Landing Yellowtail (Scad)

[roughstyler]

I've found it quite tough to catch some Yakkas for live-bait in the two times I've been fishing recently and am wondering if it's just a matter of being unlucky, or if there's something I'm doing wrong. I'll go from first light to late afternoon and only get one or two in that entire time. When I went Yesterday, I got one pretty quickly at around 6:00 am, but then could not get another for the entire time I was there (I stayed to about 4:00 pm). That said, no one else was getting any bites from anything for about 4 hours straight, which leads me to believe that I've just been having an unlucky couple of days.

Once the long dry-spell was over, I could actually see fish under the burley stream, and they looked like Yakkas (at least, it looked like some of the fish were). However, every time I sent bait down, a Diamond Fish would jump on, and I'd end up getting a bunch of those, and not a single Yakka. The same thing happened the first time - after no action, the fish finally appeared around the burley stream, but I only landed one Yakka and a whole bunch of Diamond Fish.

The burley I've been using is bread that I scrape on the edge of the pier to make it into small crumbs. When the fish are about, that's seemed to work fine, and I'd really rather avoid changing what I use for burley. The bait is either bread or chicken (people gave me some of their left over chicken breast so I figured I may as well use it) and I've caught a Yakka on both. This leads me to believe that it's not so much the bait I'm using as much as it having to do with the fish being around. It's known that Yakkas will jump on quite a range of baits, which only confirms that it has to do with their presence more than anything else. However, is there any bait the Diamond Fish are not usually interested in?

Any advice would be really appreciated.

Edited March 18, 2015 by roughstyler

[mitchie18092]

Im assuming you mean sweep - which can be a pain in the ass. I find to be 100% sure to get them, you need to be there first or last light (before the sweep wake up) and generally have an hour or so to have a go. Have also noticed that once the sun is up the good sized yakkas disappear and its just tiny little ones which can be really tricky to catch.

Bread is perfect burley, my fave bait for them is pilchard gut, stays on the hook well and seems irresistable to them. Always unweighted unless there is a bit of wind or really strong current. If so just a split shot 15cm or so above the hook and you will be fine.

Should be able to get one or more each bait. have managed 8 yakkas on the one piece of pillie gut.

[roughstyler]

Nah, I'm talking about these:

http://www.fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/581

And yeah, a lot of people like to use Pilchards because of how tough they are. I prefer anything that doesn't leave your hands stinking of fish.

I think they just weren't there in big numbers. Reading through the 'Yakka Tactics!' topic, it seems most things will do. One guy said this:

I personally no longer use pilchards or any other bait for yakkas apart from bread. Makes for less to clean up and doesnt leave you with stinky bait hands. I find if the yakka's are there, there is simply no need.

Every suggestion seems to confirm the fact that whether you catch Yakkas or not is so much more dependent on their presence rather than bait-type. Of course, they may prefer one bait over another on some days, but that's still not as important as them being around.

Cheers for the reply mate.

Edited March 18, 2015 by roughstyler

[NaClH2OK9]

What size hooks are you using and how much lead?

[roughstyler]

I believe a size 12, here:

Though, the ones that caught the two Yakkas were slightly larger than that (size 10), but I decided to switch to the smaller ones just to see if that'd help. Not sure if they'll work better yet.

It's just a mainline>sinker>swivel >mainline lead>hook. Lead is about 40cm long. Unweighted wasn't possible as the wind would've prevented it from sinking.

Edited March 18, 2015 by roughstyler

[smartrey]

Try to use sabiki hook + bread and small cut pieces of squid as bait. 90percent will work on me. As long as the YT just around,

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[mitchie18092]

Nah, I'm talking about these:

http://www.fishesofaustralia.net.au/home/species/581

And yeah, a lot of people like to use Pilchards because of how tough they are. I prefer anything that doesn't leave your hands stinking of fish.

I think they just weren't there in big numbers. Reading through the 'Yakka Tactics!' topic, it seems most things will do. One guy said this:

Every suggestion seems to confirm the fact that whether you catch Yakkas or not is so much more dependent on their presence rather than bait-type. Of course, they may prefer one bait over another on some days, but that's still not as important as them being around.

Cheers for the reply mate.

Yeah fair enough, i just find if they are on its annoying having to rebait every time you drop a line in, especially if your in a rush getting livies etc.

Havent encountered those Diamond fish where i get my yakkas, but guess they'd behave similarly to sweep. Are you fishing off a wharf? Sometimes if the sweep are a real nuisance ill cast out with a split shot or touch of lead and try and get past/underneath them as the yellowtail sit a touch deeper and arent hugging in as tight to the structure. Could be different circumstances though.

