish

Key tip: Fish all night and secure the pole — an ulua strike on a slide bait is violent, and the bell is your alarm.

Plugging and stickbaits over reef flats and channels Shore

Rig: Heavy spinning rod, large popper or stickbait cast over reef flats and channel edges; for dunking, eel or octopus baits on heavy bottom rigs

Bait/lure: Poppers, stickbaits, eel and octopus

Key tip: Work poppers with hard, noisy chops at dawn — and hold on through the first run, GTs head straight for the reef.

Best baits & lures

Whole eel or octopus (tako) on slide-bait rigsLive or dead baitfish such as akule or 'opeluLarge poppers, stickbaits and plugs

Techniques for Giant Trevally →

Baseline setup

Rod: Heavy 12-13 ft ulua surf pole; heavy 8-9 ft plugging rod
Line: 50-80 lb mono or braid with heavy leader
Terminal: Slide-bait rigs, large circle hooks, heavy swivels and leads

Recommended gear for this species

Rod · Best value

9' 5-weight fly rod outfit

≈ US$180-260

Covers chironomid lakes and small rivers with one setup.

Flies · Budget

Chironomid assortment (30 patterns)

≈ US$25-40

Chironomids are 60% of a lake rainbow's diet in spring.

Picks come from our rule library — never paid placements. Prices are guides; affiliate links may earn us a commission.

Typical size

Common 10-30 lb (4.5-13.6 kg); large Hawaiian ulua over 100 lb (45 kg)

On the table

Fair to good in smaller fish; large ulua carry a higher ciguatera risk — check local advice before eating big fish.

Similar species

Bluefin TrevallyBluefin trevally ('omilu) is smaller with bright blue fins and dark spots; giant trevally is far larger, plainer and steep-headed

Crevalle JackCrevalle jack is an Atlantic and Gulf fish with a black spot on the pectoral base and a more deeply forked tail; giant trevally is Indo-Pacific, steep-headed and reaches far larger sizes

Regulations vary by area and can change in-season — always check the official rules for your area before you fish. Regulations guide →

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