They have indistinct, broad vertical barring on the sides but this may fade completely after death. They are distinguished by a band of small spots on the middle of the sides and a uniformly coloured first dorsal fin. Spotties have good stamina on a line and will fight all the way to the boat. The least common of the mackerel species in Territory waters, these fish are most often taken at between 2 to 4 kg, with fish of greater than 8 kg rarely encountered. They can be distinguished from Spotties by the large dark spots over much of their sides and the black area at the front of the first dorsal fin.
Doggies are good, hard fighters on an angler s line.
Some special fishing controls apply in Kakadu National Park. The Territory has a personal possession limit for narrow-barred Spanish mackerel. The other mackerel species are not included in the limit. A person must have no more than 5 narrow-barred Spanish mackerel in possession at any time, other than in a permanent residence. Releasing a mackerel from a line is hazardous to the angler and often fatal for the fish.