Estuarine Cod
name: Estuarine Cod
other names: Orange-spotted Grouper or Brown-spotted Grouper
The estuary cod has a characteristic large mouth. Their head, body and fins are olive green or creamy brown, covered with brownish, orange spots, either rounded or oblong, and they have five blotchy dark bars across the body.
Estuary cod inhabit tropical and subtropical waters. They occur on coral reefs and rocky sea beds in turbid areas, to depths of 100m. They are often found in brackish water over mud and rubble. They make frequent use of shelters, which suggests an ambush method of feeding. Younger fish are commonly caught in estuaries.
Estuary cod are carnivorous, being major predators of fishes and benthic invertebrates such as prawns and crabs.
This species reaches up to around 230cm in length (230kg). They live for around 17 years and are mature at about 4 years of age (49cm).
Estuary Cod are a light tackle species. They can be caught fishing on or just of the bottom with baited hooks, but also will readily take lures or flies.
