have heard a few reports from mates of mates that the silver whiting has been the most productive baits for Snapper. i only use pippis and pilchards when fishing with bait, so im wondering what other fishos are using when targeting snapper???
who's using what bait, Snapper?
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Hey Tony,
Pilchards are the classic PPB snapper bait. The problem is that they tend to be be soft, so if there are a lot of pickers about they don't last very long. Silver whiting are better, but I reckon the reason they're the 'best' bait at the moment is because more people are using them than other baits, because they're cheap and readily available. To be honest, if the snapper are there and they're hungry, it doesn't matter what bait you use. They are scavengers after all, just mooching along the bottom eating what they find. We have caught big snapper that have had flathead frames in their stomachs (a frame is the body minus the fillet) that we had thrown in earlier in the session, goes to show that they're not fussy. Fish heads (whiting, salmon, couta) are a good way to selectively target bigger snapper, because not much other than a big snapper will eat a whole fish head.
I personally reckon that fishing the right time of day (dusk, night or dawn), fishing over fish-holding ground, and rigging your baits with the hook points WELL exposed are more critical than what bait you choose. Another good tip (which 5thNovember knows well) is to fish in close as soon as the weather calms down after a big (especially westerly) blow. One final tip is that success on the snapper is usually characterised by many MANY hours on the water. In a previous life (ie/ before I became a yak fisho) I put in a lot of hours on the snapper out of stinkboats. Looking back on it, too many hours, for too few fish. These days I much prefer chasing pinkies on SP with light tackle. BUT you'll never forget your first 'proper' snapper :wink:
Pilchards are the classic PPB snapper bait. The problem is that they tend to be be soft, so if there are a lot of pickers about they don't last very long. Silver whiting are better, but I reckon the reason they're the 'best' bait at the moment is because more people are using them than other baits, because they're cheap and readily available. To be honest, if the snapper are there and they're hungry, it doesn't matter what bait you use. They are scavengers after all, just mooching along the bottom eating what they find. We have caught big snapper that have had flathead frames in their stomachs (a frame is the body minus the fillet) that we had thrown in earlier in the session, goes to show that they're not fussy. Fish heads (whiting, salmon, couta) are a good way to selectively target bigger snapper, because not much other than a big snapper will eat a whole fish head.
I personally reckon that fishing the right time of day (dusk, night or dawn), fishing over fish-holding ground, and rigging your baits with the hook points WELL exposed are more critical than what bait you choose. Another good tip (which 5thNovember knows well) is to fish in close as soon as the weather calms down after a big (especially westerly) blow. One final tip is that success on the snapper is usually characterised by many MANY hours on the water. In a previous life (ie/ before I became a yak fisho) I put in a lot of hours on the snapper out of stinkboats. Looking back on it, too many hours, for too few fish. These days I much prefer chasing pinkies on SP with light tackle. BUT you'll never forget your first 'proper' snapper :wink:
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ahh a subject that really turns my wheels - fishing for snapper and big ones at that. All of what I am about to say is applied to NZ snapper but the species is the same and local location does make a small amount of difference.
First and foremost, I am always absolutely amazed at the size of bait a snapper can take. I have straylined 4 pilchards (15cm's ones baitcottoned together) for only to be sucked down by a 45cm snapper without a blink.
As pointed out by squiddy, snappers are moochers but the second biggest tip I can give you is snappers love fresh bait, caught in the region they are in. Examples are, snapper on the sand close to the beach love crabs, pippis, shelfish, small bait fish and other crustasions in the region. Snapper around reef structure love the bait fish, sea egg's, and other natural food.
Snapper at times are also very picky, certain times of the year (just before spawning) they require a certain ensyme that comes mainly from squid, thus squid can sometimes be the best of baits and sometimes the worst.
If you can't get fresh bait on location then my next alternativie is the pilchard. Experienting with commerical baits is underway here in NZ and funny enough its the oiler the better - the latest one for release has been half or whole small commerical salmon.
Here's my pick of baits - in order if I can get them
1) blue maomao (whole 15cm model given the Dr 90210 treatment with its back and bottom stripped back so its long and skinny, dripping with blood)
2) fresh bloody, skined kahwai fillet (aussie salmon) - the big snappers = whole fillet, 45cm snappers - half fillet - got smoked this year byt a big snapper 25lb+ on a half aussie salmon cut squarely down the middle lenghtways with the salmon being 30cm long
3) whole piper (also known as garfish) - break the beak off and strayline - often taken by kingfish due to the silver and lifelike looking
4) butterflied jack mackerl - cut the half fillet both sides of the mackerl from tail section forward and remove the tail and backbone leaving the head section and 2 fillets attached) - big snapper candy this one
5) a live squid - yeah baby these things rock if you get the right size at the right time of year
If I've got to use frozen bait then
1) pilchards - whole rigged as on a double strayline - I've a new way of rigging them that has been past on from "the master in yak fishing" - last year using this rig has caught 11 x 20lb+ snappers - no lies hear and to day he's caught 3x30lb+ snappers - yes the legendy one - I'm under promise not to let the word out and his jedi mind tricks are strong
2) skippy tuna, strip baits
3) squid, whole nz squid
4) squid, whole arrow squid
That is all for now - more later I may even take a few pictures of some baits and post them sometime to give you an view of what is used.
