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TAILOR
![](babfimages/tailor.gif)
![](tailorr.gif)
BEST BAITS:
Blue pilchard, sea gar, lures.
The tailor season on
the east coast of Australia is from July/ August through to October.
Tailor are most plentiful from Fraser Island in the north to eastern
Victoria in the south. Some tailor are caught in Western Australia
in the summer and occasionally in South Australia.
These fish are very
aggressive hunters and an excellent fighting fish. They also make
a very tasty meal if the fish is bled on capture by breaking its
neck. Tailor usually travel in schools but larger fish can be
found as loners or in smaller schools. Boat fishermen can catch
tailor in the open ocean, but around rocky headland and in ocean
gutters, with plenty of white water on the outer edge are the
most popular spots. Dusk or early morning on a rising tide make
excellent conditions but tailor can be caught through the day
as well.
Tailor feed ferociously
on small bait fish. When tailor are "on the bite" it
is important to get as many baits in the water as quickly as possible
as this situation usually only lasts 1-2 hours. Just as quickly
they will go "off the bite" for no apparent reason.
When tailor are biting,
cast out and return your reel to fishing position as soon as the
bait hits the water. Take up the slack and your bait will usually
be hit quickly. lean and wind with constant pressure to prevent
the fish discarding the hooks. Tailor will fight hard and sometimes
the line will need to be released to ease the line pressure. However
as soon as the fish slows, wind again and get it on the beach
as soon as possible.
If the fish are not
biting try a half pilchard instead of a whole one or try a spinner
which sometimes will stir a fish into biting. If a location produces
no bites do not stay long, move to the next most likely location
and keep searching.
Most surf fishermen
will choose the Alvey 650 A or C models but for some variation
the geared side cast 650 GRC can often produce remarkable results.
With its long casting distance ability your lure can reach right
out to the back of a gutter. The rapid recovery rate moves the
lure quickly through the water, often encouraging a good fish
strike.
The splash of the lure
hitting the water also arouses the interest of any fish so always
get your reel into fishing position as soon as possible. (Recovery
rate of 650GRC is 49" 125 cm per turn ) Gear ratio 2.5:1
Always cast into the
white water or over it and wind back through it.
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