Light Tackle Pelagics
Chasing fast-moving schools of longtail tuna and Spanish mackerel across coastal reefs and headlands with light spinning gear and hard-bodied lures is a thrilling inshore experience available along most of Australia's northern and eastern coastlines. Schools can be located by working headlands and watching for diving birds.
Target Species
Fishing Locations
- • Outer Whitsunday Reefs
- • Cape Moreton
- • Cape Tribulation Offshore
- • Solitary Islands Marine Park
- • Muiron Islands
- • Cape Hillsborough Reefs
- • North Reef
- • Cape Cleveland
Fishing Tips
- 1
Be on the water at first light — longtail tuna and Spanish mackerel feed on surface bait schools in low light and the action typically dies by 9 am on calm days.
- 2
Cast hard-bodied bibless lures or metal slices into breaking fish, let them sink 1–2 seconds, then wind fast with the rod tip high to create a fleeing-bait action.
- 3
Use a 30–40 cm wire trace (single-strand or 49-strand) for Spanish mackerel — their razor teeth will cut through any mono or fluoro leader on the first run.
- 4
On calm days, look for nervous bait patches (surface rippling without wind) and birds hovering low — these indicate fish pushing bait from below.
- 5
If fish go off the surface bite, switch to a small chrome or pink metal jig and work it mid-water with fast lifts — longtail tuna in particular will keep chasing even when not visibly feeding.
Gear Setup
Longtail Tuna
- Rod
- PE2–3, 7ft medium spinning
- Reel
- 5000–8000 medium spinning (e.g., Shimano Stradic SW, Daiwa BG)
- Main Line
- PE2–3 (20–30lb braid)
- Leader
- 30–50lb fluorocarbon
- Lures / Terminal
- Metal slugs 20–60g, cup-face poppers 40–80g, bibbed minnows 80–110mm
- Drag Setting
- 4–7kg
Spanish Mackerel
- Rod
- PE2–4, 6–7ft medium spin or overhead
- Reel
- 5000–8000 medium spinning (Shimano Stradic SW) or 30-class overhead (Penn Squall 30)
- Main Line
- PE2–4 (20–40lb braid)
- Leader
- 49-strand 30kg wire (preferred) or 60–80lb fluorocarbon
- Lures / Terminal
- Trolled hard bodies 10–15cm (Nomad DTX), chrome lures, live bait (yakkas)
- Drag Setting
- 6–10kg
Wire trace essential — mackerel razor teeth cut through mono instantly