Did I mention I love fishing for snapper.....
First and foremost, I am always absolutely amazed at the size of bait a snapper can take. I have straylined 4 pilchards (15cm's ones baitcottoned together) for only to be sucked down by a 45cm snapper without a blink.
As pointed out by squiddy, snappers are moochers but the second biggest tip I can give you is snappers love fresh bait, caught in the region they are in. Examples are, snapper on the sand close to the beach love crabs, pippis, shelfish, small bait fish and other crustasions in the region. Snapper around reef structure love the bait fish, sea egg's, and other natural food.
Snapper at times are also very picky, certain times of the year (just before spawning) they require a certain ensyme that comes mainly from squid, thus squid can sometimes be the best of baits and sometimes the worst.
If you can't get fresh bait on location then my next alternativie is the pilchard. Experienting with commerical baits is underway here in NZ and funny enough its the oiler the better - the latest one for release has been half or whole small commerical salmon.
Here's my pick of baits - in order if I can get them
1) blue maomao (whole 15cm model given the Dr 90210 treatment with its back and bottom stripped back so its long and skinny, dripping with blood)
2) fresh bloody, skined kahwai fillet (aussie salmon) - the big snappers = whole fillet, 45cm snappers - half fillet - got smoked this year byt a big snapper 25lb+ on a half aussie salmon cut squarely down the middle lenghtways with the salmon being 30cm long
3) whole piper (also known as garfish) - break the beak off and strayline - often taken by kingfish due to the silver and lifelike looking
4) butterflied jack mackerl - cut the half fillet both sides of the mackerl from tail section forward and remove the tail and backbone leaving the head section and 2 fillets attached) - big snapper candy this one
5) a live squid - yeah baby these things rock if you get the right size at the right time of year
If I've got to use frozen bait then
1) pilchards - whole rigged as on a double strayline - I've a new way of rigging them that has been past on from "the master in yak fishing" - last year using this rig has caught 11 x 20lb+ snappers - no lies hear and to day he's caught 3x30lb+ snappers - yes the legendy one - I'm under promise not to let the word out and his jedi mind tricks are strong
2) skippy tuna, strip baits
3) squid, whole nz squid
4) squid, whole arrow squid
That is all for now - more later I may even take a few pictures of some baits and post them sometime to give you an view of what is used.
Did I mention I love fishing for snapper.....
great report-back there Jason / JB ( and that pic mate :shock: ). i dunno why but im a little surprised to learn that Snapper were scavengers... i thought they might be a little picky/choosie feeding (again dunno why) but if they are that way inclined great.
well Jas im more than prepared to put in a full ton of hours fishing so im excited at the prospect of catching my 1st decent Red on the Yak. 1 thing i have trouble with is baiting the hook correctly with pilchards, using half or full pil's is fine but how the hell do you bait a pilchard cube so that it stays on the hook for more than 1 cast. ..frustrating.
would like to see those pics of your baits JB....
well Jas im more than prepared to put in a full ton of hours fishing so im excited at the prospect of catching my 1st decent Red on the Yak. 1 thing i have trouble with is baiting the hook correctly with pilchards, using half or full pil's is fine but how the hell do you bait a pilchard cube so that it stays on the hook for more than 1 cast. ..frustrating.
would like to see those pics of your baits JB....
cubes of pilles work well on a flasher rig utilising circle hooks. If really needed the smaller baits I also use bait cottom.
Next time I'm out on a boat I'll take the digy camera and get some pic's of the baits.
Just read sqiddy post and yeap those snappers done't give two hoots if the hook is showing. the more hook the better hook I say. They squash oysters, sea eggs, muscles etc in those teeth you gota think they would not even notice a hook.
good luck with the snaps
Next time I'm out on a boat I'll take the digy camera and get some pic's of the baits.
Just read sqiddy post and yeap those snappers done't give two hoots if the hook is showing. the more hook the better hook I say. They squash oysters, sea eggs, muscles etc in those teeth you gota think they would not even notice a hook.
good luck with the snaps
forgot to mention.. if you seriously into snapper fishing an absolute must - I mean must buy dvd is called "fishing for snapper". Its by the ITM fishing show here in NZ. This is the stuff legends are made of, these guys are the masters of snapper fishing, includes their underwater footage of a 30lb+ snapper eating a live aussie salmon (out as live bait) then dusting the angler.
It has a 15minute session on baits and rigs - a really good watch with a heap of lessions on it.
If you want it I would see if they could get it too you via their web site http://www.thefishingshow.co.nz
good bunch of fullas as well. Just to let you know the skill of these fullas, one of them recently caught a 100kg strike marlin off a small dingy with a handline.
regards
It has a 15minute session on baits and rigs - a really good watch with a heap of lessions on it.
If you want it I would see if they could get it too you via their web site http://www.thefishingshow.co.nz
good bunch of fullas as well. Just to let you know the skill of these fullas, one of them recently caught a 100kg strike marlin off a small dingy with a handline.
regards
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