Moloolaba River Hairtail

[Mexikan]

Went fishing last night again at the river flicking lures while the kids were soaking baits.The daughter caught a few bream but the main attraction of the night was hairtail started getting strikes on the 65mm drop bears and then hooked up.The hairtail were coming up to the area where the water was lit up chasing bait fish etc.So they had no problem with the squidgy paddle tails and flick baits and made a real meal of them with there teeth.Those teeth weren't so good on the fluoro carbon leader too cutting through as I lifted them on the bank.
The daughter and son both caught one each which made their night one on a lure and one on bait on the rewind.
Ended up keeping a few to try and also to try for bait on the local bream population.
The hairtail were great to eat but a few to many bones for my liking.
Mex

[Les]

Great catch mate, Good to see the kids having fun aswell. Never caught one myself they look like good fight. Ugly things though!

[chief]

Nice work mate, unbelievable chrome colour. Cheers

[supa29]

mate smaller ones make awesome spandard baits if you got a boat taste like crap

supa

[smclaren]

Spaniard baits, hey ?

Keep a few for me will ya, Mex ? I'll pick em up ;)

[Mexikan]

:) LOL smclaren. You know where to catch them now
mex

[004dam]

You had a killer session on the hair tails. I would of moved on after one though not really fun handling toothy buggers. Next time though try a surface lure they do spectacular hits launching them selves out the water.

[Mexikan]

Thanks will have to try some small poppers next time.I saw the hairtail belly flopping a couple of times they were quite active. You also need to up the fluoro carbon when those toothy suckers are about or you'll lose your lures.
Mex

[theangryangler]

Used to chase the hairtail a lot in stockton and the hawksebury river.
Easiest was always a whole pille under a float and just wait.
Great haul there mate.
Before ya eat them throw them in the bath tub and use a dish scourer to scrub away all the silver/chrome crap as that is what makes them bad tasting! Very good eatin after this is done.......

[randell]

Got 5 this morning in the Mooloolah Rv, What's the legal size?
Scrubbed them as above......
no pics, but the same size as above...........
You really need those long nose pliers , if you want to release them.....
randell

[Mexikan]

Randell I believe there is no size or bag limit from what I have gleaned off the web.NSW has a bag limit of 10 but QLD and other states dont have any limits.Good work on catching a few.Lures or bait?
Mex

[randell]

hi mex,
Lure, a small tailor slug.... left them biting.... have to eat one first, and they are not big like I've heard about down south 1.5 mtr.
Might be a juvenile school on the move somewhere along the coast...........

nice to get a few fish for a change.........
randell

[randell]

nice eating, but you wouldn't want to take any under 80cm as the there are a lot of bones, i just pulled the top and bottom bones away , and removed the backbone.....

I'll try again....
randell

[nuggstar]

you's are a bit slow, iv been slaying them in the river for over a month hehehehe. top stuff mex. toothy buggers still cut thrugh 40lb.

[randell]

you's are a bit slow, iv been slaying them in the river for over a month hehehehe. top stuff mex. toothy buggers still cut thrugh 40lb.
What do you do with them?
Eat or bait?
randell

[nuggstar]

nothing, kick em back in hahaha. i just like catching them, lots of fun, i just wish they pulled bit harder

[randell]

Bet the big 1.5 mtr ones do..........
i forgot my pliers, and wussed out at grabbing the head and removing the treble with my fingers, so I took a few home.....

anyway , at least the river is clearing up....
randell

[captain red beard]

We call them ribbon fish up here. Excellent trolling bait or awesome bait for grunter.

[smclaren]

Check this ribbon fish out .....

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2007-11/29/content_7166865.htm

[bondy99]

Hairtail pattie very nice if you have a mincer, just add onions or garlic and fry with olive oil with a few herbs and down a few beers.