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Australia's best flyfishing
Tailor pomatomus saltatrix
aka: Chopper, Bluefish, Elf

 

Tailor are found in many parts of the world and are called different things. In South Africa they are elf, in the US they are bluefish. One thing remains the same though, they are hungry and agressive predators that have extremely sharp teeth.

Tailor prefer the cooler waters of the Southern half of the continent where they are a common inshore target species.

 

The average size of the tailor found in the Eastern and Southern states will rarely get to larger than 10 pounds, however in Shark Bay in the West, fish of 15lbs are not uncommon.

As with their US realtives, the larger species become darker on top and are referred to as green backs.

 


 
Tackle and methods for Tailor

What tackle to use
5 - 7wt for 'choppers' but a 9 - 10wt for the larger ones found in Shark Bay, WA. They have razor sharp teeth and will make quick work of mono so a bite tippet of wire or heavy mono is advised. Check leader after each fish / hit.

What flies to use
Clousers; Baitfish profiles; Poppers; Deceivers; Candies

Fishing strategy
Here's a good excuse to use all those experimental patterns in your box that you never get to use on anything else. Tailor are usually located by splashy frantic surface chop-ups. Quickly present a fly into the bustup zone and get stripping - if the fish are still there you will get an eat. When not roaming in hunting packs they will often dwell under white water or washes around headlands and larger gutters.


 
Target Tailor in the following locations:

Target Tailor with the following guide:


Justin Duggan
Links to more information

http://www.fishsa.com/tailor.php http://www.fishbase.org/summary/speciessummary.php?id=364
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