WE are currently being visited by healthy schools of ravenous tailor keen to attack anything dangled in front of them.

A much underrated table fish, tailor is one of the few fish that can be caught in every state in Australia. Growing to a thumping 1.2m in length, the fish off our shores average around 1kg and can be found from Stockton Beach north to Tomaree Headland and further north to Little Gibber.

The most popular spots are the headlands at Boat Harbour, One Mile, Fingal and Box Beach.

The best beaches are Stockton and Fingal.

I have always found sunrise the best time to target tailor.

Pilchards on ganged 4/0 hooks or any silver lure will do the trick.

As tailor are surface feeding fish it is not necessary to use any lead at all.

Tailor also swim into the port and gather along the Nelson Bay breakwall where they are accompanied by big predators including mulloway.

Wherever there is a school of tailor there is a big chance you will find a mulloway.

In the kitchen I prefer my tailor smoked.

It is a simple exercise.

Fillet the fish and rub brown sugar on the flesh side before sitting in the smoker above a metho fire. Fantastic hot or cold.

Give it a go.

By John ‘Stinker’ CLARKE