DAIWA FISHING TIPS: WHATEVER TREVOR BY JESSE ROTIN

For anyone who ever caught a Trevally before, you would know that doesn’t matter what size they may be they all give you a good run for your money. On the southern half of Australia, Silver Trevally is the most common of the Trevally species found in these waters. With a high table quality, hard fighting abilities and being an irresistible bait for many species makes Silver’s an all-round popular target and why wouldn’t they be.

Where to start your search

Silver’s and clear water certainly go hand in hand especially close to structure and cover, but it’s not the only place you’ll find them. Sand flats and deep drop offs are also some other likely places to start a search. Windblown shorelines and surf breaks which have rough turbulent water pushing onto them make good cover and often stir up food source for the Trevally to feed on.

Likely areas

• Structure for example bridges, piers, jetties, breakwaters, reefs, sand flats, rocky points, deep drop offs, harbours and channels.

When

Depending on the spot you may have chosen to start your search, will vary on what time of the year or even time of the day they will show up. Trevally can more often than not turn up as a by-catch also whilst targeting bream, snapper or even whiting and when they do they certainly surprise most anglers. If you’re fishing an area which may have tidal influences, then you may have to work out which stage of the tide the Trevally prefers. Some spots will fish better when the tide is running at its strongest and others best when the tide slackens off

What to use

Soft plastics are dynamite and are probably the most popular way many anglers target Silver’s but it’s certainly not the only technique to nail them. Using oily baits such as Pilchards and Blue bait even fresh baits like Mussels and Prawns all produce good results. Silver Trevally have an extra sense of smell and can pick up on berley trail and scents from great distances so It pays to use berley when bait fishing or strong scented plastics, plus applying scent will also add to the success rate on this great species.

Likely lures

Soft plastics – Z-man Grubs 2-2.5inch, Berkley Power Minnows 3inch, Squidgy Wrigglers, Damiki Rippers.

Gear

1-3, 2-4 and 3-6kg rods matched with reels in 2000-3000 size spooled with 6-10lb are perfect for the job. One of my favourite setups for chasing Silvers would have to be the Daiwa Battler Water Zombie matched with a Daiwa Battler 2000 reel spooled 8lb Chartreuse J-Braid, this outfit is unbelievably light and very sensitive too. With all the Battler range of rods being built with AGS guides makes feeling bites from the Trevally even in strong current easier to detect. Leaders should range from 6-12lb, with 10lb being a favourite of mine as I’ve been towelled up on some lighter leader around structure in the past. If there is very little tidal flow and the water is very calm and even clear you can always drop your leader down a size, this sometime will entice Trevally to strike when they may be a little cautious in these conditions.

Finish product

Silver Trevally is very tasty fish on the plate, and I recommend trying one the next time you catch one. Bleeding them straight after the capture will improve this already great tasting species. Trevally are also a very sought after bait and when presented fresh is deadly on species like Mulloway, Snapper Gummy and School sharks plus many more, I even know some people who have tagged and released Marlin on skipping Silver Trevally.