Scratchie

Thanks. It was early but settled down for the drive home. Cheers mate! A full week or full year you’d enjoy 😉 Thanks! Don’t think we’ll ever get him. But I’ll have fun trying 👍 Thanks Pete! Me either Thanks Fil. Definitely a fish of a lifetime and I’ve been fortunate enough to land two! I might be wrong but I think the lack of a bump on the head has more to do with the abundance of bait and they don’t have to forage for their food. In other areas of the state like Coffs, their bump is definitely more prominent. I have caught one up there with a nice bump! Thanks Rick! Yes mate you do 👍 Cheers Jeremy. 95cm is the call. 👍 The old garlicker is a weapon! Cheers. Yes have a look in the “fishing chat” section Thanks mate!

Thanks mate! And hopefully BN does make it up here. To my knowledge I don’t know anyone that has landed one on plastics. I’ve been fortunate enough to land two at that size. The only snapper bigger than this that I know of landed up here in the last 5 years was a 107cm and 14.7kg on bait and is the NSW record!

I would just like to submit my Port Stephens snapper of 95cm for equal first place. Report can be found here........ Cheers scratchie!!!

Haha 😂 Don’t worry, we catch those small ones sometimes too. They can be rather aggressive at times! If I have to measure it, it goes back!

Cheers Dieter! It actually ties my PB. Definitely bring on September 👍

For those of you interested here is the life cycle of a snapper in one photo! They certainly do grow exponentially. One is 40, 50, 60, 70, and 95

Thanks mate! No, it actually equals my record. Whiskers or his brother either way I’ll take it. Its actually heart in mouth stuff on 20lb and requires a few technical things so you don’t lose it. Thanks Rebel Haha yowie!! I just need to find a pan to fit mine in! 🤣🤣🤣 Cheers Mick! We’ve lost a few so about time we won one! Thanks Baz but you can’t catch snapper on your garden! 😂 Ill let you decide but I never lie on fishraider 🤔 Thanks mate sure was! Cheers Zoran. Port Stephens always seems to throw up something! 👍 Thanks champ Cheers Sam! Conditions were sloppy at times and settled for our trip home. Thank god, cos my back and arms were sore by then! I’m getting old 😩 Thanks Kent! Haha! I’ve evolved mate but that still works!

G’day raiders, This post is a little inspiration for those wanting to head up to Port Stephens for a meet and greet. Headed out with a mate this morning to some sloppy and blowy conditions. It’s been a real struggle of late and you pretty much need to get your fish at first light or there gone. Didn’t stop for bait and pulled up to our first mark and did two drifts without a touch. Moved around the corner and I finally come up tight to a nice 50. A few more casts for nothing so we move again to a more promising spot. My mate was technically ok with plastics but a little tweaking and soon he gets hammered a line peels off. A good fight and into the net goes a just on 70 model. Yesssssssss! I “just kept casting” and soon had another 55 to the box as my mate played with some rat kings. Move again and this time it was my turn for the rats. Had enough there so we hit the next mark which was devoid of bait and any sign of good fish. Then we move to an area I’ve fished many times for decent pannies and I cast out, whack!!!! This thing is pulling line and screaming just under the surface, oh finally a decent king I think. Then I managed to stop its progress and then I can feel the signs of a huge snapper. The heart started to beat a little faster but I could feel I had a solid hook up. I started winning some line and then it started to get some back which went on for quite some time until I finally see colour. With sore arms and the knees now knocking, my mate reaches out with the net and boom! Another cracking 95cm of Broughton Island caught snapper! After a few high 5’s, giggles and wow moments, we composed ourselves and started casting again. A few more were added to the box but then we called it a day just before midday! Another cracking day in Port Stephens!!! Time: 9:40 Tide: two hours after low Gear: shimano ultegra 5000 with 20lb fins braid and 20lb black magic fluro leader, 1/4 5/0 tt jig and a 7 inch gulp garlicker. Location: Broughton Island cheers scratchie!!!

You are more than welcome to stay with us!

Another good feed yowie and you managed a nice smallish pannie too! 😝 cheers scratchie!!!

