Pelagic fish

Bigeye trevally

Caranx sexfasciatus

IUCN status: Least concernWidely sought

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

rareoccasionalcommonly seenpeak season
Banda Sea
Sighting likelihood by month
MonthLikelihood
Januarycommonly seen
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Schools sit in the current at Suanggi, Hatta and Koon, often tight enough to block the light. Best on the flood at Koon, where the tide concentrates the baitfish they are working.

Brunei's Offshore Wrecks
Sighting likelihood by month
MonthLikelihood
Januarycommonly seen
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Schooling jacks and trevally are reported on most of the wrecks, particularly the Blue Water and Cement wrecks where the water is clearer. Year-round; no seasonality documented.

Cabo Pulmo
Sighting likelihood by month
MonthLikelihood
Januarycommonly seen
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Possible in suitable habitat; no unsupported peak is applied.

Cocos Island
Sighting likelihood by month
MonthLikelihood
Januarycommonly seen
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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.

Derawan Archipelago (Derawan, Sangalaki, Kakaban, Maratua)
Sighting likelihood by month
MonthLikelihood
Januarycommonly seen
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Schools stack at the mouth of the Maratua channel alongside the barracuda, most reliably when the current is running. Numbers vary dive to dive.

Layang-Layang (Swallow Reef)
Sighting likelihood by month
MonthLikelihood
Januarycommonly seen
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The schooling jacks reported at Dogtooth Lair, Gorgonian Forest and The Runway, often listed locally as horse-eye jacks. Densest when current runs on the drop-off.

North and South Malé Atolls
Sighting likelihood by month
MonthLikelihood
Januarycommonly seen
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Schools hold around pinnacles and channel edges year-round, with hunting activity more visible in current.

Moalboal
Sighting likelihood by month
MonthLikelihood
Januarycommonly seen
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Schools of jacks/trevally patrol Pescador and Sunken Island, sometimes shadowing the sardine baitball.

Panglao & Balicasag (Bohol)
Sighting likelihood by month
MonthLikelihood
Januarycommonly seen
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The schooling trevally (locally 'jackfish') at Balicasag are the region's signature sight, reported year-round at Divers Heaven and along the Black Forest drop-off. School size and position vary day to day and the tight tornado formation is not guaranteed on any given dive.

Ribbon Reefs & Cod Hole
Sighting likelihood by month
MonthLikelihood
Januarycommonly seen
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Resident; forms dense schools around the pinnacles, notably Steve's Bommie and Pixie Pinnacle. Year-round; not seasonal.

Sipadan
Sighting likelihood by month
MonthLikelihood
Januarycommonly seen
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The jack tornado at Barracuda Point, present year-round (Sipadan closed in November).

Bunaken
Sighting likelihood by month
MonthLikelihood
Januaryoccasional
Februaryoccasional
Marchoccasional
Apriloccasional
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Schools form on current at the exposed points; numbers build when the drift is running.

Con Dao Archipelago
Sighting likelihood by month
MonthLikelihood
Januaryoccasional
Februaryoccasional
Marchoccasional
Apriloccasional
Mayoccasional
Juneoccasional
Julyoccasional
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Septemberoccasional
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Trevally pass through the outer sites, particularly the more exposed northern reefs. Con Dao does not have documented schooling aggregations of the kind seen in the Coral Triangle.

Coron, Palawan
Sighting likelihood by month
MonthLikelihood
Januaryoccasional
Februaryoccasional
Marchoccasional
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Trevally and jacks patrol the deeper wrecks, notably the Irako, hunting the resident baitfish. Present through the year but not in large schools.

Dauin
Sighting likelihood by month
MonthLikelihood
Januaryoccasional
Februaryoccasional
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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.

Donsol & Ticao Pass
Sighting likelihood by month
MonthLikelihood
Januaryoccasional
Februaryoccasional
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Schooling jacks and other pelagic fish move through Ticao Pass and over Bobby's Wall alongside tuna and anchovy schools.

Koh Lipe
Sighting likelihood by month
MonthLikelihood
Januaryoccasional
Februaryoccasional
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Apriloccasional
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Schooling trevally are a feature of 8 Mile Rock's pelagic feeding activity.

Koh Tao
Sighting likelihood by month
MonthLikelihood
Januaryoccasional
Februaryoccasional
Marchoccasional
Apriloccasional
Mayoccasional
Juneoccasional
Julyoccasional
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Schools around the pinnacles and larger reef sites, sometimes in tight tornadoes at Chumphon and Sail Rock.

Togian Islands
Sighting likelihood by month
MonthLikelihood
Januaryoccasional
Februaryoccasional
Marchoccasional
Apriloccasional
Mayoccasional
Juneoccasional
Julyoccasional
Augustoccasional
Septemberoccasional
Octoberoccasional
Novemberoccasional
Decemberoccasional

Trevally schools are reported around Una Una and the B-24, without reliable month-by-month data.

Sources & last checked

Checked July 2026

Research is source-backed, but conditions and fees should still be confirmed locally.

View 1 source and checking notes