black GT's

[Geoff Volter]

I'm sure somebody has a theory or an answer- but what is the thinking on why some GT's in an area are black?

At midway it looks as though most are black, yet in other area's there is a mix...

Just wondering.

[Jon Li]

According the Japanese GT anglers , the black colored GTs are full of eggs . Now I can't substantiate this because we release all the GTs we caught .

Jon .

[Warwick Joyce]

When fishing in north qld we were catching mostly silver/gray gt's however 2 fish were landed were quite dark bordering on the black color you are talking about. Maybe it is the egg thing???

[Brandon Khoo]

I've seen them literally change colour from silver to a much darker colour while in the boat.

[Luke Wyrsta]

I've seen them literally change colour from silver to a much darker colour while in the boat.

That's a tough one - my speculation is that is more related to stress than anything.

I do agree that GT's in the water or amongst other GTs are getting ready for breeding.

[Darren Cook]

I've read a theory that the black ones are males, full of testosterone and ready to breed.
The extra testosterone making them more aggressive and harder fighting but I've never caught one, wouldn't know how they  pull.

There's a great scene in "Legends 5" where Okubo lands 2 small black GT's on one popper. They were obviously cruising together.

[Jay Burgess]

When I was at the Rowleys I saw a black/silver pair hit my popper simultaneously. Unfortunately the silver one hooked up Anyway, it seems that they quite often pair up, perhaps it's a male/female pair during spawning or something?

[Peter Lowe]

Dont you guys watch the movies - their is always a TOKEN  -

 - he also always dies first too........


 



 

[Brock Arifovic]

Very good point you have bought across Crazy, but it still doesn't help me to catch 1 

one day maybe, i will just have to get out & fish more often, things to do places to be.
this is my new mission. hopefully we can get a few each together one day?

[Aaron Concord]

In the clear water of the Coral Sea, I've seen a heap of individual and multiple G's 'turn black' when aggressive and about to pulverise a popper or stick bait.
This has happened more when there are a group of G's and their is obvious competion for the lure.
Most are silver/grey to blend in with the reef flats & edges, though go pitch black when fired up.
Maybe they are Males full of baby batter...haven't taken the life of one to check out its 'nads to be certain!

[Andy Rowe]

More information to support the black coloration of the male GT in this article. It's becoming more conclusive that the darker dorsal coloration is assumed by males during courtship and spawning. Hence one may infer testosterone boosted fighting qualities of the darker fish. See the later part of this article.

http://zoolstud.sinica.edu.tw/Journals/46.2/186.pdf

It also appears you may come across hybrids, GT and Bigeye trevalies can hybridise with Bluefin trev's, so don't be surprised if you catch what appears to be a 50 Kg Blue GT . Though this appears to happen more in locked lagoons.

I don't have a 'Nature' subscription but if anyone does, would they be so kind as to share this article??

http://www.nature.com/nature/journal.../178934a0.html

Seems this journal article is focused on the sexual color differences of our favorite Trevally.

Cheers