posted by admin on Apr 27

Every year between late August and late October Fraser Island has it’s second biggest population explosion (the first being Christmas). It’s the annual run of the tailor. The breeding pattern of the tailor see them move to the warmer waters of Queensland from down south. They move up the coast with the pilot fish (so called because of their size and ability to swim faster) taking the lead and arriving at Indian Head around September.

Indian Head is located three quarters of the way up the eastern side of the island it is the start of a bay formation ending at Waddy Point. Middle Rocks jut out of the beach halfway between these two points. September is a closed month for fishing from Indian Head to Waddy, a decision that has seen the number of tailor return to a reasonable amount of stock after years of over fishing.

I can remember seeing four wheel drives heading down the beach pulling trailers with so many fish that they had no chance of keeping them chilled, just covered with a tarp, tails sticking out. There is unfortunately this macho image that says “the more fish you catch the bigger the man”.