Rubberlip Morwong
Grey morwong are a solid reef species along the south-eastern Australian coast, running from southern Queensland down through NSW to Victoria and Tasmania.
They school in commercial quantities around 100 m depth and are regularly caught by recreational anglers on handlines and rod-and-line gear. Good table fish, firm white flesh — a practical target for offshore bottom fishers working the continental shelf.
Scientific Name: Nemadactylus douglasii
Also known as Grey Morwong, Blue Morwong, Butterfish, Douglas Morwong, Eastern Blue Morwong, Great Perch, Lubra-lip, Mowie, Porae, Silver Morwong, Rubberlip Perch
- Silvery blue body, upper surface sometimes tinted yellow or brown; median fins distinctly blue — useful for separating it from the jackass morwong, which carries a broad dark saddle behind the head.
- Long, elongated lower pectoral fin rays are the most distinctive feature — divers regularly see fish propped up off the bottom on these rays.
- Grows to 81 cm in length; maximum recorded weight around 4 kg. Most fish caught recreationally run well under that.
What to know
Habitat Distribution
- Native to south-eastern Australia; range runs from Moreton Bay in southern Queensland south through NSW, around to Wilsons Promontory in Victoria, and as far south as Storm Bay in Tasmania.
- Demersal species of the continental shelf, found from the shallows down to around 200 m, though most commonly encountered between 50–100 m.
- Usually found over or near rocky reefs, often on the sand-reef interface — divers regularly spot them resting just off the bottom.
- Schools in deeper water where it is commercially trawled; smaller aggregations are more typical in shallower recreational depths.
Key Locations
- NSW mid-coast shelf between Ballina and Ulladulla — the core of the commercial and recreational fishery, with productive reef ground throughout.
- Sydney offshore reefs — grey morwong are regularly caught by charter and private boats working the continental shelf out of Sydney Harbour and Botany Bay.
- Moreton Bay, southern Queensland — the northern edge of the species' range; fish are present but less abundant than further south.
- Tasmania (Storm Bay and surrounding shelf) — southern extent of the range; fish are present and caught by offshore bottom fishers.
Specific Spots
- Sand-reef edges and rubble patches adjacent to rocky reef — grey morwong work the boundary between hard and soft bottom looking for invertebrates.
- Deeper reef structure in the 50–100 m range tends to hold the most fish; the commercial fishery concentrates between Ballina and Ulladulla in NSW, which gives a rough guide to productive ground.
- During the day fish are often found sitting low on the bottom near structure — target the base of reef walls and ledges rather than the tops.
Rubberlip Morwong FAQ
Answers from onWater's species guide.
What are the best lures and bait for Rubberlip Morwong?
Fresh or salted fish flesh, whole prawns and squid pieces are the go-to baits, presented on a running sinker or paternoster rig hard on the bottom near reef structure. Sinker weight needs to be heavy enough to hold bottom in the current at depth; 100–200 g ball or snapper sinkers are typical on the NSW shelf.
When is the best time to fish for Rubberlip Morwong?
Available year-round on the NSW shelf; no strong seasonal closure in the recreational fishery, though commercial effort peaks in certain months. Calmer autumn and winter weather windows (March–August) often produce the most consistent offshore bottom-fishing conditions along the NSW coast.
How do you catch Rubberlip Morwong?
Most recreational anglers target grey morwong from boats anchored or drifting over reef structure on the continental shelf, using baited bottom rigs dropped to the seafloor. Handlines and rod-and-reel setups are both effective; the key is getting bait hard on the bottom near reef edges in 50–100 m of water.
What do Rubberlip Morwong eat?
Feeds mainly on bottom-dwelling invertebrates, worms, crustaceans, molluscs and similar reef-floor prey. This bottom-grubbing habit means baits presented hard on the bottom consistently outperform mid-water presentations.
Where do Rubberlip Morwong live?
Native to south-eastern Australia; range runs from Moreton Bay in southern Queensland south through NSW, around to Wilsons Promontory in Victoria, and as far south as Storm Bay in Tasmania.
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