spic Posted February 26, 2009 Posted February 26, 2009 Adelaide Goes Off! I need to run thru some history in order to really appreciate how special this trip was. I’ve got a good friend (Paul) who lives in Adelaide and thru the years we have been out in his boat on many occasions and managed some good catches of Whiting and Squid but the Snapper has always eluded us. Late last year I helped Paul upgrade to a used 5.3 Barcrusher which was purchased here in Syd and got it shipped over to SA which he has now fully decked out with the latest electronics, trim tabs, electric anchor winch and the list goes on. In short, an awesome rig. Last December we lined up a trip to target Snapper, so I flew down and met up with Paul’s mate Brian who is an absolute gun fisherman and really knows his marks. So we had the boat, we had the marks, but as is always the case, when I got down there it was blowing a gale and pissing down rain. We didn’t get to wet a line at all as the weather just did not let up. “NOT HAPPY”. Needless to say I was shattered flying home on the Sunday. The following Monday I get a SMS message from Paul and Brian with a picture of 4 Snapper approx 7-9kg, the buggers managed to get out on the Monday literally hours after I’d left and bagged out, devastated. A couple of months had passed and I was advised that I had to attend a conference in Adelaide on the 22nd Feb commencing in the afternoon. Well the plans quickly went into action. As the d’day approached the weather was looking a bit ordinary surprise surprise but there was a small window on the Sunday morning, so we decided to target the Snapper then. Sunday came around, and we got an early start and headed off into Gulf St. Vincent. When we eventually reached our spot the showing on the sounder looked extremely promising. I got a bait down 1st which didn’t get a chance to hit the bottom when it got smashed. This was a thumper of a fish but unfortunately I dropped him. Within minutes Paul’s onto another cracker of a fish and this one hits the deck and it’s a 10kg fish. This action continued for a while, and I just couldn’t believe how thick the fish were and all the fish were HUGE with only one smaller fish, 63cm caught. We were starting to get cocky as we had reached out boat limit of 6 fish over 60cm (2 each), and the boys suggested I give a plastic a run, so I tossed a 6” Gulp out which got annihilated on the drop. We dropped this fish at the boat trying to lift him in and it swam off with the plastic in the side of his mouth. The following morning Brian heads out to fish this spot again and scores 2 great fish, one was a 27 pounder. While cleaning the fish to his disbelief he finds the plastic which I had lost the prior morning – unbelievable! So after many heart breaking trips I finally managed to catch that fish of a lifetime. I still can’t wipe the smile off my face. Fish of a lifetime. The haul – middle fish was 63 cm. Brian’s fish next day – top one had the soft plastic from the previous day in it’s gut - bottom one was 27 pound and 104 cm.
nemo1203 Posted February 26, 2009 Posted February 26, 2009 Smashing snapper. They would have been great fun bring those puppies in....Well done..
lexboss Posted February 26, 2009 Posted February 26, 2009 Fish of a lifetime thats the word well done boys.
sanger Posted February 26, 2009 Posted February 26, 2009 Top reds! I bet they go well at that size!!!
spinner Posted February 26, 2009 Posted February 26, 2009 Those fish are MASSIVE!!! howd you reel those in well, ur having snapper tonight, and maybe for the next few weeks.....
snapola Posted February 26, 2009 Posted February 26, 2009 (edited) Gday spic, Brian here, nice report mate. Had a ball on those fish with you, it was just one of those days wasn't it? They're still running since you left too mate. Lookin forward to getting over that way one day soon to chase some big lizards, kings and jews. Cheers snapola Edited February 26, 2009 by snapola
Hodgey Posted February 26, 2009 Posted February 26, 2009 Gday spic, Brian here, nice report mate. Had a ball on those fish with you, it was just one of those days wasn't it?. They're still running since you left too mate. Lookin forward to getting over that way one day soon to chase some big lizards, kings and jews. Cheers snapola Green with envy over here snapola Congrats on a great couple of sessions fellas. Some incredible fish! Cheers Hodgey
cat-as-trophy Posted February 26, 2009 Posted February 26, 2009 Well all I can say about that is "OH MY GOD!!" They are some really great looking fish you hauled in boys. I couldnt help but laugh about the snapper with the gulp. That was one great read. Look forward to the next installment. Cheers Mrs Flightmanager
hooklineandsinker Posted February 26, 2009 Posted February 26, 2009 Those fish are MASSIVE!!! howd you reel those in well, ur having snapper tonight, and maybe for the next few weeks..... spinner7 has it right thats a top hall and that 27 pounder is an absolute monster dang well done
Luke K Posted February 26, 2009 Posted February 26, 2009 Congrats Mate! They are some classic, welldone!!!!!
