Mr Squidy Posted August 4, 2020 Share Posted August 4, 2020 Mates and I often head out front in winter when the Hacking is shutdown and bottom bounce for a feed of flatties and over the last few years I often spend a little time trying some of the obvious reefs for snapper. Aside from the odd smallish fish here or there we've never had much luck and as such it's always felt like one fish that I really can't claim to have figured out. Anyway, back at the start of June I was out with two mates bouncing for flatties and we hit a very small patch of reef I didn't know was there and up came a nice 40cm pannie. We re-drifted the patch half a dozen times before the day came to a close and manged to grab four more keepers and three throw backs making it one of the best sessions I'd had on sanpper off Cronulla. Pic of that days catch, salmon and tailor were all from inside the river: Anyway, having found a nice looking mark I was very keen to give it another shot. Unfortunately, the boat was then out of action for a few weeks but $1,000 in repairs latter I finally had it back ready for a session on the weekend just gone. Launched with my mate Dan around 6.30am and headed straight to the spot. Unfortunately the westerly was quite stiff to start and our drift was just that bit to quick. By about 10.30 we had a couple of flatties, a mowie, pigfish and a leather jacket in the bag and had only seen one undersized snapper at 27cm which obviously went back. The weather then really started to improve with the wind dropping off but we lost two rigs in a row to jackets and decided last drift before we would shift to getting a feed of flatties. Just as we were past the back of the reef and about to call it my mates rod buckles over and its game on. This fish wasn't zipping about enough to be a king or shark but was still pulling good line so we knew it wasn't just a banjo/PJ or the like. Given this I called it straight away as a really nice red. I'd tried many times to convince my mates it was worth figuring these fish out as we were a chance at a really good fish but I'm not sure they ever really understood/believed it. Anyway, after a great fight on lightish gear we had a 64cm red in the net and I can safely say that Dan is now a believer. Such a great looking fish once they get up to this size, reckon he was somewhere around the 3.5-4kg mark, we were both stoked. Given this catch we obviously persisted and managed four more keepers ranging from 30 to 40cm along with some more assorted fish to nicely fill out the bag. Absolutely stoked to finally have a couple of successes in a row now on these fish, fingers crossed we might just be starting to crack the code on another species. Can't wait to get back out there and give it a try over August when the dead cuttles hopefully show up. Cheers, Rich 17 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoods Posted August 4, 2020 Share Posted August 4, 2020 Great report Rich - good to see someone getting out & amongst them. Just goes to show that persistence pays. And thumbs up for removing a few Jackets from the system!! Cheers, Hoods 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoingFishing Posted August 4, 2020 Share Posted August 4, 2020 Great result mate. Persistence pays off and i often find the marks found by trial and error produce far more fish than the well known spots. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Welster Posted August 4, 2020 Share Posted August 4, 2020 That's awesome. I'd love to have a decent shot at some snapper close to the hacking, well done on persisting. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yowie Posted August 4, 2020 Share Posted August 4, 2020 Couple of very nice bags of fish, including the big reddie. Good work. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingie chaser Posted August 4, 2020 Share Posted August 4, 2020 Nice, cracker red for PH! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zmk1962 Posted August 4, 2020 Share Posted August 4, 2020 Top report Rich. Persistence is a key factor for fishing success. Great feeds in that mixed bag and a thumper red 👍 FYI I was out Sunday whale watching and Monday again- lots of big cuttle bones floating around. cheers Zoran 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Squidy Posted August 4, 2020 Author Share Posted August 4, 2020 (edited) Thanks all for the replies, 15 hours ago, Hoods said: And thumbs up for removing a few Jackets from the system!! Cheers, Hoods Yeah the Jackets are an absolute pest, reckon we lost half a dozen rigs to them but at least they were manageable. Eat alright at that size too. 15 hours ago, GoingFishing said: Great result mate. Persistence pays off and i often find the marks found by trial and error produce far more fish than the well known spots. Deffinitley seems that way on these fish. The amount of hours i've wasted on Osbourne shoal... 😕 15 hours ago, Welster said: That's awesome. I'd love to have a decent shot at some snapper close to the hacking, well done on persisting. Yeah, really hopeful. Its such a long trip trying to get down to the hump or similar spots. I usually find if the weather is good enough for me to take my boat that far I'd prefer to head off shore to the FAD or trying our luck finding a Tuna (one day...). 2 hours ago, zmk1962 said: Top report Rich. Persistence is a key factor for fishing success. Great feeds in that mixed bag and a thumper red 👍 FYI I was out Sunday whale watching and Monday again- lots of big cuttle bones floating around. cheers Zoran We saw one Southern Wright go past and lots of dolphins Sunday but didn't notice any cuttle bones yet. Great to hear you saw some 👍 Fishing is such a great way to spend a day when things like whale watching just becomes and added bonus on the side. 13 hours ago, kingie chaser said: Nice, cracker red for PH! Yep, not quite the same reef available out of PH as there is to the other systems. 13 hours ago, Yowie said: Couple of very nice bags of fish, including the big reddie. Good work. Thanks Yowie, I owe you for those Salmon in the first photo 👍👍 We snagged them over the flats in front of South West arm a couple of days after your report where you'd got into a couple over there. Cheers Rich Edited August 4, 2020 by Mr Squidy Typo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scratchie Posted August 5, 2020 Share Posted August 5, 2020 Quality mixed bag there! Well done on the reds! cheers scratchie!!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebel Posted August 5, 2020 Share Posted August 5, 2020 Great report and photos.Good haul. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tobycb Posted August 5, 2020 Share Posted August 5, 2020 Very nice bag of fish @Mr Squidy Well done lads! Regards, Toby 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
61 crusher Posted August 5, 2020 Share Posted August 5, 2020 Great report & a couple of good mixed bags & feeds in that lot, sounds like you’ve stumbled across you own little honey hole 👍 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Squidy Posted August 6, 2020 Author Share Posted August 6, 2020 (edited) 23 hours ago, Scratchie said: Quality mixed bag there! Well done on the reds! cheers scratchie!!! Thanks All, Not quite to the level of your Port Stephens monsters Scracthie but finally feels like we are heading in the right dirrection. Definitley time for me to go back and review your write up on these fish now 👍 Cheers, Rich Edited August 6, 2020 by Mr Squidy SP... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blacksmurf Posted August 23, 2020 Share Posted August 23, 2020 You must have a great mate and that he holds your boat’s PB king and now PB red. I hear he is extremely good looking also. Well done on being a great captain!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Squidy Posted August 24, 2020 Author Share Posted August 24, 2020 17 hours ago, blacksmurf said: You must have a great mate and that he holds your boat’s PB king and now PB red. I hear he is extremely good looking also. Well done on being a great captain!!! You must be confused, the mate who holds those records has a mug like a horse's backside Cheers though Dan. Does get a tad disappointing when the the PB jewie, king and now red for my boat all belong to passengers, but one of these day's that karma has to pay back in spades... Surely?!?! Rich Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
papafish Posted August 26, 2020 Share Posted August 26, 2020 Harry is that you!! Lol. Its me ur squiddy apprentice 🤣 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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