Every fisho has a Tailor story. They are one of those fish that can be caught a variety of ways and have been so for generations upon generations. We always hear stories of fathers and sons, daughters, husbands and wives standing shoulder to shoulder casting into a gutter, pulling in a few Tailor.
Our mate Sammy Hitzke has a few very similar stories to tell and equally loves his Tailor fishing. So we thought it would be high time to get a few tips out of him, so you too can make some Tailor memories for yourself.
BAIT
- Whole pilchards on a two or 3-ganged set of hooks are the classic Tailor bait. Make sure your hooks are lined up on the fish first before penetrating. The top hook should line up nicely with the eye of the bait.
- Sammy Tip: Try using a half pilchard, or even scoring a whole one to let more of that oily scent waft through the water.
- Sammy recommends two larger hooks with a swivel between them.
- Other flesh bait that works well are slices of mullet or tuna
LURES
- Of recent years, lure fishing for Tailor has become far more popular. Casting metal slugs into the surf is all the range.
- Sammy Tip: Start small, something in the 40gram range and work your way up. It’s all about matching the hatch.
- Smaller stick baits and poppers will also work well. Try these if you’re fishing from the rocks.
REELS
- The old faithful Alvey Reels have been used for decades for Tailor fishing. Modern models to consider would be those in the 6500 size.
- Spinning reels are also very usable, and much better if you’re casting lures. 8000-sized will be very capable here
TACKLE
- 30 pound mono is your best friend, with a heavier leader in the 50-60 pound range.
- If using spinning gear, 20 pound braid will be just fine, coupled with an equally sized 50-60pound leader.
