1. Tide Changes

New or full, both sides by 3 days

Bait switch implies SWF,

 anything at all caught locally and still ALIVE.

good luck

I'm no expert when it comes to chasing billies but I've heard around the springs is a good time to be chasing them so new/full moon like Gaz suggested would be good.

Obviously, live bait would be good but this isn't always easy to get. When we were at the Rowleys we switched with dead gardies and the sails rarely refused.

They get pretty finicky in the gulf at times and livies are the key. Having said that, I've never caught a gulf sail but tried f***ing hard last year switching up and running dead baits. Got plenty of bites but seemed to be there on the wrong days. Ie. One day In deep and Sugar daddy got 17 sails between them, we went the next day and got 4 bites. (nowhere near as experienced as those guys thou) They held the billfish bonanza on the lead up to the full moon last year and it was crap, the guys had to work very hard for few rewards in average conditions.  They've changed the dates for this years comp and I think it may be the lead up to the new moon, but cant confirm.

You can use fuseliers, yakkas, slimeys all of that smallish sorta stuff, definately the way to go if you get an active bait ball. Definately going to claim atleast one this season and then jump in and film the bait balls getting worked.

thats true jay but the Rowleys are in a league of their own.

When I say anything live I truly mean anything larger than 8cm caught on a hyabusha rig and as colourful and reflective as poss. Any bombie will do it, on your way out. Im talking tiny reef fish , but use circle hooks and give em line until they turn, and ur on.

As Adam said, sailys love fuseliers...awesome pitch or drop back bait but most will work. Still have your gars on hand, local ones being the way to go!

Planning to be at Billfish Bonanze this year!

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Boys can you give any info on what are fuseliers and how you get them .However just got back from monties and switch baiting with starlo bushys soft gardies did the trick if bait fishing is slow.

Thanks guys. Does anyone know the dates of the Billfish Bonanza this year? Adam if you're around when I'm there more than happy to have you dive in off my boat for a bit of filming. Is it worth trying for them on the reef side or is Nov really a Gulf only thing?

Will go into bluewizza and find out the dates and post them up.  As for fuseliers, many different species.  Generally look like this.

Billfish Bonanza is last weekend of October this year.