Common names
Albacore, Amberjack, Bandit, Californian Yellowtail, Hoodlum, Kahu, King Amberjack, Kingfish, Kingie, Silver King, Southern Yellowtail, Tasmanian Yellowtail, Yellowtail, Yellowtail Amberjack, Haku
Yellowtail kingfish
Seriola lalandi
- Saltwater
- Least concern
Max length98.5 in
Common length31.5 in
Length typeTotal Length
Max weight211 lb 10 oz
Depth range0 - 164 ft
Max age12 years
Water typeSaltwater
Water temperature64 - 75 °F
Fish info
IUCN Vulnerability status
Short description
Yellowtail Kingfish have a counter-shading colour pattern once they are mature, to avoid being seen by predators and prey. They are dark blue to greenish-blue on top, shading to almost white below, often with a distinct yellow to a bronze line between the two colours passing through the eye to the yellowish tail. Juveniles are yellow with black bands. Their body is fusiform - long, slender, somewhat compressed tapering to a narrow caudal peduncle. The caudal fin (tail) is strongly forked. Their upper jaw is reaching below the front of their pupils. The dorsal fin's height in adults is slightly less than the length of the pectoral fin. Scales are very smooth, and cycloid shaped.
Habitat
In general, they inhabit rocky reefs and adjacent sandy areas in coastal waters and occasionally enter estuaries. Adults live around rocky reefs, rocky outcrops and drop-offs in coastal waters, and around pinnacles and offshore islands.
Distribution
Circumglobal on the continental shelf in subtropical and temperate seas. In Australian waters, Yellowtail Kingfish are known from the Capricorn Group, Queensland, around southern Australia, to about Shark Bay, Western Australia, including southeastern Tasmania. The species is common around Lord Howe Island region and Norfolk Island in the Tasman Sea.
Behaviour
A highly mobile pelagic species, the yellowtail kingfish tend to either form single-species schools or combine with southern bluefin tuna and silver trevally. Being pelagic fish, they are highly active predators, usually in schools or in pairs. Their main diet consists of baitfish including yellowtail mackerel, squid, prawns, garfish, and kahawai.
Edibility
Popular for their firm, white, slightly oily flesh and medium-strong taste. With just a few bones and a good recovery rate, they are adaptable to all kinds of appetising approaches. They are highly valued as sashimi fish but are also excellent grilled or BBQ’d.
Lure suggestion
Kingfish respond well to cast and trolled lures like sinking & floating stickbaits, poppers, pencils, skirted lures, metal lures and jigs. Good baits: squid, slimy mackerel, yellowtail, oily fish such as tuna.
Similar species
Other similar species
Samson Fish (Seriola hippos) have a head shorter than their body depth.