In estuaries, they like things like crabs, worms, shellfish and nippers, but will also eat fish pieces, squid and occasionally lures and flies. In estuaries they like to hang around boat ramps where fish get cleaned as well as wharves, jetties and bridges.

From the rocks they are often caught on fish pieces like pilchard or tuna and occasionally on lures like metal casting slugs.

Around offshore reefs they are taken on fish baits and squid usually fished right down on the bottom. This is also known as bottom bouncing.