Greenbackathon

[Slider]

Mick - the tailor school won't be spooked if the hooked fish is played past the edge of the gutter and into the swash. So if the fish is dropped in the swash or caught and released, then the fish stay on the bite. But if the fish is dropped in the gutter, then problems occur. Earn Grant informed me that this would be due to the release of pheromones from the distressed, hooked fish and he said that this is the official and accepted cause of 'spooking' in fishes. I don't disagree with Earn that pheromones play a role, but I would expect that body language (dropped fish bolting from gutter in distressed fashion) and distress vocalisations from the hooked fish, is a greater cause of spooking. The movement of water in the surf and the distance over which spooking can occur are the reasons why I suggest this would be the case. The fact that a hooked fish is usually accompanied by other members of the school until they obviously part company when the hooked fish is beached, would be at the core of why this occurs. I have theories on exactly how the spooking occurs, but it is a lengthy explanation and will sound far fetched to many readers. A bit like suggestions made originally about crocodile communication that David Attenborough talked about last night.

Mate, surf poppers can be useful when conditions are particularly calm. However, distance is critical in the surf and the poppers largely won't reach the water where the fish are. I generally alter my retrieval method and downsize the slug in calm conds - crank hard for first 10 metres, then lift the rod tip to near vertical and reduce retrieval speed so that the lure is dribbling across the surface (bit like a popper). The key being that the lure must break the surface and make some noise to excite a fish to strike. The same method used off headlands is very effective also. Poppers off headlands work a treat as the fish can be a lot closer to your casting position.

Mike, the pics of the slugs on lure cards was for tackle shop purposes. I only use opposite facing single hooks of 3/0 to 6/0 for tailor on 40g and larger slugs. Occasionally I'll use trebles for queenies, tuna and mackerel, but not often.
Interesting thing when we - Chris Geddes at Snapper Fridges/Marine refrigeration and Electrical Scarborough and myself - first started to market Sliders around 10 years ago, we were strongly advised by a well known lure distributor and television identity, to use very small trebles on the tackle shop version so as to increase margin. My response was that we can't as it reduces the ability of the lures to work for the consumer. He just shook his head - but we released them with 2/0 and 3/0 trebles compared with his tiny number 2s. Recently, I've wanted to control further the quality of the sold product, so that the slugs work at maximum ability - so I tend to sell direct to the consumer and 'tailor' make each slug for their particular purpose. -short wire trace for mackerel; long for tailor; mono for queenies, trevally and tuna, larger opposite facing single hooks for tailor; etc. And this way I can advise the user on how they can be best used. Tackle shop staff are limited by time and knowledge of the product, to be able to convey the benefits of the sliding slug which are sitting on the wall competing on price with cheap imports that would appear on the face to be very similar items.

Ray, best bet would be to send me an email - ldines@bigpond.net.au and I'll get you organised.

Still getting a few choppers but having to cast the 90g trolling head about 150 metres to get to the fish and is a heavy retrieve due to the shape of the slug. The old bowling arm isn't liking that too much.

Lindsay

[Haines620 Mu]

Hi Slider, thanks for passing your knowledge on catching tailor on sliders...much appreciated! have you ever tried using sliders at southport...if so, any success?

[Slider]

I try not to head south at all Haines unless I'm coming home from a trip. But I know guys that have caught tailor and trevs at Southport on Sliders. Not an area that I know personally at all though. If I do go south, then it is to Byron, Iluka, Hat Head or to the rellies at Wamberal - not much in the way of marine life around Wamberal these days I must say and I'm not seeing much of the rellies now for some reason.

[84mick]

Thanks Lindsay, in regards to the poppers what I meant was the ones you can put onto a paternoster rig while using bait?

Cheers, Mick.

[Slider]

I've never used them Mick so can't comment. In fact I haven't used bait for tailor for over 12 years as I found I was getting a lot more and better quality tailor on sliders during the day. No more shivering in the surf at night when I can be drinking beer. Many of the 10lb + fish that have been taken on sliders over the years have been taken in the middle of the day so why be cold.
Had a spin in the gutter about 300 metres north of 3rd cut just after lunch this afternoon on my way back from Tewantin. Picked up 6 fairly average choppers in quick time and then dropped one - no more strikes after that. Great water on any tide this gutter with a high bank to stand on and is about 500 metres long with sections of rock. Threw the choppers back as spaniard is on the menu tonight.

Anyone interested in Teewah - my brother has a house here also which is a bit more flash than mine. He has a website we put together for rental purposes and it has some good pics (incl a couple of fish) and info on Teewah. The house is called Serendipity and is at - www.teewahbeachhouse.com - My maroon Hilux in the pics has since turned into a white one.

Lindsay

[84mick]

No worries lindsay.

Cheers, Mick.

[LostNearBribie]

Lindsay, thanks again for all the great advice you have shared with me.
Your brothers house is amazing.
Can't wait to give the sliders a go....

[Slider]

My pleasure Red - I hope they do the job for ya.

Had a spin in the gutter just north of 3rd cut this arvy for 1 just legal chopper from around 60 casts. All the locals I spoke to today - incl 2 pro wormers - couldn't lose a worm yesterday or today. Aren't any visible fish in the surf either, apart from long tom following my slug in. Should improve over the next few days though around the full moon.

Took some pics of the 3rd cut gutter as it's a beauty.....

Opening up to the north - lots of rock in this section and an excellent 'corner' where the gutter opens to the sea. The white water on the corner with rock under it - doesn't get any better than that. However, tailor are often upstream of the corner ......

[Slider]

... upstream from the corner or the guts of the gutter - again lots of scattered rock and ample white water well within range for decent casters. The tailor are often moving up and down the sand bank, under the white water between the corners at each end or to as far as the rock extends. This is where the choppers were yest and the lone one today and fish I was getting here a couple of weeks ago.

[Slider]

Looking south - Noosa Hds in the background - the gutter keeps going and is good water all along, but the rock becomes scarce. Good area for the bait fishos to get bored and keep out of the way of the workers. Dart should be plentiful in this gutter but aren't and haven't seen a bream caught there yet.