tide'n'knots Posted February 26, 2009 Posted February 26, 2009 Awesome snapper guys I am green with envy. pete.
snapola Posted February 26, 2009 Posted February 26, 2009 (edited) spinner7 has it right thats a top hall and that 27 pounder is an absolute monster dang well done Yeah he was a PB, happy with that. Have caught many fish around the 10 kilo mark in last few years, but couldn't crack the real big guys. Last season I saw pics of 3 different fish that all topped 40 pounds. One was not far from where we caught these, and 2 were in Spencer's gulf, other side of Yorke Peninsula from Adelaide. We sure don't get the same pelagic action you guys get but we make up for it with the size of our snapps, KG whiting and other stuff like big kings and mulloway in the gulfs. Edited February 26, 2009 by snapola
Penguin Posted February 26, 2009 Posted February 26, 2009 Absolute monster Snappers, ten points for a good result, penguin
hambly99 Posted February 27, 2009 Posted February 27, 2009 Adelaide Goes Off! I need to run thru some history in order to really appreciate how special this trip was. I’ve got a good friend (Paul) who lives in Adelaide and thru the years we have been out in his boat on many occasions and managed some good catches of Whiting and Squid but the Snapper has always eluded us. Late last year I helped Paul upgrade to a used 5.3 Barcrusher which was purchased here in Syd and got it shipped over to SA which he has now fully decked out with the latest electronics, trim tabs, electric anchor winch and the list goes on. In short, an awesome rig. Last December we lined up a trip to target Snapper, so I flew down and met up with Paul’s mate Brian who is an absolute gun fisherman and really knows his marks. So we had the boat, we had the marks, but as is always the case, when I got down there it was blowing a gale and pissing down rain. We didn’t get to wet a line at all as the weather just did not let up. “NOT HAPPY”. Needless to say I was shattered flying home on the Sunday. The following Monday I get a SMS message from Paul and Brian with a picture of 4 Snapper approx 7-9kg, the buggers managed to get out on the Monday literally hours after I’d left and bagged out, devastated. A couple of months had passed and I was advised that I had to attend a conference in Adelaide on the 22nd Feb commencing in the afternoon. Well the plans quickly went into action. As the d’day approached the weather was looking a bit ordinary surprise surprise but there was a small window on the Sunday morning, so we decided to target the Snapper then. Sunday came around, and we got an early start and headed off into Gulf St. Vincent. When we eventually reached our spot the showing on the sounder looked extremely promising. I got a bait down 1st which didn’t get a chance to hit the bottom when it got smashed. This was a thumper of a fish but unfortunately I dropped him. Within minutes Paul’s onto another cracker of a fish and this one hits the deck and it’s a 10kg fish. This action continued for a while, and I just couldn’t believe how thick the fish were and all the fish were HUGE with only one smaller fish, 63cm caught. We were starting to get cocky as we had reached out boat limit of 6 fish over 60cm (2 each), and the boys suggested I give a plastic a run, so I tossed a 6” Gulp out which got annihilated on the drop. We dropped this fish at the boat trying to lift him in and it swam off with the plastic in the side of his mouth. The following morning Brian heads out to fish this spot again and scores 2 great fish, one was a 27 pounder. While cleaning the fish to his disbelief he finds the plastic which I had lost the prior morning – unbelievable! So after many heart breaking trips I finally managed to catch that fish of a lifetime. I still can’t wipe the smile off my face. Fish of a lifetime. The haul – middle fish was 63 cm. Brian’s fish next day – top one had the soft plastic from the previous day in it’s gut - bottom one was 27 pound and 104 cm. Monster fish good work!
snapola Posted February 27, 2009 Posted February 27, 2009 Short_Fuse_Al - often the water is flatter here in SA in Autumn - winter - the SW afternoon sea breeze doesn't come in, as the land is cooler. Should try then.
scaffdogg Posted March 1, 2009 Posted March 1, 2009 nice fish there mate i know the fish in sa are huge i just came back from whyalla we bagged out in 20 minutes on one of the charters we went on its unreal so i know how u feel
spic Posted March 1, 2009 Author Posted March 1, 2009 Thanks for all the great comments. Catching fish of this size is one thing but when have a situation where you get smashed on every drop well thats dream material. Thats what it was like for us on this occassion basically one after another, truly amazing. Cheers, Vic
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