Tailor Fishing

Tailor – image source: http://www.fish.wa.gov.au/

Tailor (Pomatomus saltatrix) is a pelagic, fast-swimming predator fish with a robust and streamlined body. They have two separate dorsal fins and a forked tail, and their large jaws stretch back beyond the eye with a single row of prominent knife-like teeth. TTailorsmove in schools and follow behind bait fish, munching as they go. Larger tailor are found on offshore reefs and are said to rest during the day n deeper waters. They begin their main feeding runs close to shore at dawn and dusk.

Tailor are considered a ‘vulnerable species’ by the WA Department of Fisheries. They are, of course, loved by recreational fishermen as they are fun to catch, and I enjoy eating them. It is worth saying that you don’t have to catch your bag limit if you don’t need them! We are rapidly fishing out our waters, and I’m a great believer in only taking what you can eat for the day. These fish don’t freeze well, so either pack up once you have caught a couple or release them back.

The schools tend to sit just behind foaming surf, so if you are beach fishing, you need a decent rod to cast beyond the breakers. Look for a good gutter that leads back out to the ocean, and you have found your spot. I generally catch Tailor with mulies off the beach just after dawn, but others use metal lures in other situations with success.

Tailor Rig

Cooking

Tailor Baked on BBQ

If you look around on forums, you’ll find quite a few comments that Tailor are tasteless and crap. I don’t share the sentiment; they are great if cooked fresh. Like salmon, immediately bleed on the beach and pack on ice. I often wrap them whole in tin foil with butter and garlic and bake them on my BBQ. We also pan-fry fillets using cold-pressed olive oil with a bit of lemon and a tablespoon of chopped parsley.