[smartrey]

Here the photo of the sabiki hook.

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[Guest no one]

You fished for yakkas for 10 hours strait?

What are you planning on using them for to fish for them for that long? Go an hour before sun up, use sabiki rigs with strips of squid on them and you'll rip them up.

[roughstyler]

Yeah fair enough, i just find if they are on its annoying having to rebait every time you drop a line in, especially if your in a rush getting livies etc.

Havent encountered those Diamond fish where i get my yakkas, but guess they'd behave similarly to sweep. Are you fishing off a wharf? Sometimes if the sweep are a real nuisance ill cast out with a split shot or touch of lead and try and get past/underneath them as the yellowtail sit a touch deeper and arent hugging in as tight to the structure. Could be different circumstances though.

Yeah, re-baiting with bread can be quite a pain when you know the fish are there. Thankfully, chicken breast seems to be a bit more tough (not as tough as Pilchards, but it still lasts quite a while).

I'm fishing off a pier. When the fish are on, they seem to stick just a little under the structure (which is a bit hard to get to), and the Yakkas seem to be around 2-3 metres down (they're usually at the point where they're just visible, but wouldn't be seen if they were a little deeper). Maybe what's happening is that what I think I'm seeing are Yakkas, but they're actually the Diamond Fish. They really look like Yakkas, but my results suggest otherwise. I'll try casting out a bit further (I usually just drop the bait straight down as it's easy to get burley straight down). Cheers mate!

Try to use sabiki hook + bread and small cut pieces of squid as bait. 90percent will work on me. As long as the YT just around,


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Thanks mate, but I'd rather not use a Sabiki rig. I've read a lot of people saying that with all the tangles and specific ways you have to get the bait off (holding the sinker), it's more efficient to simply use a single hook. It's also more manageable that way.

You fished for yakkas for 10 hours strait?

What are you planning on using them for to fish for them for that long? Go an hour before sun up, use sabiki rigs with strips of squid on them and you'll rip them up.

Well, I was only trying to get one. It was my second time fishing with my new rod that I bought mainly for Kings, and I was hoping to get a Yakka for live-bait, so I spent the entire day doing so. On that day I got one really early in the morning, used it on the new rod, and it ended up catching itself on one of the pylons after about 20 minutes. The rest of the day was just spent trying to get another.

A Sabiki rig would be impractical for me in these circumstances, mainly because I can only catch one Yakka at a time anyway (I don't have a bucket or space for one, and so I have to catch a single Yakka, try it out as live-bait, and then fish for another Yakka only once the first gets taken or dies). Plus, I'd rather use a single hook for the reasons mentioned above.

[Guest no one]

In all honesty, you only really catch one at a time on a sabiki

[NaClH2OK9]

I had lots of problems when I started but with the help of Raiders upped my game.

All the things you've listed are similar to me

I don't like sabiki either I always end up with tangles.

I use size ten mustard snek hooks. ( are you using new hooks each trip? They need to be super sharp) and only use them once. I also use very small squid bait.

I use a single split shot.

Perhaps the best advice I was given was to throw the line out and the fish take on the fall.

Yakkas are amazing at dodging hooks and the slightest indication the bait is connected to a line and they will drop it.

I'll try and find my thread

http://www.fishraider.com.au/Invision/index.php?/topic/72567-Back-to-basics.--Catching-livebait

Edited March 18, 2015 by NaClH2OK9

[JohnDory]

Tiny hook and NO lead if you can fish that way, if you have to 1/2 match head size split shot. This is no good with any wind.

light line is also imperative when they at skatty. 1 kg preferred max 2 kg.

It is a good art to learn. Teachers heaps

Also helps a lot if there around. Where were you fishing?

Edited March 18, 2015 by Johndory

[mitchie18092]

Yeah that might be the issue mate. Try soaking the bread in water and squishing it up for burley, helps it get down - and as soon as you do cast out beyond it and let it swing under. If your out early in the morning wind shouldn't be too much of an issue so always unweighted.

If you don't have a bucket - then don't discount a dead one. A nice fresh unweighted strip or full butterflied yakka will still do some damage - doesn't seem to attract the pickers either which is a bonus

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[brad_tate]

I must say I am a bit hit and miss boating Yakkas also. I follow Scotty Lyon's advice and use an 00 sinker direct to a nbr 12 long shank hook on a handline, baited with fine pilchard strips. Berley is a mix of the pilchard and a bread/tuna oil mix.

I just realised however I am using the original rubbish mono that came with the handlines, which is probably 10 lb or so.

Should I switch to 2-4 lb flouro instead?

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Edited March 18, 2015 by Tastee

[roughstyler]

Thanks everyone!

