After the dismal report last month I can promise you this month is going to be red hot, especially on the beaches. The big whiting have moved in and the tailor schools are following them into the gutters also.

You can always tell when big sand whiting are around; blokes bending over with a bucket next to them while trying to pull out beach worms is a sure sign something’s going on. Additionally, if you see anglers shuffling around in the sand looking silly, they’re doing what we anglers call the ‘pipi shuffle’. Both worms and pipis are great bait for whiting (remember pipis can only be used on site and not taken from the beach). Gulp Sandworms can also fool the whiting pretty well when they’re thick – if the tailor don’t get to them first that is.

When it comes to tailor the best bait is a pilchard, and the fresher the better. You can get good results using live herring as well; these baitfish are around in the estuaries at the moment.

Of course, you can always cast chrome lures into a gutter for tailor, and if you’re a millionaire you can toss in blue and silver soft plastics. You will probably get only half of them back but damn, they work well! I cut a new tail with scissors if there is enough tail left. Sometimes I cut them five times before I have to take them off to replace with a another one, which isn’t too bad. I love Berkley Gulp Jerkshads in watermelon pearl in the longest model going for tailor, and Gulp Naturals for whiting. Both are dynamite in the surf.

An angler asked me the other day why I was using Pink Braid as he hadn’t seen it before. I have been playing around with this new Schneider line for a while now and have found it to be excellent for offshore work. Once you are out wide in the really blue water currents, or over the shelf, this line just about disappears. I recently trolled it for mahimahi but ended up with a tub full of bonito – not that I’m complaining as that’s my winter bream bait. As I watched the line nearly disappear in the water as it sank, I speculated that maybe the fish couldn’t see it either; they certainly snatch the lures with gusto. Once you let your leader down the Pink Braid sinks like magic. I have been casting it to tailor off the rocks as well as squid, and it’s gotten both species. It’s pretty tough also and can handle a bit of wear and tear when rubbed up against the rocks. I wish all gear was so robust.

This month I recommend grabbing a mate with a 4WD and searching the beaches for holes and gutters. Whether you prefer to cast lures or use bait, I think the odds will be in your favour. The amount of fish I have heard of lately that have been caught is amazing, especially the tailor, whiting, bonito, mahimahi and marlin, so stop reading and go get ‘em! They are definitely there and should stick around this month as our water temperature is great for so many species. Offshore you can expect morwong, teraglin and bonito – plus there are squire everywhere!