I have a Haines Hunter 470 breeze. Great little boats with an excellent hull that cut through the water very well. Whilst at the time it was a good family boat (2007 model) my family have grown up now and room has depleted. But we still manage to all get out in it and have a fish from time to time. A 520 would definitely have more room. So it depends what you want to do with the family in it. I don’t really have any negatives to forward. cheers scratchie!!!

Don’t worry Donna, I will do something special for my beautiful wife as usual. 😁

The best motor you can buy is the one that gets you from A to B safely and consistently. They come in all sorts of brands. Every brand has there pros and cons like choosing a car. Feedback is often based on personal experience and bias to a brand that has worked for the user. Finding a motor that best suits your application is often difficult without experiencing the different performance that all brands offer. I’ve been out with many raiders on different boats from a 30hp tinny to a 46 footer with dual Cummings engines. Suzuki, Yamaha, Mercury, Evinrude Etec, Tohatsu and the list goes! I rate all of them, as they got us from A to B safely, as they were well looked after and suited the boats application. Some of the info on this thread is fantastic and should help you with your decision. Good luck and I hope you find the motor that is right for you! cheers scratchie!!!

Mate, it’s actually my wedding anniversary weekend too! And what a present to give her, a weekend away from me! 😆😆😆

Love doing boat upgrades. Get a bit of self satisfaction doing the work yourself too! Good stuff 👍 cheers scratchie!!!

Awesome session there Dave and Amy. And you beat the bad weather. 👍 cheers scratchie!!!

Just hate when a plan doesn’t come together! Nice bycatch though. Hopefully that will keep you going for a while! Haha 😂 cheers scratchie!!!

Haha 😂 At least you got your target Andrew! cheers scratchie!!!

The oceans a big place Pete! There’s always room for more raiders! I’ll add you to the list! 👍

You might have missed first light but you still had a productive day! Nice work 👍 cheers scratchie!!!

Haha! I cannot account for your angling ability JonD. Lol 😝 But one thing I’ll guarantee you is that for all raiders that show up, I will give them all the GPS marks that I use to catch my fish! The rest is up to you! 👍 Let’s hope your well frank and we’ll get you out there!

BN, mate if it goes ahead I guarantee I will get you out on a boat! You would love it up here!

Thanks for all the responses so far raiders! It will be good to have a meet up and for everyone to put a few faces to names. Due to past experiences, I’ve made that date for a few reasons. It is not school holidays, therefore accomodation will be cheaper and the boat ramps less busy. The snapper that time of year are in full swing and I generally find my better or more sizeable captures are around that time. I can also adjust the date within a few weeks based on the weather and still get similar results. The format for the meet up will be the same as last year. Meet on the Friday: 6pm-8pm Anna Bay Tavern Saturday: Little beach boat ramp 5am (fish as long as you want) meet back at ramp 4-5pm Saturday night: Dinner West diggers Sunday: Fish early morning if you wish and meet at ramp between 10am-12pm for some bacon and eggs! Of course all times and meetings are optional to everyone and you can participate or opt out for whatever you want! Until further updates, cheers scratchie!!!

G’day raiders, Well, it’s time to try and organise another get together and see if we can chase some snapper. This is NOT a fishraider organised social but just an opportunity for a meetup if anyone wants to come and chase some snapper with me! With the increasing lift in restrictions and the encouragement from our state government to travel, I thought I’d just put up an expression of interest to see if anyone was keen to go fishing on the 11th-13th September??? This of course will be subject to restrictions at the time and weather permitting. Learning from past experiences, I’ll look at a long range forecast and the dates may be altered. If anyone is keen then let me know! cheers scratchie!!! INTENDING TO ATTEND @Scratchie @kingie chaser @Berleyguts @zmk1962plus 2 @big Neil @rickmarlin62 @dirvin21 @61 crusher @the skipper @frankS @Peter Nelson @JonD plus 2? @back cruncher @jeffb5.8 @quintrex52 @PaddyT @pistolpete33 @Smobaby @blaxland @tdt_blue +1 @Pickles +2 @tobycb @Jocler @Pete6.6 @tyrone07

Haha 😂 even with the amount of fishing I do, that is still me every trip! Lol 😝