SA - Metro Temptation rewarded 21/7

[solatree]

Forecast conditions for the weekend looked excellent after wind and rain had prevented an outing on the Gulf St Vincent's metro Adelaide waters the previous weekend. The temptation to get out early on Saturday was strong and I decided that with the calm conditions, I would try out a little further offshore than I normally would. It was very smooth and a pod of local dolphins were at play – a couple unexpectedly crested my bow in unison – one either side. Cheeky buggers. Gave me a real start. I tend to find really smooth water a little spooky and was thinking I should have brought the Shark Shield with me just as they splashed up in front of me.

Anchored up about 7am and sent a couple of lines out and started the berley trail. Very quiet – it was after sun up before I noticed some action on one rod baited with a squid head – but it looked like a squid bite – pull, pull, pull. Turned out to be a little Port Jackson shark. He went back. Was thinking that was it when around 30 mins later I got a more promising bite. Fiddley at first. Slowly lifted the rod and I was on. A nice 48cm rugger snapper. I was onto my second fish when Squidley and a mate of his turned up to join me. The action hotted up – and I had four keepers pretty quickly – between 46cm and 50cm. Then a series of smaller ones, 5 in all at around 36cm – 37cm and below legal size so they went back. Around 9.00am a couple of stink boats turned up – one came right between me and Squidley and motored over my lines to drift for squid – inconsiderate sod ! The snapper bite then shut down but Squidley got a couple of nice King George Whiting. My KGW line remained untouched. I was about to pack it in at 9.30 when a last solitary bite gave me a final snapper – a keeper at 39cm – that was my bag so I headed in quite pleased with myself. Temptation rewarded.

[Squidder]

Sweet bag Andrew. Some good eating there mate

[eagle4031]

well done solatree

it was perfect conditions, i was planning same BUT ------------------I went away with wife instead

[GlenelgKiller]

You are annoyingly consistent

I havent been able to find any in a couple of months but at least you give me confidence it can still be done!

[Ubolt]

I thought I would have to wait till warmer weather to target snapper. Me thinks the next available chance I'll be down there.

[Wrassemagnet]

Shame about the poor manners from the stinky but never mind, you still managed a bag of super snaps! Well done!

[Ado]

You live in SA, you were out on the ocean, the ocean seemed shark spooky so ... you burleyed. That's commitment.
You certainly deseved that haul Solatree. Well done that man.
I can live with being unworthy.

[Squidley]

Man I had to sit there listening to Andy's reels buzzing; what a drag
It's cool you got that last snapper even after that guy motored straight through your berley trail, he seemed pretty clueless. That was such a good weekend, I thought I might've run into more members.

[Zilch]

Routine

Brilliant work yet again Andy

Steve

[kayakone]

You live in SA, you were out on the ocean, the ocean seemed shark spooky so ... you burleyed. That's commitment.
You certainly deseved that haul Solatree. Well done that man.
I can live with being unworthy.

What Ado said.
Nevertheless you've done it plenty of times before, and no proplems yet.

Incidentally, have any of the SA crew ever lost a fish to a shark. We certainly have in warmer waters.

One more question Andrew ...do you ever catch snapper on soft plastics or hard body lures?

trev

[Squidley]

Glenelgkiller did, near Whyalla. I got towed around by a leaping 3m bronze whaler twice in the same day in Kangaroo Island.

[Barrabundy]

Tell me, we don't get snapper this far north, do you get them in open water or do they hang around structure like reef drop-offs etc? I caught one (juvenile one) jigging in the Gold Coast Broadwater earlier this year and was surprised as I thought they liked hanging next to structure.

[solatree]

You are annoyingly consistent

Must admit had a pretty good run this year - right place, right time on a number of occasions. But there have been plenty of previous donuts invested in figuring it out.

do you ever catch snapper on soft plastics or hard body lures?

Yep

Catching Snapper on soft plastics is hard to beat IMHO viewtopic.php?f=17&t=53769
But not yet during in winter in these local waters - although I'd love to. Praps next time with luck.

do you get them in open water or do they hang around structure like reef drop-offs etc?.

Structure and drop offs certainly hold fish - but there are times when I've got them also in what appear to be relatively featureless areas. I don't tend to use my fish finder in our local waters much these days. We've got to know the local area pretty well - and the snapper seem to be spread pretty widely - moving in schools through the area, often in surprisingly shallow water. This trip report is an example - the snapper appeared pretty suddenly and then were pretty much gone after around half an hour of good action. Berley seems to be important in this location (I suspect because structure is not strong) - but not so much in other spots where we have got them where there is more pronounced structure.

[GlenelgKiller]

That was such a good weekend, I thought I might've run into more members.

Must have missed my invite Picking up my PA12 on friday so will be looking for any excuse to get out, starting from Sunday!

Glenelgkiller did, near Whyalla.

Dont remind me! Didnt even pull the line just a bump and bitten through the 30cm leader almost to the main line. Where is the emoticon for *shudder*

[kanganoe]

Good to see your great run on the snaps is still going strong.Gone a bit quiet here .