Barramundi

Name and family

Scientific name Lates calcarifer

Also called Asian sea bass.

What makes it special

It changes sex: most start as males and become females later in life. It moves between fresh and salt water, and it jumps when hooked.

It is a protandrous hermaphrodite: it begins its life as a male and many individuals become female after a few years, so the biggest fish are usually females.

It is an ambush predator that hides near structure such as snags, rock bars and the mouths of creeks, and it is famous for aerial jumps and powerful runs.

Where it lives

Rivers, estuaries, mangroves and coastal waters of northern Australia and across the Indo-West Pacific.

It is a catadromous fish: adults breed in the brackish water of estuaries and coasts, and the young grow up in rivers and freshwater lagoons.

What it eats

Fish and crustaceans such as prawns.

Before you fish

Rules in Australia (minimum sizes, bag limits, closed seasons and protected areas) are different in each state and territory and change over time. Always read the official rules before fishing.

Fishing rules change by country, state and season. Check them before you fish.

On the channel

Francesco shows his first barramundi attempts in the Australia 2020 series.

What worked for us

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