Scratchie Posted July 10, 2015 Share Posted July 10, 2015 G'day raiders, After a little success the other day chasing snapper, we gave it another crack today! Leaving early to head north there was myself, jnr, Dom and a mate we now call sgt baker! Today was all about sps, lures, poppers and jigs and we were looking to target some kings and snapper! We arrived at our destination and jnr keen as, drops the jig and is straight on to a small snapper, I'm next and another small. The other boys were throwing stick baits and poppers as we drifted our mark. We did this for a couple of drifts for a few small fish. Then what happen next is a first for me and everyone for that matter. We are drifting along and notice a bust up on the surface. At first we thought it might be kings but then we notice it's not, they are snapper and bloody huge. Dom, with reflexs like a cat, casts his popper straight into the frenzy and he's on! He plays the fish to the boat and OMG it's huge! A snapper on a popper, wow! This fish inhaled his brand new lure and crunched it! It ended up going 82cm on the mat and a great start to the day! After that we couldn't find them again but tried many places and landed many reef species. Doms mate caught some of the biggest sgt bakers I've ever seen, hence his new nickname. As the sun got higher, the bite died off and the wind was playing havoc but we stuck to our plan and kept going. It was now getting later in the day and we started making our way back and tried another spot. A bit shallower, so lighter jigs and away we cast. We all manage a few different fish but sgt baker was still hitting his mark and was now trying to quick release so no one would see him, it was pretty funny. Next minute, Dom comes up tight yet again, thing is peeling line mad we have to head to deeper water because of his 10lb outfit. After a great fight and to prove it's no fluke, another cracker in the net. This one goes 64cm. For the rest of us it was a tough day but for our mate he DOM-inated! That was about it for the day. It was yet another awesome day out of port Stephens with many things to keep us entertained, whales, dolphins, seals, penguins and of course the many sgt bakers Well done DOM, you smashed it! Thanks for reading, Cheers scratchie!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nbdshroom Posted July 10, 2015 Share Posted July 10, 2015 Wow, awesome report Jeffro. A beast of a snapper on a popper - I've never heard anything like that, congrats Dom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scratchie Posted July 10, 2015 Author Share Posted July 10, 2015 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave_ Posted July 10, 2015 Share Posted July 10, 2015 Absolutely awesome! I have actually heard of Snapper coming up to the surface but not like this! Amazing and possibly a once in a lifetime capture. Well done Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 10, 2015 Share Posted July 10, 2015 Fantastic snapper fellas and wow on a popper SENSATIONAL !!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dt27 Posted July 10, 2015 Share Posted July 10, 2015 Good read Scratchie, was another fun day in paradise. Yep we were all surprised at the ball of snapper on the surface!! Think I would have thrown jnr at them had he been standing next to me!! Just glad I landed the popper in the 'red zone' at the right time and had something in my hand to throw at them. Your boy is growing up, great to see him plugging away all day with his humour and enthusiasm. Look forward to teaching my new boy the art of chasing fish (particularly up here at Port Stephens!). Thanks for your company mate always good fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Welster Posted July 10, 2015 Share Posted July 10, 2015 Great report and magic fish. That's the first time I have heard of snapper busting up on the surface. A memorable day that's for sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest hawkesbass Posted July 10, 2015 Share Posted July 10, 2015 Cracker effort bloody good snapper congrats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GH1952 Posted July 10, 2015 Share Posted July 10, 2015 Jeff you live in gods country I wish I could get the wife to move up there and I'd be gone in a shot. That's a first for me to see you can get good snapper on the surface on lures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NaClH2OK9 Posted July 10, 2015 Share Posted July 10, 2015 Great write up Jeff and we'll done Dom on a stocking fish ( 3rd place in the records) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 4myson Posted July 10, 2015 Share Posted July 10, 2015 Well done boys ! Great to see more Fish than ICE bags !!!! Congrats ..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W4z Posted July 10, 2015 Share Posted July 10, 2015 What an experience. Great fish! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MV Sunray Posted July 10, 2015 Share Posted July 10, 2015 Wow that's crazy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scratchie Posted July 10, 2015 Author Share Posted July 10, 2015 Thanks for the replys. It's always a great fun out on the water with Dom. He is very giving of his time, knowledge and gear. And trust me, jnr has more snags than a butchers shop and Dom is always like, "just get other one". Seeing massive snapper smashing the surface is very rare indeed and it's just one of those amazing scenes that being out on the water, throws up different surprises! Dom- mate, I'm sure by the time your young fella turns 2 he'll be into them. Don't put too much pressure on the 3 month old Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LuckyFil Posted July 10, 2015 Share Posted July 10, 2015 Scatchie, that has got to be a first - catching not just a snapper but a real corker on a popper! I've heard of big snapper cruising the shallows in South Australia sometimes, I think it was around the wharves in Whyalla, and I recall the locals got them to take burley off the top on occasions but I've never heard of it over hear and certainly not 'in the wild' so to speak. That's one for the history books! Congrats on a memorable day and another good read. Cheers LuckyFil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yowie Posted July 11, 2015 Share Posted July 11, 2015 Good work there Scratchie, some good fish. In the fishing world, nothing is surprising, considering that snapper will attack floating dead cuttlefish, an attack on a surface popper is something new again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burger Posted July 11, 2015 Share Posted July 11, 2015 Awesome read, awesome part of the world, awes-DOM-e catch! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scratchie Posted July 11, 2015 Author Share Posted July 11, 2015 Scatchie, that has got to be a first - catching not just a snapper but a real corker on a popper! I've heard of big snapper cruising the shallows in South Australia sometimes, I think it was around the wharves in Whyalla, and I recall the locals got them to take burley off the top on occasions but I've never heard of it over hear and certainly not 'in the wild' so to speak. That's one for the history books! Congrats on a memorable day and another good read. Cheers LuckyFil Mate, it was a first for all of us on the boat and I don't envisage it happening again anytime soon. Truly and day not to forget! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GWG Posted July 12, 2015 Share Posted July 12, 2015 Some of the better snapper we have caught on plastics is as soon as the lure hits the water it has been taken and this is in 20mts to 30 mts of water. Usually around baitish as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scratchie Posted July 12, 2015 Author Share Posted July 12, 2015 Some of the better snapper we have caught on plastics is as soon as the lure hits the water it has been taken and this is in 20mts to 30 mts of water. Usually around baitish as well. Couldn't agree more. Most of the snapper we caught for two days were on the drop but mainly midwater in 20-30m! But this was the first I've ever seen off the surface! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fisholb Posted July 12, 2015 Share Posted July 12, 2015 Excellent report mate Well done Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finin Posted July 12, 2015 Share Posted July 12, 2015 Well done Scratchie and co. Just a thought, I have only seen what you experienced once and thats when the snapper spawn. They congregate in big balls on the surface. Where the ones you caught full of roe? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scratchie Posted July 12, 2015 Author Share Posted July 12, 2015 Well done Scratchie and co. Just a thought, I have only seen what you experienced once and thats when the snapper spawn. They congregate in big balls on the surface. Where the ones you caught full of roe? Correct finin! I also thought for their size that they were pale in colour. I've made a few notes, would love to see it again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnDory Posted July 14, 2015 Share Posted July 14, 2015 Very nice Jeff sounds like a great day Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andysinmexico Posted July 15, 2015 Share Posted July 15, 2015 Nice effort Scratchie, haven't ever seen a ball of big snapper myself but my grandfather used to talk of them doing it at Edith Breaker on sunrise and sunset back in the day. These days it would have to be right time right place. Cheers Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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