From the East Coast of South Africa Durban

[markp36]

Howzit out there!

My Name is Mark Pillai, I am of Indian decent born and bred in South Africa in a province called Kwa Zulu Natal, city of Durban,
Been fishing for the last 30 years, recently I went to a second hand book store, and picked up a book on Aussie fishing, was amazed to find out that the most saught after fish amongst you guys is the Tailor, which we call the Shad,
and many more other types of fish just that the name seems to change, we enjoy a lot of surf/beach and rock fishing in this part of the world!

Would like some tips on tailor fishing from your side we locals go crazy when this fish is in season!
I fish with a shimano 20/40 reel and a 14foot Graphite rod,
using 15kg breaking strength of line!

Tight lines
Mark

[argonautical]

Hi Mark

Welcome to ausfish.

Hard to know where to start. A typical tailor fishing outfit for fishing from a surf beach in Queensland would be as follows.......similar length rod matched with an Alvey side-cast fishing reel. Main line would be around 7-8 kg with a short leader around 15kg. Hooks would be 4/0's ganged in a set a four. Sinker weight determined by drift. Most common bait pilchards (IQF) and they are a good fit on a 4 hook gang.

argo

[markp36]

Hi Argo, thanx for taking the time to respond, much appreciated,
For Tailor/shad we use a 4 ounce sinker, free running sinker on the main line, then to the main line the float (Wine Bottle cork), 3cm of steel wire with a 4/0 hook attached to the swivel to the main line.
We beleive that the Tailor is a surface eating fish and therefore the float.
if fishing from the pier or rocks then we use a 1 or 2 ounce sinker with a bigger cork, called a top bunk,

your Jewfish looks more like a dagga salmon that we catch out here!
Fishing would good during this part of the year, it is fast approaching our winter season, and this is when we have the migration of sardines ( Sardine season) from the cold cape to the slighter warmer Kwa-Zulu natal east cost shores, they beach and are chased by game fish, a real feeding frenzy!

Mark

[saen]

Hey Mark

My name is JJ i was born in Rustenburg up in transvaal, but i have family in Durban. I live in Oz now.
Are you over there or in Australia now?

i never used to do saltwater fishing until i came here because i grew up in middleburg near johannesburg
now a chase game fish of the rocks in NSW-very exciting fishing

the way i catch tailor is under is as follow:

this is more for fishing of the rocks or a breakwall
main line running onto a swivel onto a 30lb trace with 3 ganged hooks and between the swivel and the hooks i have a float- that works well and every one else seem to do the same

but i definatelly prefer catching them on metal lures-its so much more fun!!!

good to see another south-african here!

[CHRIS_aka_GWH]

hey Mark,

my name is chris - welcome. I went to your beautiful country about 6 yrs ago playing sport & surfing & was amazed to find out the same - that Sth Africans chased tailor as well but in the warm waters of the Indian Ocean.

I loved the place & will go back sometime.

Although I started in Durban & meant to travel the entire east side #- i never got further than the Wild Coast finding a small bay on the northern side of a headland.

The headland was a porous volcanic form & the ledges underwater were alive with crayfish - like weeds all the feelers sticking up thru the holes in the rock in less than 2m of water - i have never seen anything like it & never eaten so much cray - bottles of Barcardi $11 Australian.

The surf off the headland uncontested just me, my girl & 3 mates from WA - what a buzz.

Post some photos Mark when you get some Tailor err Shad - would love to see 'em.

chris

[Maria]

Ahhh how interesting cultural diversity is. You learn something new every day.

Ben

[rickraider]

i think our jew are called kob in sth africa .do you live near jeffreys bay. ???

[markp36]

Hey JJ,
thanx for the reply,

I was in rustenburg about in december, went to the lost city cost me an arm and a leg, still paying for that trip, no I am not in OZ country, I still reside in Good new SA,

Hey Chris, The tailor/shad looks the same, but I will download, some pic's,
The north Coast of the country is Just as good as the South Coast, but you Ozzies would prefer the South with the heavy water and rocky terrain, something like your Barrier reef,

Maria, yes I will try and get my mums fish curry recipe, then you will really be culturally diversified, are you into hot food?

Rick Raider, yes u r right your Jew is actually our Kob, the pictures I have seen, made me think that that is dagga Salmon.