S. analis is an opportunistic predator, taking a variety of crustaceans, polychaetes and molluscs, with a transition of diet seen as the fish mature.

[4] The golden lined whiting has a very similar profile to other members of the genus Sillago, with a slightly compressed, elongate body tapering toward the terminal mouth.

[5] The juveniles tend to remain in the warmer, shallow waters of protected inlets, mangroves and estuaries, often with other species of whiting.

[6] The diet of the golden lined whiting varies along its range, however it takes similar food and shows the same transition in prey items during its lifetime throughout its distribution.

Juvenile fish tend to take a mixture of polychaetes which they 'plough' from the sand,[4] small bivalves, including Mesodesma eltanae and Glauconome virens as well as amphipods while at lengths less than 80 mm.

[7] Studies by Brewer et al. (1992) have shown that the Golden lined whiting is an opportunistic nocturnal hunter, taking the most vulnerable, easily accessible prey.

The most commonly caught prey at night were crustaceans, while buried annelids were ignored and molluscs were left alone except for taking the unprotected siphon tips of a species of bivalve; Glauconome virens.

Adult fish greater than 200 mm had no siphons in their diet however, electing to take larger molluscs, annelids or crustaceans.

[10] Juveniles of the species inhabit shallow shores including lower sections of creeks and rivers, favouring muddy-sand substrates also with less than 1 m depth.

[4] The golden lined whiting is a major commercial species in some parts of its range, particularly in Shark Bay and to a lesser extent in Queensland.