Threadfin salmon are hard-fighting inshore fish that are a real favourite up north. They pull well, eat well, and often turn up in dirty water where other species are harder to find.
In Australia they are mainly found across the tropical north, from the Kimberley through the Top End and around the Gulf country into Queensland. They like muddy estuaries, tidal rivers, creek mouths, harbour channels and adjacent inshore flats, usually in shallow to moderate depth with plenty of run.
Threadies feed on prawns, mullet, herring and other small baitfish, along with crabs and small marine life stirred up by the tide. They hunt by cruising edges, drop-offs and pressure points, and they are very comfortable feeding in dirty water where they can corner bait.
Tide matters a lot with threadfin salmon, and they usually feed best on the making or falling tide when bait is pushed along drains, flats edges and channel mouths. Low light is a big plus, especially dawn, dusk and overcast periods, though they will still eat through the day in coloured water. Light to moderate wind is often fine because a bit of ripple and stirred-up water can help them, but strong wind can make boat control and lure presentation messy. Smaller swell is generally better around creek mouths and inshore zones, while too much swell can dirty things up excessively or make fish move off the edge.
A 10 to 20 lb spin setup is a good all-round option, with soft plastics, vibes and prawn-style lures working well when you can stay near the bottom. If you are bait fishing, live prawns, mullet strips and fresh herring are top options on a simple running sinker or lightly weighted rig. Use solid leader because threadies fight dirty around snags and rock bars.
Threadfin salmon have long feeler-like filaments near their pectoral fins that help them detect food in murky water.