Live Yellowtail

[fishn4fun]

Hi i was wondering if someone can let me know where the best place to put your hook into a live yellowtail (yakka) is and what size is best, it wont be used for trolling just on the drift. I never have used yellowtail before and will attempt to this weekend. Any help would be great.

[Kingy]

If I'm using yakka's I put a 6/0 through it's back about 1cm below it's skin (try and miss the poor guys spine) and in front of it's dorsal fin (if I'm bottom fishing)

If I'm floating them (for king's) I hook em the same but 1cm BEHIND the top fins (near tail) - this apparently keeps the fish swimming down and stops it sitting on the surface.

If your in a high current area (hawkesbury road bridge) the hook through the mouth helps the fish swim better and prevents hooks damaging the live bait (pulling him sideways with the current)

Hope these tips help you - they don't really help me!

[fishn4fun]

ill be sure to try these out thanks to those who responded, im heading out for a hairtail weekend up at Cowan Creek and will share a report on Monday. Hopefully ill be lucky

[djmac]

Always try to match the hook to the size of the yakka

theres no point having a 20/0 circle on a 5cm yakka...

[Guest iain]

If you're Hairtail fishing with livies the biggest problem is them getting tangled. The knots they can tie your lines into defy belief and untying them at night in the dark and after 2000 beers is near impossible, not to mention a pain in the arse!!!

Limit yourself to one or two livies at the most. Resist the temptation to put any more than that out.

There's bugger all current in Cowan so pin them through the back as the others have said. You only need to nick them above the backbone and they'll stay alive ok. You might be better off to trim their tails to reduce their ability to swim and hence get tangled.

BTW Hairtail are a myth!!

ALTHOUGH I noticed the Wattle trees are in blossom which some say is the start of the Hairtail season so you might get lucky!!!

Good Luck.

[jewnut]

there is no point hookin up a big one.

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59585[/snapback]

unless your chasing big fish such as big jewies.

[Red]

would a jewwie take a horse of around 40cms?

59745[/snapback]

Absolutely. They eat big mullet, tailor, frigates etc. Don't be shy to put a big bait out, especially if fishing an area that has produced big fish in the past.

Cheers

Red

[harold]

Hairtail

You need more than good luck, you need a bloody miracle!

Edited July 28, 2005 by harold

[Guest iain]

And you've backed this claim up with cash in the past too Harold!!!!

A low risk initiative!!!