Hairtail 11 Dave and Rob Nil

[Robofish]

Hi,

we went out and braved the rain in Waratah Bay last night (amongst a few others) and got eleven runs but didn't put one on the boat as they either dropped the bait or bit us off. We fished 1/0 gang hooks to 12kg fluorocarbon with a red starlight above it. I have tried using wire in the past but when I did the bites dried up. I also experimented with when to strike so they didnt get past the gangs but this lead to dropped runs. I know we didnt put any on the boat last night and have caught much bigger fish in the past but there is just something about hairtail fishing that keeps me going back - in the dead of the still night its like fishing for vampires!

Can anyone tell me what I am doing wrong?

Dave

[user1829]

Hi,

we went out and braved the rain in Waratah Bay last night (amongst a few others) and got eleven runs but didn't put one on the boat as they either dropped the bait or bit us off. We fished 1/0 gang hooks to 12kg fluorocarbon with a red starlight above it. I have tried using wire in the past but when I did the bites dried up. I also experimented with when to strike so they didnt get past the gangs but this lead to dropped runs. I know we didnt put any on the boat last night and have caught much bigger fish in the past but there is just something about hairtail fishing that keeps me going back - in the dead of the still night its like fishing for vampires!

Can anyone tell me what I am doing wrong?

Dave

despite being such ancient fish, the Cowan Creek crew just got broadband and have been checking out FR every night looking for posts like yours and posting:

"LOL, busted off five guys last night" type posts on hairtail.com.au

JK, sorry i cant help,

[J Hooked]

despite being such ancient fish, the Cowan Creek crew just got broadband and have been checking out FR every night looking for posts like yours and posting:

"LOL, busted off five guys last night" type posts on hairtail.com.au

JK, sorry i cant help,

Hey Dave.

I’m the same.

I caught one only with a 2/0 circle hook hanging on a wire trace, very light ball sinker down to the trace, and a float with a light stick in it. Tried something different, as the normal didn’t achieve any results. The bait it took was a fillet of mullet. When I did land it I saw that it wasn’t hooked. It actually let the bait go on the land. That was the strangest catch I’ve ever had. My mate looked at me in disbelief.

That night this time last year, out of 15-20 people fishing in the space of 6 or more hours I was the only one to catch a hair tail. I haven’t tried this year but I haven’t been able to catch another one since then.

I've seen a you tube clip on how they eat and swim. It was quite strange as they were swimming vertical. Maybe that’s why we are not getting hook ups. The angle of their mouth to line is in a way that we are pulling the hooks out of their mouths? Love too hear from others as well.

Jim

I found this article by Ken Alexander, if you haven't already read it.

http://www.fishraider.com.au/fishing-articles/how-to-catch-hairtail.php

Edited June 3, 2012 by J Hooked

[Robofish]

I think my mate Rob is going to need therapy-he kept breaking into Tourette's during the session an now every time I mention hairtail he gets a twitch in the corner of his eye we will be back and will put some on the boat next trip!!

Dave

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[chrisg]

Picked up four last night. The key really is do nothing. Let the rod load up when the fish is committed enough to move away. Reacting to 'bites' tends to cause them to let go. When the rod is loaded give the rod a good heave to set the hooks.