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SA metro 4/8/2012... Did that really happen?

14K views 43 replies 15 participants last post by  kayakone 
#1 ·
A couple of weeks ago I thought to myself, I'd like to scale right down to see what it would be like to catch a small snapper on my lightweight whiting rig.
But seriously, I gave it away as an idea of pure whimsy.
Today I got onto the job of going for the snaps on the big rod and at the same time trying for the occasional KG on the "Dropshot" rod with Diawa Lecalis 2000 reel w/10 lb braid and 8lb leader.
Solatree and Squidley had already recorded some interesting catches prior to my friend Ian and I arriving.
However, I'll let Andy and Chris insert their story if they wish.
After a pair of nice KG's came aboard for me, Ian found himself with a real handful to deal with.
His rod was telling us all that he and it were being tested by something a little larger than usual.


79cm... Not bad for his third time out fishing for snapper.




Then Andy and Chris headed home with some great catches also, and shortly after that, a good snap(60cm) jumped onto my bigger rod.
Then my idle dreaming from weeks ago suddenly morphed into reality.
Old Dood had had a similar experience recently and that was what had probably triggered my imagination.
My whiting rig took off in a northerly direction attached to something that I'd never felt on that rod before and no matter how much line I wound back, I knew I was in for a long but careful fight as it truly stripped any retrieved line rapidly.
Letting slip the anchor was first on my agenda as my yak was facing south.
A 180degree turn and making some good ground, I was now a 100metres away from my anchor float.
A fair bit of circle work followed, and at the same time a determination to at least get colour.
10 minutes later and glorious red and white flashed near the surface... with my net resting in the water and then seeing my yak, it dived back to the bottom rapidly.
Then gradually starting the process again and with out rushing things it was finally worn out as I had colour on the surface and into the net and onto the yak very smartly.
A big sigh followed by stunned amazement at just how small the hook was that held onto this 69cm Snapper.


Size 3 circle hook!!!


Great day all round really, especially as the whiting(thanks to wonderful wife with great beer batter skills) went down beautifully just before I wrote this post. :D
 
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#28 ·
Ubolt said:
Has anyone done that snapper tutorial thing. It's really intriguing
I have not done the course, but I know Wayne Smith personally.
Wayne is the real deal. He is just a tiny bit compulsive. :lol: He has honed every part of snapper fishing to a very pointy end.
The main reason I would not do his course is because it would turn snapper fishing into snapper shopping and that would be boring. :(
P.S. He has told me none of his secrets nor would I ask as I want to find out for myself.
Regards,
Mark
 
#29 ·
indiedog said:
OldDood said:
Well actually Indiedog I think we all have a very knowledgable garbo to thank for our recent catches.
He very generously gave me a few tips a couple of years back and the word has got around.
Jon the garbo is a fishing magician.
Any tips for the mortals?
I could give you some tips but then I would be forced to kill you by the Secret Society of Snapper Masters. :lol:
 
#40 ·
Kelvin said:
Well done, you guys are on fire.

Although I was catching snapper before it became cool ;-)
Ah yes Kelvin, I can still picture that first fish... I may be wrong but did you catch it inside the blocks at Glenelg two and a half years ago? Whatever the case, it certainly impressed me.
Drew
 
#41 ·
Drewboy said:
Apologies to Jon, along with my yellowfin whiting friend at Seacliff, who both initially got us started on a good region, for not acknowledging their part in enabling us to pursue the snaps.
I took that "Yellowfin Whiting Friend" to be the one and only Kelvin - because, yes, I too recall Kelvin's first metro snapper - an April catch in 2008 - followed by a couple in April 2010. And info he provided in his posts helped me on first two metro snaps - also April 2010. And so we learn't from what Kelvin started. He also taught Drew how to catch YFW !
 
#43 ·
Kelvin gave me a master class yonks ago on yellowfin at Seacliff and I enjoyed the whole concept immensely.
As much as I liked sight fishing for yellowfin, I sucked at it.
Best score ... maybe 8 fish. And as recently as last summer I still hadn't distinguished mysel much at all.
But I am thankful to Kelvin nevertheless.
However the fellow I was raferring to was another yellowfin fisherman who seemed to be there every weekend.
He was a very generous chap... Gave me a bunch of blood worms on one occasion that helped lift my average.
It was he who told me about The Snapper between Glenelg and Brighton at about the same time Jon told OldDood.
Jon was feeding Mark further "bag out" snippets that made us all sit up and pay attention.
Particularly with relation to timing... And this is when we started recording small successes.
 
#44 ·
Kelvin said:
I'm sure you guys could teach me plenty. You have really taken it to the next level.

Who would have thought 5 years ago that the metro shallow water snapper fishery could be so good?
Ditto for Redcliffe Qld. Beekeeper and his mates (maybe AWTY too, and others) have been catching big snapper in 3 - 6 metre water for years (if you call 94 cm big - on that day, 30 mins later, he caught a 90 cm one). But mostly on SP's. It does dispel the deep water snapper myth.

trev
 
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