Welcome to Fish Hervey Bay

Chasing the Tailor

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".

These sort of blokes are usually the ones that drive drunk up and down the beach, leave their garbage for the Rangers to clean up and refuse to use four wheel drive on the tracks. This latter one gets me angry again as we see yet another example of the macho bloke proving to his mates that his big 4X4 can go any where even in 2X4. They don't stop to think that they are destroying the tracks for all those that come after them due to their axle tramping (caused by the vehicle jumping as it tries to get traction).

It is not unheard of to have three or four blokes take up to 500 fish in a weeks stay. This is a pointless act with total disregard and lack of understanding for fish management.The best times to fish are the early mornings and late afternoons.

Tailor move in schools and feed on any smaller fish. Tailor are also the only fish that I have heard of that will eat until they vomit and then carry on eating. It is this vomit and fish scraps that attract the sea birds, these birds are the signal to a vigilant fisherman where the schools are feeding.

There is nothing more disappointing though when they are feeding just past the last breaker and you can only cast as far as just before the last breaker.

Fishing Restrictions

Don't forget; Bay fishing restrictions for the month of August through to September. The eastern foreshore waters and waters within 400m out to sea from the eastern shore at low water, between 400m north of Waddy Point and 400m south of Indian Head are closed from midday 1 August to midday 30 September.