Long Reef 2nd/3rd June

[PPSGT]

Hi Raiders,

After posting for some help on catching a NSW red, one fellow raider offered up some advice on how to target them off Sydney ( spoke to him for about an hour he's as snapper mad as me)

So armed with 5kg of Burley we headed out in fellow raider Stipo's boat with his mate Paul on Sat at 9pm to target snapper on the grounds between North Head and Long Reef.

We tried for squid around Manly wharf but all we got was one lonely Yakka - Stipo made an expert cast that landed his jig around a pole near some outdoor tables. Paul and I hid while he yelled out to a table waiter to unhook it. He unhooked it but 5 minutes later a security guard appeared and called us over.

Thinking the worst we motored closer to speak with him, where he gives us his opinion that black squid jigs work better around the wharf at night but he hadnt seen many squid there lately ( maybe he was a raider?)

So with that advice and a lonely yakka we headed off to Long reef around 11pm.

So 5 hours drifting, burleying and cubing later not a single fish is on board. The three highlights of the evening being a massive run and doubled over rod with a screaming drag on Paul's rod left unanswered

( radio on/ drinking coffee and eating biscuits I asked who's drag is going off but it was too late...)

And I hooked a good red, with some good head shakes up the line but was busted off after less than 30 secs first time using fluro carbon may have caused this....

And a helicopter using its search light low over the water

So by 5 oclock we where freezing cold and packed up for home. Got to Clifton Just before daybreak and Stipo fired up the fry pan for some Bacon rolls before we headed in.

Burleyed up while waiting for one trevally - the kings where there but not feeding and the tailor were around in numbers as well.

After the rolls instead of heading home we went back out for "one last go" for a snapper.

First drop up comes a 34cm Snapper so a quick study of the sounder is made to determine what the reds look like on a digital sounder. Once we had that worked out we managed plenty of Sgt Bakers ( which are a good sign) and another 38cm red. Not the big ones we'd hoped but a good start for our first outing, And by

this time we were well overdue home for other commitments.... ( we each had to make a call to the

to let them know "were still "

Just before we left Stipo decieded to try out his Magic Premade rig - Basically whipper snipper cord

decorated with 10/0 circle hooks and lumo beads. On goes half a kilo of cuttle fish and its dropped to the bottom. Within 30 seconds his doubled up the rod on a snag. The lever drag then screams off and he's

losing line to the now rather angry snag.

After a short fight a 3.5kg groper is landed. Unfortunately we couldnt release it as it had blown its stomach at both ends on the way up and in my experience with gropers they die in that state unless you have a needle to pop their air bladders ( your allowed 2 by line so I guess keeping one is ok )

However it made great thai style pan grilled fillets on Sun night and Groper Laksa on Mon night YUM!

We didnt land the 5kg red we were after but a great night was had by all. With no GPS marks, Zero NSW Snapper experience and no idea what snapper looked like on Stipos digital sounder ( They show up a lot different on my Lowrance) I think we did pretty well and now we have some very good marks we found while drifting around so our next trip should be a bit more productive

Jason

Edited June 5, 2007 by PPSGT

[TheDiko]

Great work mate, I would love to get a Groper one day, especially one of those giants they get while jigging.

Not so much a pity that you didn't get the big Snapper, without a GPS I reckon you out did what a high percentage of fisho's could do.

IFS

[sanger]

Nice little session there mate...... or should i say nice marathon session!!!! I haven't been out for an all nighter yet just very early mornings!!! I dont think it will be to far off though!!!

[wildfish]

good report jay keep em coming!

did a lot of stuffing around with a gps prob on saturday but ill sort it then im huntin snapper, and wont give up till im onto em!

[reefa]

Grat report dude,maybe the biggins aren't here yet, I know there are good ones being taken down the coast so fingers crossed we have a good year on the reds.Would love a 5kg specimen myself this year

[johnno]

good effort guys

i have never fish for reds but want to give it a go this season

[Penguin]

U guys are sure keen to be outsde all night,too bad mr thumper red

didnt jump on ur hook for a ride into ur boat.

penguin

[mark*]

well done on the fish and a great report to. loved the read. thanks.

regards mark

[ophet]

Nice report Jason, shame you could not get stuck into any of the big reds. I have never tasted a Groper, but I'd imagine they are rather delicious.

[sambo]

Great report aleast you manage to get 2 reds. I went down with dad to wollongong and fished between 2 islands and only manage 2 reds 40cm and a 35cm and a heap of fish.

Completely off topic but has there ever been a snapper social? i rekon this would be a good competion and some advice can be shared around as not many people on this site have masted the BIG reds as of yet

cheers