Snapper time

[GordoRetired]

Late Wednesday I was looking at the forecast and decided that it looked like being a good day on Thursday. Was I ever right. 🙂

I was under strict instructions from She Who Must Be Obeyed not to catch any more Flathead as after bagging out on my last 2 trips on Flathead we had plenty in the freezer and we did not need anymore. So Snapper was the target species for this trip.

Launched at Roseville around 7.00am on Thursday and headed off to the first Snapper mark. First stop, the island off the front of Balmoral for some Yakkas. Burled up, got the bait jig in and nothing. I could see these small grey things swimming around but not a Yakka in sight. After 20 minutes I figured that pillies where going to be the bait du jure and headed on out.

Got to my first mark, a drift out near Foul Ground and sent down 2 lines, one with 5/0 Circle hooks that I leave in a rod holder and another with 4/0's that I hold, both baited with pillies. I had been given this mark by a Pro Fisherman and could see fish trap buoys in the area so was feeling quite confident that I would soon be getting bites.. WRONG, had 3 or 4 drift around the area for nothing.

OK, next spot, so motored over to Foul Ground, this time I decided to drop a reef pick rather than drift. Down go 2 rods again. Within what seemed like only a few minutes I felt a decent bite. I could tell from the way the rod was kicking that I was on to the target species, a Snapper. Up it came and into the boat. Only problem it was pretty small. Barely 30cm so back it went, I was after his Daddy.

Next bite was a Morwong, gave a decent kick coming up but not as hard as the Snapper. Again it was quite small so back it went. Then the Pike started, first one in I filleted and started using as bait, the next 4 or 5 I threw back. Greedy buggers were even eating their mate. As the Pike seemed to have settled in and were stripping every bait I put down in was time to move on. This time to a spot over Long Reef.
One of the days highlights was seeing a whale blowing in the distance and as I got closed a huge whale come up, it's back out of the water, a wonderful sight and one I never tire of.

Got to the mark, anchored up and got the 2 rods in. This time I was in around 30m of water so also threw a soft plastic out the back to drift around. caught a Sargent Baker so filleted him for bait. Then waited and waited and waited, nothing but little nippers stealing my bait on every drop. Time for another move.

Final spot was The Wall off Long Reef, there was another boat there who said that he was getting a few rat Kings so expectations were high that I might finally get a decent fish. After a short time I felt the rod load up so started pulling. It would just not move and figured that I had snagged the bottom, so locked up the drag and tried to rip myself free. Hang on the bottom is starting to move, what have I got! ! ! After a short by very heavy fight I see a huge Wobbegong, the biggest I have ever caught. Managed to get him onto the boat, hook out and back he went to terrorise some other poor fisho.

 

It was around then that the wind started to pick up a bit, until then it had been a glamour day, so decided to call it quits and headed back towards the Harbour. Final attempt to land a fish was to troll a couple of lures from Manly round North Head. Did not get a touch.

All in all it was not the most successful days fishing but the weather had been great and any day out on the boat is a good day. I'll keep trying as I want to catch some decent Snapper and be able to post pictures like Scratchie. 🙂 

Hopeful my next post will be accompanied by pictures of Huge Snapper.
Tight line all.

[Houdini]

The fish in pic is not a wobbegong

[masterfisho7]

That,s one nice report love the photos of the Wobbly

[Houdini]

https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/fishing/fish-species/species-list/banded-wobbegong-shark

 

[Houdini]

Port Jackson Shark

 

 

 

[Houdini]

You should have kept the "Dragon Snapper" lucky to be alive after messing with one of them!

[zmk1962]

Hey Gordo… top read mate… even though the title was a bit of click bait!  I could picture exactly where you were as you moved around you lucky bugger.
Can’t wait for the next few weeks to drag by. 
cheers Zoran 

[GordoRetired]

1 hour ago, zmk1962 said:

Hey Gordo… top read mate… even though the title was a bit of click bait!  I could picture exactly where you were as you moved around you lucky bugger.
Can’t wait for the next few weeks to drag by. 
cheers Zoran 

Well I did manage 1 Snapper, if you can call something as small as I caught a Snapper ! ! ! !   🤣 😂  🤣 😂  🤣 😂

[Rebel]

Super report. Great photo. Well done.

[Pickles]

Great be able to get out Gordo. Those pike make great bait for Kingies and Jewies, I reckon they’d be OK for snapper too.

Look forward to you’re next report with pic of a giant (Scratchie sized) snapper.

keep those lines wet mate.

[Scratchie]

Definitely a port Jackson shark mate! Hopefully you get some good snapper next time! Always fun looking for them anyway. 
 

cheers scratchie!!! 

[big Neil]

Still exhilarating getting out to the deep and trying your luck Gordo. Every poor (result) day is a day closer to the next "ripper of a day" outing. I will look forward to reading about it. Cheers, bn

[GordoRetired]

22 hours ago, Houdini said:

Port Jackson Shark

 

 

 

That looks just like the Wobbygong I caught.. 🙂 
Really must get me one of those fish identifying charts.........

 

Edited September 24, 2021 by GordoRetired

[noelm]

Nothing like a Wobbegong, Port Jackson = big bone head, no teeth, docile, Wobby has "whiskers" teeth, cranky as hell and can bite its own tail, handle with care!