Small tinny winter options

[-Henno-]

I have a rather little boat. I got the hang of getting it through the Currumbin bar this summer and had fun chasing mackerel, or being chased by bloody mac tuna.

Now winter is upon us I find myself staying in the estuaries and am itching to get outside when I know it is dead calm. I just can't hit the 50's for snapper like the boys in the big boats.

I have been bycatching a few tailor on plastics and surface lures and have forgotten how much fun they were to catch as I haven't targetted em since I was a kid. Not really into the long rods from the beach stuff anymore, any ideas how to hunt them from outside so I can go after some larger than estuary models? Should I just spin metal slugs from behind the breakers into the surf? Can they been seen on the surface by looking for birds and then snuck up on and cast into like tuna?

I don't expect anybody to give me any secrets but any ideas on spots to go to from the seaway to chase snapper would be gratefully accepted. Actually real secrets would be payed for with beer or spirits!

[Feral]

Used to get some biguns trolling just inside the caloundra bar years ago.

[DeeGee]

If you have been going out to Palm Beach Reef to chase Macs, you should give it a try in winter for reefies.
Last year in May I went there for one last shot at the spotties, but they were not there. I guess they had all gone North. However, I did get a couple of just legal squire, and a nice trag jew, so it's not just a summer mackeral location.
I don't know how crowded it get's in winter, but maybe it's not as bad as in summer when the word is out that the spots are on.

Cheers, Deegee.

[Fishin_Dan]

You should see tailor schools busting up on the top of the water when the birds are involved. It could also be Bonito as well....

I reckon the Zoom Flukes (4 1/4") in Baby Bass/Watermelon on a 1/8oz jighead cast into the school. Wind it in pretty quickly (Not too fast), but with pauses in the retrieve of about 2-5 seconds. This lets the stickbait fall down the water column imitating a baitfish that has been killed/injured. Then start the retrieve again. It won't take long before your line disappears pretty quickly! They're great fun on 6lb braid....

[-Henno-]

Thanks for all that guys.

Here's a coupla questions though. What lures do you troll for tailor with Feral? I gather you can't troll lasers and such so it must be a hard body i'm guessing. I spose you could troll a pillie on one of those jigs with the feathers up the front.

And Fishin Dan. What is a zoom fluke? As a collector of all things plastic I am really interested. Also where do u get em?

Cheers again
Mark

[Feral]

Thanks for all that guys.

Here's a coupla questions though. What lures do you troll for tailor with Feral?

WA Pilly's mate, no lures, no feathers, just straight up on a set of gangs.

[Roo]

the spanyid maniacs can be trolled. they're pressed steel rather than solid brass so they will sit up close to the surface at a slow troll. Minnows that imitate baitfish should work too. If your rigging a pillie to troll make sure it does'nt spin when trolled.
roo.

[Roo]

with plastics and tailor.......i think the snapbacks have a rep for being tough...or should i say soft enough to survive the teeth of tailor. not tried them myself....in fact i've not seem them in any of the shops i've looked in around tweed. might have to look harder.

roo