Where do I start if I want to identify a fish I have caught?

Head to the species profiles and identification section. Each guide works through the features that matter in the hand — fin colour and ray counts, mouth and tooth structure, lateral line, scale pattern and body shape — then covers habitat, diet and seasonal movements. Confusing look-alikes get their own comparison articles, such as yellowfin bream versus black bream versus tarwhine, and the three common flathead species anglers mix up most often.

Do you list bag limits, size limits and closed seasons?

We explain how the rules work — why minimum and maximum legal lengths exist, how possession and boat limits are counted, how closures protect spawning aggregations, and where licences and permits apply — but fisheries rules differ by state and territory and change over time. Always confirm current bag limits, size limits, closures and licence requirements with the relevant state or territory fisheries authority before you fish.

How do tides, moon and weather change the bite?

Most species feed in predictable windows. Our fish behaviour section explains how run-out tides concentrate bait at estuary mouths, why the last of the flood suits bream over oyster racks, how new and full moon spring tides lift mulloway and barramundi activity, and how swell, water temperature, barometric pressure and dirty water after rain shift fish location. Combine it with the marine safety and trip planning guides to read forecasts before you commit to a session.

Contacts

Talk to the Australian Fish Species team

Australian Fish Species is written and edited from Sydney, with field notes gathered across estuary, beach, rock, freshwater, reef and offshore grounds from the NSW South Coast to the Top End. If you have a question about a species guide, a rig diagram, a seasonal pattern or a regional page, we are happy to hear from you. Reader questions often turn into new articles, so a short note about what you could not find is genuinely useful to us.

Phone: +61295585271
Email: [email protected]
Hours: Mon–Fri: 09:00 – 17:00 (AEST)
Based in: Sydney, Australia

What we can help with

We answer editorial enquiries, not on-water emergencies. The most common requests we receive fall into a few groups:

Species identification: describe the fish, where it was caught, the water type and any distinguishing features such as fin spines, spot patterns, mouth shape or lateral line markings. Length and location help enormously.
Technique and tackle questions: tell us the target species, the structure you are fishing, tide stage and whether you are casting from the bank, rocks, beach or a boat.
Corrections: if a common name, a metric measurement, a habitat note or a seasonal window looks wrong for your region, point us to the page and the line and we will review it.
Regional coverage requests: tell us which state or catchment you fish so we can prioritise NSW, QLD, VIC, SA, WA, TAS, NT or Murray-Darling Basin content.

What we cannot do

We do not issue rulings on fisheries law and we cannot confirm current bag limits, minimum or maximum legal lengths, gear restrictions, closed seasons or marine park zoning. Those rules differ by state and territory and they change. Always verify the current limits with the relevant state or territory fisheries authority before you keep a fish, and check zoning maps before you drop a line. Our regulatory articles explain how the rules are structured and what to look for, so you can read an official source with confidence.

We also cannot provide safety clearance for a trip. Rock fishing, bar crossings and offshore runs carry real risk. Read the current marine forecast, wear a lifejacket where it applies, tell someone your plan and make your own call about conditions on the day.

Writing a message that gets a useful answer

Name the species you think you have, or say plainly that you are unsure.
Give the water body and region, for example a Sydney estuary, a surf beach or an inland weir pool.
Note the date, tide stage and moon phase if you know them, plus recent weather and water clarity.
List your gear: rod and line class, leader, hook or lure size, and bait used.
Say what happened. Missed bites, dropped fish and dead water all tell a story.

Detail like this lets us give you something concrete rather than general advice, and it often reveals a small fix such as a lighter leader, a longer soak on a bait, or simply fishing the last two hours of a run-out tide instead of the middle of the day.

Contributions and photos

If you are keen to contribute field observations, catch records with location context or habitat notes, email us a short summary first. We prefer material that supports careful catch and release, sensible handling and habitat protection. Please do not send content that identifies sensitive spawning aggregations or protected areas in a way that could put fish at risk.

Response times

Email is the best channel and we work through the inbox during Mon–Fri: 09:00 – 17:00 (AEST). Detailed identification and technique questions can take a few days, especially through peak summer and winter runs when the team is on the water. If your question is time-sensitive, say so in the subject line and keep it short.

New here? Start with the Australian Fish Species home page to see how the species, destination, safety and regulation sections fit together, then send us a note about anything that is still unclear.

Contact

Contacts

Use the contact details below.

Phone

+61295585271

Call

Email

[email protected]

Region

Sydney

Contact

FAQ

Head to the species profiles and identification section. Each guide works through the features that matter in the hand — fin colour and ray counts, mouth and tooth structure, lateral line, scale pattern and body shape — then covers habitat, diet and seasonal movements. Confusing look-alikes get their own comparison articles, such as yellowfin bream versus black bream versus tarwhine, and the three common flathead species anglers mix up most often.
We explain how the rules work — why minimum and maximum legal lengths exist, how possession and boat limits are counted, how closures protect spawning aggregations, and where licences and permits apply — but fisheries rules differ by state and territory and change over time. Always confirm current bag limits, size limits, closures and licence requirements with the relevant state or territory fisheries authority before you fish.
Most species feed in predictable windows. Our fish behaviour section explains how run-out tides concentrate bait at estuary mouths, why the last of the flood suits bream over oyster racks, how new and full moon spring tides lift mulloway and barramundi activity, and how swell, water temperature, barometric pressure and dirty water after rain shift fish location. Combine it with the marine safety and trip planning guides to read forecasts before you commit to a session.