*edited*

Hey guys, I'm new here to Fishwrecked and I been out n about fishing lately bout 4-5 days a week for the last 5 weeks so I figured I might throw in my 2cents.
I'm just a recreational fisher, never fished off a boat before so dont expect anything too fancy lol.

TAILOR AT THE CANNING BRIDGE

Starting at the canning bridge platform, most nights, starting from about 10pm to anywhere upto 2-5am, chopper tailor has been running, and starting well before summer. I've found that these choppers has outdone the tailors i've been pulling in everywhere else in size. Casting within the channel going underneath the bridge is the go. I found that if the current is going left, cast between the pylons to the left, always cast with the current seeing that they will usually move with the current and they're always facing the bridge to easily spot baits reflecting in the light while passing through the channel. There's only 2 spots on the platform that lets you cast there, so it's pretty much first come first serve. Bait is just the usual mulies or whitebait on your choice of gangs that fit the bait. Although, the mrs did use some really cheap lure that came with a cheap tackle box and DID pull in 2 more tailors then i did, which did heaps for my self esteem lol, that was only her 2nd time fishing after i'd I taught her. The lure was silver, 20gram, kinda looked like a sardine with a single treble on the tail. Did the job. Strange thing was, there was a regular dude to this area next to me and he'd ran outa bait so he put regular fluro coloured labourers earplugs on a 4/0 suicide and still kept pullin in choppers. The best night I had down there It was pretty much 1 tailor per mulie give or take 5 or 6 that i mashed up hookin it up badly, i always use 2kg bags so it was plenty of tailors, not forgetting the mrs nearly matching every hit with her own. Dont usually take any fish home seeing that im kinda sick of eatin em lol. One last thing about that spot for tailors is if you look in the water and theres a current pushing jellies past, its good, if the current is barely moving, it sux and the tailors scatter so dont bother chasing them.

FREO BOAT HARBOUR (near where the trawlers are docked not near cicerellos)

At this area, I always fish off the rocks pointing into the opening of the harbour. This was the first place i found where i could constantly catch tailors from about 2pm in the middle of the day. Tailors have been usually the average 25-30cm, but occasionally you do get 35-40cm. For such a known place and where waters are average, i've caught most of my biggest tailor here. Thing is you have to troll at a decent speed or cast a decent distance otherwise skippy schools will shred up your mulies real quick. There's always skippy and herring around from about lunchtime well into the early morning, but the skippy are mostly very undersized, though herrings arent as frequent but do get to very similar size as my tailors. Bottom fishing just catches the eyes of blue swimmers that picks apart my bait often. Sinking smaller baits like cut and peeled prawns usually gets me trumpeter and yellowtail. Baits i use are mulies on 4/0 gangs for tailor, peeled and cut prawns and burley or pollard (i use my own secret formula of pollard mix i been using for 15yrs) on size 7-8 longshanks for skips, herring, garfish, yellowtail. As for burley cages i always buy the ones with white foam (polystyrene), pull it apart and cut off 2/3 of the foam that allows it to sink just right. Using the full thing as you buy it isnt as good because all you need is a few waves or abit of wind or abit of reeling and your rig will still stay afloat too much. Its cheaper too 1x white foam cage + 2x empty cages = 3x perfect cages. If there is abit of swell and its hard to notice bites, use the cages with a red plastic straw goin through it (running cage). The straw has light boyuncey (however you spell it) so it'd be as good as the custom cages just with abit more sensitivity. With the leader make sure you have enough length, i think 1m is sufficient. I see alot of fishers use short leaders that wont barely even get them a nibble, well blowies.

NORTH MOLE/QUAY

This place lately hasn't been that good for decent sized tailor. Usually undersize or just reaching the legal mark. Dont get me wrong, few hrs after the sun sets there are hordes of tailor, only haven't caught one big enough for me to say F@#k thats big. This is the most recent place im making my regular trips to and it has been rather disappointing so far this summer. Snooks have been outdoin the tailors in size. Biggest snook i caught from there was pushing 48cm, a one off huge tailor was nearing 60cm but after getting up after measuring i slipped while holding onto it still, leg grazed up between rocks, ripped my rig straight off my rod (i dont know what made me measure before i unhooked it, probably still stoked bout this tailor), had to let the fish go to get myself back up. I was so disappointed to watch it swim away with my glowlight still hanging off it. Saw it swim past a few times later, tried casting ahead of it a few times to get it, but no luck. Apart from tailor, Snook also have their days when they're hording the mole, though they never seem to venture out that far out. Usually from the last rock you see in the water to about 10m out is all you need to aim for. You dont really need to troll mulies for snook, just chuck it in and wait. They arent picky eaters either, even if all thats left on your gang is a mulie head, they still go for it, unlike tailors that prefer whole unmunted baits. Snooks usually feed anywhere from the surface to a metre or 2 so below surface around here. Those that havent caught snook and likes a fight, you'll soon find yourself disappointed as they suck at giving you a go. Snook isnt bad eating either, i find its similar to garfish. If not, they make good bait as they're rich in oil.
Yellowtail and skippy are everywhere there too. Casting some cut prawns as far as you can with a running sinker can get you some tasty whiting. Cut squid on a running sinker rig got me a few so-so sized flatheads amongst heaps of gummy or port jackson sharks (i dont know the difference).
While chasing everything else, i always throw in my surf rod chasing rays. I've only just started doing this so im low on stories lol. Most ray runs i've had were usually round 5-10pm, i kept losing my rigs to some ray that are just too heavy for my outfit. Til 2 nights ago, scored a southern blue spotted eagle ray, measured just under a metre from wingtip to wingtip. God they tire your arms out good. For rays i make my own gangs with 4x 6/0 hoodlums and a few whole small squid to cover it. I find using a few squids is better then 1 bigger whole squid coz, as it may get pecked or pulled by something else, you dont lose all your bait at once, hence having to bait up less.
Last note about north mole that i see most fishers do, it isnt necessary to crowd over near the lighthouse. Most guys there just keep following everyone else thinkin thats where all the fish are because some other guys are there. I've tried most spots round there and found it isnt noticably different. Where I usually fish is, out of everyone i can see, i'm the furtherest away from the lighthouse and very comfortably away from rogue crossing lines and cray floats, i do quite well.

*added paragragh*

A useful tip you'll find is to always bring a landing net down with you. There's been countless times where i've had unexpected blue swimmers, squid, cuttlefish etc. come in with my bait. Theres nothing better than catching something else good without tryin to catch em. Always nice to have an extra addition to your lovely dishes, so why not turn it into a platter.
I always have my net, gaff and gigi spear for all those 'if only i had my...' times.

Well, off to get the mrs from work, been a pleasure sharing.

Im always out n about fishin with the mrs so give me a yell if you see me. Asian guy wearing a hat, usually got 5 or so rods with me, white subaru wrx with aluminium wing nearby, that be me.

Hows that for a first post lol. Cheers guys.