Daniel’s Top Snook Fishing Tips
- Perth has a reputation for being a windy city. Use Google Earth, along with wind and tide predictions to find places where the wind can be used to assist your casting.
- Mornings are the best time to target tailor from the beaches and reefs around Perth, as the sea breeze usually kicks in later in the day. The Swan River estuary is the best option for afternoon fishing.
- A low tide and low swell in the morning allows anglers to walk onto the reefs and make casts into deep, foamy holes. Higher tides in the morning offer beach fishing opportunities, again looking for isolated reef on beaches, foamy holes and channels where tailor patrol.
- Weed can be an issue on Perth beaches and can come and go very quickly. A spot that fishes well one day might be infested with weed the next, so have a few spots in mind before you leave home and be prepared to move spots if there’s weed about.
- In the Swan estuary, look for points and bridges, especially where there are baitfish congregated. Tailor won’t be far away and a bycatch of herring, flathead and other estuary species is likely.
- Fishing until at least an hour after dark is very rewarding, many anglers go home too early – tailor will still smash lures in the darkness.
Daniel’s Tailor Fishing Tackle
- Along the coastline Daniel uses an 8’ rod when he’s able to walk onto the reefs and make casts, or a 10’6” rod for slinging lures from the beach. A 4000 size spin reel, 15lb braid and 20lb (plus) leader completes the combo.
- In the Swan River Estuary and 7’ rod in the 2-4kg line class, Stradic 2500 size reel and 4lb braid with a 8lb leader will cover most situations.
Daniel’s Tailor Fishing Lures
- A Sure Catch Knight metal jig is a remarkably effective and inexpensive lure for tailor fishing. The 40g size is best off the beaches and reefs and it’s best to switch to a 2/0 or 3/0 single hook to reduce the problem of picking up weed. This lure works well in the estuary also, just go for a smaller size. Daniel casts this lure into foamy holes and counts it down for 5 seconds, then cranks it back at high speed, lifting his rod tip as the lure nears the shore to avoid snagging the reef. Occasional pauses can work too, just don’t let the lure sink to the bottom.
- Zipbaits Boom 135mm is a 25g hard body stickbait that is more effective than the Surecatch Knight but is too expensive to throw around reefy areas. Daniel uses this lure around beach gutters and holes where there isn’t too much structure to snag. Work this erratically by cast it long, giving the lure a strong rip, three quick winds of the reel and then a pause. Repeat the rip, wind and pause pattern back to the rod tip. Removing the front treble will reduce the potential to snag reef of weed.
- The Savage Gear Missile will take a range of species in addition to tailor. Cast long and retrieve. This lure flutters more slowly than the Surecatch Knight, so Daniel tends to pause more often and often finds fish take the lure on the drop
- In the Swan Estuary the Daiwa Double Clutch 95mm is a great lure that will take plenty of tailor and other species. Removing a set of trebles from the lure will reduce the damage to fish but will make the lure slow-floating, rather than the suspending lure it is straight from the packet. Wade out, cast, rip for a couple of seconds, pause, rip the rod, wind fast and pause again. Mix the retrieve up and randomise the pauses and rips.
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