Pelagic fish
Bigeye trevally
Caranx sexfasciatus
Forms the swirling 'jack tornado' at Barracuda Point — dense silver schools of hundreds to thousands, often mixing with the barracuda. A powerful reef-edge predator that shoals by day and disperses to hunt at dusk.
- Max size
- ~85–120cm
- Habitat
- Reef edges and current points, often in dense schools
Best places to dive with Bigeye trevally
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | commonly seen |
| February | commonly seen |
| March | commonly seen |
| April | commonly seen |
| May | commonly seen |
| June | commonly seen |
| July | commonly seen |
| August | commonly seen |
| September | commonly seen |
| October | commonly seen |
| November | commonly seen |
| December | commonly seen |
Large schools of jacks and trevally are a consistent feature around the seamounts and arches year-round, often massing thick enough to shade the reef.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | commonly seen |
| February | commonly seen |
| March | commonly seen |
| April | commonly seen |
| May | commonly seen |
| June | commonly seen |
| July | commonly seen |
| August | commonly seen |
| September | commonly seen |
| October | commonly seen |
| November | commonly seen |
| December | commonly seen |
Schools of jacks/trevally patrol Pescador and Sunken Island, sometimes shadowing the sardine baitball.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | commonly seen |
| February | commonly seen |
| March | commonly seen |
| April | commonly seen |
| May | commonly seen |
| June | commonly seen |
| July | commonly seen |
| August | commonly seen |
| September | commonly seen |
| October | commonly seen |
| November | commonly seen |
| December | commonly seen |
Resident; forms dense schools around the pinnacles, notably Steve's Bommie and Pixie Pinnacle. Year-round; not seasonal.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | commonly seen |
| February | commonly seen |
| March | commonly seen |
| April | commonly seen |
| May | commonly seen |
| June | commonly seen |
| July | commonly seen |
| August | commonly seen |
| September | commonly seen |
| October | commonly seen |
| November | not seen |
| December | commonly seen |
The jack tornado at Barracuda Point, present year-round (Sipadan closed in November).
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | occasional |
| February | occasional |
| March | occasional |
| April | occasional |
| May | occasional |
| June | occasional |
| July | occasional |
| August | occasional |
| September | occasional |
| October | occasional |
| November | occasional |
| December | occasional |
Schools form on current at the exposed points; numbers build when the drift is running.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | occasional |
| February | occasional |
| March | occasional |
| April | occasional |
| May | occasional |
| June | occasional |
| July | occasional |
| August | occasional |
| September | occasional |
| October | occasional |
| November | occasional |
| December | occasional |
Trevally and jacks patrol the deeper wrecks, notably the Irako, hunting the resident baitfish. Present through the year but not in large schools.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | occasional |
| February | occasional |
| March | occasional |
| April | occasional |
| May | occasional |
| June | occasional |
| July | occasional |
| August | occasional |
| September | occasional |
| October | occasional |
| November | occasional |
| December | occasional |
Jackfish and trevally school on current at Apo's exposed points such as Coconut Point and Mamsa Point; numbers build when the drift is running.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | occasional |
| February | occasional |
| March | occasional |
| April | occasional |
| May | occasional |
| June | occasional |
| July | occasional |
| August | occasional |
| September | occasional |
| October | occasional |
| November | occasional |
| December | occasional |
Schooling jacks and other pelagic fish move through Ticao Pass and over Bobby's Wall alongside tuna and anchovy schools.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | occasional |
| February | occasional |
| March | occasional |
| April | occasional |
| May | occasional |
| June | occasional |
| July | occasional |
| August | occasional |
| September | occasional |
| October | occasional |
| November | occasional |
| December | occasional |
Schooling trevally are a feature of 8 Mile Rock's pelagic feeding activity.
| Month | Likelihood |
|---|---|
| January | occasional |
| February | occasional |
| March | occasional |
| April | occasional |
| May | occasional |
| June | occasional |
| July | occasional |
| August | occasional |
| September | occasional |
| October | occasional |
| November | occasional |
| December | occasional |
Schools around the pinnacles and larger reef sites, sometimes in tight tornadoes at Chumphon and Sail Rock.
Sources & last checked
Checked July 2026
This is a researched draft, not yet human-verified. The seasonality and logistics are drawn from the sources below — confirm specifics (permits, fees, closures) with an operator before you book.
- Diving in Sipadan — Sipadan-Mabul Resort