Frustrating Snapper Attempt Before Work

[kiwicraig]

I went out very early this morning before work for a short session targeting snapper on West Reef.  I was up at 4am, on the water by 4:45 and on the reef not long after 5.  This time I decided to drift the shore side of the reef rather than anchoring up.  That said the wind and current were pretty minimal so I did not travel very far. 

I started out with two heaver rigs in rod holders one baited paternoster (tailor on one hook, whole pillie on the other) and one with an Oci jig.  I cast ahead of the very slow drift with a large white paddle tail soft plastic.  In the second retrieve something hit the plastic – but I wound it in to find a significantly shorter plastic – so I am guessing the tailor are around again.

I am replacing the tail and the bait rod goes off.  I can tell by the lack of fight it is not the target species – up comes a red rock cod.  The first of many. For a while I can barely get a bait rod down without hooking one of these things.  While I am sorting out the 4^th or 5^th Reddie the Oci jig rod buckles.  My hopes are quickly dashed when I realise I am snagged on the bottom.  After a valiant attempt to free it the leader gives and I wind in and drop down a second paternoster I had rigged up instead.  I decide to re-position a little off the reef and drift back to where I marked some bait.   Casting ahead I let the plastic sink down and on the retrieve I feel a bit of weight but not much.  There did not seem to be any fight in it so I assumed that the tail had fouled the hook point and it was coming up sideways.  But no – up came a red rock cod roughly the same size as the soft plastic. LOL!

I re-positioned a few times – but that was the way of it until just before the end of my session.  I landed about a dozen red rock cod, 2 big yakkas and a small sergeant baker.  I converted one of the yakkas to cut baits and released everything else.  By now it was just after 7 and time to head in and get back for work. I cast out the soft plastic and let it waft down with the bail arm closed, figuring I could stow the bait rods, work the plastic back and then head in.  I was just starting to wind in the first bait rod when it came up tight.  I struck and it held.  This was in a totally different league to everything else I had hooked today but this was the heavier outfit on the boat and I was working it up to the surface and fairly confident I’d get it to the boat.  Then suddenly – all the weight is gone.  I wind in and I am left with the swivel, half my top dropper loop and a little of tag the main line below the dropper knot.  The rest of the dropper and the mainline are neatly snipped so I am guessing I had a fish on and it got sharked.  I look over my shoulder to where the soft plastic rod is and that rod is buckled over.  I grab it out of the holder.  There is a lot of pressure on it and my first thought is that it has snagged the bottom as well.  I give it a pull and it takes off on a screaming run with distinct beats.  Interesting. The bottom does not usually do that.  This is only a 2-4kg graphite rod and I am feeling decidedly out gunned.  I am also conscious that I need to get this up and get home to start work.  I put on as much pressure as I dare and I gain little bits of line, but every time get a bit back it takes off again and on the whole I am losing more line than I am gaining.  I’ve been fighting this for 10 mins already.  I need to head in.  I tighten the drag ever so slightly and put more pressure on it – and ping – it is gone.  Visions of one of Scratchie’s monster snappers swimming off with my hooks trailing behind.  Crushed.  Nothing else for it – time to head in. With iron will power I wind in the other bait rod.  There is a bit of weight but no fight.  I am expecting another red rock cod.  But I am wrong.  What I get instead is a decent consolation prize – a good size squid had managed to hook itself.  Slightly mollified (but still mostly gutted about 2 good fish lost in 15 mins) I headed home.  Cut baits – both tailor and yakka – performed well.  Pillies were barely touched. 

I had a productive work day at home – with a break in the middle for some fresh salt and pepper calamari. Not a bad day really – but I can’t help thinking about what might have been or when I will get out there again.

[masterfisho7]

nice report top photos Craig

[fragmeister]

Great report Craig... that plate of chips and squid is looking pretty good to me!

Cheers

Jim

[Scratchie]

Don’t worry mate, I went out today too! And the only screaming reel was from my wife that got completely spooled by a good snapper! Keep persisting and you’ll end up with a good red!!! 

Cheers scratchie!!! 

[Yowie]

2 hours ago, kiwicraig said:

 I look over my shoulder to where the soft plastic rod is and that rod is buckled over.  I grab it out of the holder.  There is a lot of pressure on it and my first thought is that it has snagged the bottom as well.  I give it a pull and it takes off on a screaming run with distinct beats.  Interesting. The bottom does not usually do that.  This is only a 2-4kg graphite rod and I am feeling decidedly out gunned.  I am also conscious that I need to get this up and get home to start work.  I put on as much pressure as I dare and I gain little bits of line, but every time get a bit back it takes off again and on the whole I am losing more line than I am gaining.  I’ve been fighting this for 10 mins already.  I need to head in.  I tighten the drag ever so slightly and put more pressure on it – and ping – it is gone. 

Resist the urge to do that.

You had been fighting the fish for some time, and the line did not break, so you had the correct pressure on the drag.

When I fight a fish near the end of the fight, I am holding the rod with one hand and winding the handle with the other hand. I have one finger from the rod holding hand on the spool to gain some extra pressure if needed, however, if the fish takes off, I lift that finger from the spool and the drag is still at the normal tension, which has been okay for the fighting fish.

With less line out during the close-in fight, there is less stretch in the line (and none if you are using braid) so there is little margin for error. (I don't use braid, only mono -  I also fish handlines at times, so no braid)

[Yowie]

1 hour ago, Scratchie said:

Don’t worry mate, I went out today too! And the only screaming reel was from my wife that got completely spooled by a good snapper! Keep persisting and you’ll end up with a good red!!! 

Cheers scratchie!!! 

Might have been bigger than the one the other day.

[sam bros]

Unlucky on the fish

Hopefully that stonker snapper isnt too far away