( are you using new hooks each trip? They need to be super sharp)

Unfortunately, no. I really don't have the money for that and my tackle box only has the bare basics. I'm confident in saying that my sinker is probably too big for the task, but that's all I have, and it'll have to do for now. Does my hook size look okay?

Tiny hook and NO lead if you can fish that way, if you have to 1/2 match head size split shot. This is no good with any wind.
light line is also imperative when they at skatty. 1 kg preferred max 2 kg.
It is a good art to learn. Teachers heaps
Also helps a lot if there around. Where were you fishing?

Pier 2 (Sydney Harbour). There are definitely better spots for both catching Yakkas and Kingfish, but having neither a car, nor a boat minimises my options.

If you don't have a bucket - then don't discount a dead one. A nice fresh unweighted strip or full butterflied yakka will still do some damage - doesn't seem to attract the pickers either which is a bonus

Thanks a lot mate! I'd never heard of that before, and from what I've just read, Butterflied Yakka seems to be a great bait. Now I at least have something to do if the live-bait doesn't seem to be getting any attention from the Kings. However, I do always worry that if I'm on my other rod going for Yakkas, the other rod will get pulled in if something jumps on. Someone told me that I'd be fine if I rested my rod with just the tip hanging over the pier, but when doing that with the smaller rod, even some of the Diamond Fish were almost pulling it in (they would've if I hadn't quickly grabbed the rod).

[brad_tate]

Understand money is an object, but surely you can fashion a wire holder for your rods you can hook onto the pier. If you are leaning the rods on the pier, then a simple double open spiral of coat hanger wire with a bent leg out the bottom should help. Toss in, twist the spirals around the shank of the rod (above the reel), and drop the bent leg (90 degree pointing down) over the pier edge.

The coat hanger would have to be straightened for that to fail. If the hoodlums are that big, buy a length of 3-4 mm stainless rod and do the same. Yes it costs a little but less than a new combo!

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Edited March 18, 2015 by Tastee

[roughstyler]

Thanks a lot for the advice mate. Coat hangers are definitely not as issue. However, I don't really understand the way you're clamping them to the pier. Can you try to explain it again? Sorry, I'm not the best at visualising things, I usually have to see to understand.

[NaClH2OK9]

Hi. You can pick sneck hooks at kmart packs of 10 They only work out about 35 - 40 cents each. And you only need one per outing. A blunt hook will make the difference between catching and not catching.

[stevefish]

I'm confident in saying that my sinker is probably too big for the task,

There's your answer right there, get rid of it if you can.

[mitchie18092]

If you're worried about your rod falling in - set your drag so it will go before the rod and physically hold your reel when you strike. Not perfect I know but saves you a new combo!

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[Fab1]

Mate do yourself a favour and get yourself a small file or sharpening stone to touch up your hooks if need be.(I carry a small points file and stone).

As for berley you can give all sorts of things a try.

Bread,mince,pollard,potatoe,crumbs etc all get them going at different times.

As others have said a sliver of squid or Pilly has done the trick for me in the past.

I fish unweighted or with the lightest piece of split shot I can get away with to suit the conditions on the day on a handline.

[Krispy !]

If you want yellowtail, pilchards are the number 1 bait and burley. use the smallest hook you can find and ad a tiny splitshot if there is any wind. fillet one side of the pilchard and but that up into tiny pieces, just pin one of those over the point of the hook and cast it in. keep tension in the line so when a yellowtail grabs it you will hook it straight away

[SgtBundy]

I could never get them and then a friendly regular at Balmoral showed me how he did it and it has worked for me since.

I use a handline, unweighted, single size 10 hook - at Big-W you can find a pack of them for $4 - green coloured as in the picture below.

You get some pilchard, cut just enough to cover the hook plus a little skin to hold it on. Bury the hook so they can't see it either.

Toss it in and let it sink - the sweep will pick at it as it sinks but it will get past them and the yakkas will be underneath. Keep the line loose until they run with it, once they are on pull them up. If the sweep are persistant put a little more on so it sinks faster and there is some left when it gets to the yakkas.

I also find at places like Balmoral it works better to cast out from the wharf 1m or so rather than go straight down, as that seems to keep the sweep off it for longer.

[W4z]

Hey mate,

There is a lot of good advice in this thread. Sounds like you are quite selective in the advice you take.

My advice is that if something isn't working for you then try something new! Even if it goes against your preconceived ideas, if enough people are suggesting it then give it a go. If you then come home with a couple of fish then it was worth it. If not try something else the next time.

With bread as burley, get a keeper net and put a whole loaf in then hang it off the side of the pier and give it a jingle every 15mins or so. You may need a few loaves of you want them to last a few hours.