PB Snapper

[LuckyFil]

Just started a van trip up the north coast eventually ending up at Yeppoon and Longreach. First stop was an old favourite Hat Head. Plenty of tailor to be had spinning the rocks but most of the action seemed to be from boats who were scoring spanish, dollies a few spotted macks and the odd cobia. Luckily my brother Steve had his boat up here as well so I had an afternoon out on that. We tried trolling with skirted lures but no luck, apparently most fish are being caught on slow trolled bonito.

We had some pillies so anchored up over a shallow reef and started burleying. I silver bream came in quite soon and plenty of other bites but we were using whole pillies which were being chewed out. I put my rod in the holder for a while to help Steve when he hooked a turtle (yes a turtle) while trying to remover the hooks without getting bitten. Eventually we succeeded and he swam off looking fine but not before my rod started screaming. After a struggle to get it out of the holder I realised this was a large fish although my first thought was shark, don't know why. There was a lot of gnarly reef under us and I was not getting any line back off this thing so I thought the other likelihood was getting cut off on the reef. But then it began tiring and I got a little line back then another few shorter runs and it went under the boat . I was surprised to see my leader appear as I didn't think I'd recovered that much line then this massive reddie surfaced beside the boat. That was when the blood pressure went up and I yelled for the net or gaff. Steve got him with his first shot and then we whooped it up as it came over the side.

 

 

 

The fish coughed up a full octopus that was immediately used as bait and provided Steve with a nice sized grassy sweetlip. Forgot to get a pic of that unfortunately. I landed another small snapper about 38cm and that was about it as we finished the last of our bait and had to get back through the Hat Head creek while the tide was high enough.

The snapper went 78cm and other guys at the boat ramp said it matched some they had seen earlier that were weighed at 7kg so we called it for the same.

My pb by a long shot and a great start to the trip.

Cheers

Fil

[chris_55]

@LuckyFil how good is it to get that one fish that makes everything OK

he's a cracker mate 👍

[Isaac Ct]

Great stuff Fil, beautiful fish.

Well done.

[Yowie]

That is a great fish to pull up, Fil.

[bessell1955]

Wow is a great fish, well done.

[Larkin]

well done Fil! Haha, can’t beat the excitement when you see colour and realise it’s a Big Red coming to the surface! 👍

[Rebel]

Great report.

Super Snapper.

Well done.

[mrsswordfisherman]

@LuckyFil Very interested to follow this. We have ours planned as well towing the caravan and our topper tinny.
When we get to Yeppoon we will head in to Lake Maraboon. We may even continue up to Cairns and across to Karumba and KAB and Cahills. 

That reddie is a great trip starter. We look forward to your reports 

 

 

[rickmarlin62]

Nice red mate  well done

[GordoRetired]

Fish of a lifetime. Well done.
Well it is if you are not Scratchie who seems to catch huge Snapper most weeks 🙂

[jenno64]

Beautiful fish Fil!

Donkey🙏🏻👌

[Pickles]

Gret report Fil, what a stonker of a snapper - well done mate a fish to be proud of.