Species: Giant Trevally

Giant Trevally are found in both coastal and offshore waters and are often found sitting in slack water near tidal currents waiting in ambush mode for unsuspecting bait. Fly anglers sometimes encounter them on tidal flats in a few of the warm water areas they live. The Seychelles as well as Christmas Island are both known to fly anglers for their Trevally opportunities. The fish will use flats, and are there to forage just like the Bonefish and Permit.

Trevally will aggressively take a well placed streamer or popper, and an angler better have the right gear backing them up if they hope to land one of these big, powerful fish.

Trevallies are active fish that have most fast fish features; forked tail fin, streamline bodies and the muscle to propel themselves quickly when need be. They are generally silver in color with blues and yellows appearing in some fish. They have thick lips and hard mouths, but no serious teeth. When handling Trevally anglers must be aware of the sharp nature of the tail scutes, (the area right above the fork) as these can be very sharp. The use of a good glove, or boat towel is recommended when landing one of these fish.

The men's fly rod record for the Giant Trevally is 79 pounds 9 ounces and the women's record for Giant Trevally is 45 pounds 3 ounces. It is an amazing achievement when one considers the men's record was caught on 16 pound line.

Trevally prefer a water temperature between 70 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit. This ideal temperature gives them plenty of fighting gusto. When they are hooked they will try to head for cover, and will make a first powerful rush that can be nearly impossible to stop. Big Trevally are caught with some frequency, but the biggest Trevally are solitary and prefer to feed nocturnally.

It is safe to say the Trevally looks out of place on ocean flats, but there is no better place to hope to encounter one. Their aggressive nature, their size, their unparalleled endurance and brutish force make the Trevally perhaps the biggest bonus catch on the flats fishing scene.

The Giant Trevally also has a few sporting cousins that are often encountered and caught on ocean flats, these are the Blue Fin Trevally, and the Golden Trevally. They may not grow to the massive sizes of Giant Trevally, but they certainly retain the same aggressive behaviors, and fighting attitude of this marauding fish.

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Equipment

10 Weight Fly Rods: What we use: Sage TCR, Sage Xi2, Winston Boron IIX
10 Weight Saltwater Fly Reel: What we use: Tibor Riptide, Abel Super 10
Saltwater Floating Fly Line: What we use: Scientific Angler Mastery Series Saltwater Lines
20 Pound Leader Connected to 60 Pound Shock Tippet: What we use: Seaguar Flourocarbon
High Quality Poarized Sunglasses: What we use: Action Optics
Flies: Flies for Trevally consist of all big saltwater streamer patterns. Strong hooks are as important as anything. Blues, greens, whites, and some flashy materials are all Trevally attractants. Surface poppers also work well at drawing strikes from marauding Trevally and are many anglers favorite way to approach these fish.

Technique

Catching Trevally on the fly requires a basic streamer technique. This means sighting the fish, establishing the fishes direction, and intercepting them with the fly. Once you have their attention, it is then simply a matter of imitating a swimming bait fish and moving the fly away from them in a rapid manner. With some luck they will charge the offering and try to consume it. Once they are hooked anglers must make it through the initial mad rush of the fish, the assistance of a boat will greatly aid in landing them. Wading anglers are at a disadvantage, but with good fighting skills and good equipment, they to can land one of these fine flats denizens.