svsolaris Posted October 17, 2013 Share Posted October 17, 2013 Decided to head out for a night session with a friend a few days ago. Got the tender and the 2HP (oh the Power!) to near the Spit Bridge (where the current spills out and slows down) around 10:30PM, mid-tide but in perfectly still weather with no moon. We berleyed lightly but regularly and started streaming unweighted white servo pillies (the really tiny type). Soon we could clearly see shadows but they were literally just playing with the bait, rushing it but not eating. This went on for more than an hour and a half as we tried various hook sizes, presentations and also lures and blades across 3 different spots, all for just one tailor. All of a sudden, still mid-tide, the current changed as a big eddy came our way, the water became not so clear and I think warmer and the fish went ballistic! We landed 5 legal fish in an hour, with a few more under and also both got smoked by some mafia hoodlums with bad attitudes (but we learned tons, should be able to land them in future!) I got a tarwhine (or bream? 25cm), a tailor (38cm) and a 37cm mackerel (I think? Pic below) and my friend got a similar tailor and mackerel (sorry no pic). Then the current changed again and the fish stopped feeding. Still learning so correct me if I called the wrong species! First mixed bag report, loving life Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Witha Posted October 17, 2013 Share Posted October 17, 2013 Great mixed bag! Yup love it when one little difference in the water changes a potential doughnut into dinner! Good luck on those hoodlums! Witha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
f1shen Posted October 17, 2013 Share Posted October 17, 2013 That mackerel is a yellowtail. You can eat them, but they're very 'fishy' tasting - they go ok smoked. Much better as bait! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sydangler Posted October 17, 2013 Share Posted October 17, 2013 Yep yellowtail and its a bream. You rarely cant hoodlums (kingfish) at night more aussie salmon, big tailor or possibly jewfish. The smaller yellowtail make great live bait drop them to the bottom on 30lb+ for jews. Or the big ones butterfly them and drop them down. Another tip any pelagic fish (ie tailor, salmon, kings) should be bled straight after capture but cutting from the underside of the gills up to the spine. As for the bait the "white servo pillies" are possibly white bait? But sounds like you had a great night keep it up and the fish will keep coming. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
svsolaris Posted October 17, 2013 Author Share Posted October 17, 2013 Thanks for the advice guys. I'd call it whitebait too except the bags say "white pilchards". Will do more research on fish identification lol. Also I confess I love the fishy taste... Spicy food you see... It's not my fault, I was born like that! :-P Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paikea Posted October 17, 2013 Share Posted October 17, 2013 Looks a little big for a Yakka, more likely to be a Cowanyoung. Following is a description of the Cowanyoung. "Cowanyoung are dark green to green-blue on their back and silvery on their lower sides and belly. Their fins are translucent or grey. Cowanyoung have large eyes. Their main lateral line bears large, keeled scutes along its entire length and curves gently downwards behind the pectoral fin. The secondary lateral line extends posteriorly to well past the beginning of the second dorsal fin." Cheers Paikea Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
svsolaris Posted October 17, 2013 Author Share Posted October 17, 2013 Found it on FishBase: Yellowtail Horse Mackerel, indigenous to ANZ, grows to 50 cm, and they do record the Aussie nickname as Yakka. Next up, I've got to learn to tell a tarwhine from a bream! Any tips? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
svsolaris Posted October 17, 2013 Author Share Posted October 17, 2013 Oh btw FishBase also records cowanyoung as Aussie nickname for both yellowtail and greenback horse mackerels. Bit tricky! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tom_125 Posted October 18, 2013 Share Posted October 18, 2013 that is a big yakka!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sam bros Posted October 18, 2013 Share Posted October 18, 2013 well done on the mixed bag this link will give more info on the cowanyoung aka jack mackeral: http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/375870/Common-Jack-Mackerel.pdf cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flickn Mad Posted October 18, 2013 Share Posted October 18, 2013 yep that's a bream. cant really tell you the difference to a tarwine but once you've seen one you will pick it. Just a slightly different shape and more silver than a bream. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harold Posted October 29, 2013 Share Posted October 29, 2013 Great catch and I love the power comment re the outboard! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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