While lipless crankbaits have been around for years, I’d always considered these lures to be pretty much exclusively used for bass. It took a year or two of organising but I finally made it up to port phillip bay, along with good buddies ty and peter, to spend a bit of on-water . A couple of sessions fishing the reef systems in port phillp bay revealed some interesting developments in the whole catching snapper on artificials story. The technique the is not dissimilar to that used when plasticking. Basically you need to find suitable ground reef edges with fringing gravel beds, drop-off and bommies or if its snapper season use your sounder to sound out them up and present the lure in a way that appeals to the predatory instincts of the snapper. My experience with reds is that while they obviously feed on crustaceans and other bait items in and around the reef, they also keep an eye out for any food items coming down from above. Like bream will shadow tailor schools in an estuary.Starting a berligh trail and waiting for it to float down to them helps put them in a frenzy I have had times where lures have out fished bait . snapper do the same in a reef environment. Look at the basic profile of a lipless crankbait like the Jackall tn or similar lures like Rapala’s Clackin Rap and you’ll note that they are designed to sink with a slight downward bias at the head. This is my way of thinking anyway, Weighted with the jighead, a jerk shad should sink pretty much horizontally with the head section, which is weighed down by the jighead, providing momentum and, depending on the shape of the head, even a bit of subtle action. Both lure styles are highly realistic with the lipless crankbaits having the added bonus of reflective colours and noise in the form of rattles. There’s no doubt that these lures work on snapper. As with snapper on plastics, the gun retrieve seemed to be a slow lift and a jerk hereand there and let it float back down or leave it in the rod holder 4 winds off the bottom and the boat will do the rest . You want the lure to “suspend” as much as possible in the bottom zone, too close to the reef and you’ll risk snagging up, which is not something you want to see happen to expensive Japanese lures ...pretty simple
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HOW TO CATCH A SNAPPER
Australasian snapper or silver seabream , Pagrus auratus , its distribution areas in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. Although it is almost universally known in New Zealand and Australia as snapper it does not belong to the Lutjanidae family of snappers . It is highly prized as an eating fish.
catching a big knobber snapper is a challenge when fishing and is a memorial moment for anglers. bigger reds of 9kg and more are classed as a trophy sized fish , with the one exception to the rule being in some areas of South Australia where extremely big fish are not uncommon. Fishermen from other states are more than happy to catch fish in the 4 kg and less range with snapper over 6 kg putting smiles on most fishermans faces.
snapper is the most prized fish in Australian waters , the reds are targeted from shore,pier ,jetty ,rockwalls beachs and even more so by boats. Each state having its hotspots where smaller fish known by local names such as squire, pinkies .
Finding snapper on your sounder
A good place to start sounding is where Snapper tend to stay close to reefs and structure . where reds will also hold close to large schools of bait and other prominent features in open water like scollops beds ,drop off etc. Look for heavy marks in the shape of a boomarang (depends on your sounder) close to the bottom, and even better if the fish are in schools.
Fish that are showing off the bay/ocean/gulf floor are sometimes not interested in taking a bait or lure and are normally are traving somewhere else.
What Bait should i use to catch a red
Fresh bait is always first choice and fresh squid, whiting, barracouta, garfish,scad,red rockets, and salmon are fav. pilchards still ranks as the most popular store-bought snapper bait. and work really well with snapper snatcher using a small pilchard piece.
Tackle
Exactly what comprises a typical “snapper outfit” has been widely publicised. You’re generally talking a 6 -10kg spin rod in the 7’ range matched with a 4000 size reel loaded with 30lb mono and a snapper snatcher/ or snelled rig attached to the main line . I tend to use slightly different tackle when targeting reds in deeper water, mainly to help with getting the snatcher down as efficiently as possible.
I prefer high quality 6-10kg graphite rods in the 7’6” range for my deep-water snapper work matched to a 4500 size reel spooled with 30lb braid. I personally use rods from Shimano with a Bait runner D reel spooled with 30lb braid.
FISHING WITH BAIT SNATCHER A SNAPPER
Snapper Snatchers are
pre-tied fishing rigs – but they are no ordinary rigs. They come in a range of
sizes and colours, and they all incorporate circle-style hooks, tied onto a
tough 60lb trace material in a paternoster arrangement. The key to the success
of the rigs is the fish attracting material attached to the hooks. Each hook is
accompanied by flashy dressing, much like a saltwater fly. There is also a
luminous bead above each hook, the glow of which can be intensified by shining
a torch or strong light on them (just like a luminous trout fly). Even though
it is recommended that Snapper Snatchers be used in conjunction with bait, the
‘fly like’ appearance of the hooks mean that you will always have a ‘bait’ in
the water, no matter what.
Reedy’s rigs can be used
for surf fishing also. This is one of the most novel uses for Snapper Snatchers.
For starters, it’s just so easy. Tie the swivel at one end of Snapper Snatcher to your main line, and attach
a star sinker to the other. Boom! You’re ready to fish! More than that though,
they’re very, very effective in the surf. I have caught many Australian Salmon
from the surf on Snapper Snatchers, and I know that fishermen who use them more
regularly also catch other species like Gummy Sharks, Reef Fish, Mulloway and
many more fish. List of potential target species is virtually endless.
Basically, any time you are fishing with bait you could increase your success
rate by using Snapper Snatchers instead of just bare hooks.
fishing with snapper snatchers
This season they are
already a huge hit in Port Phillip Bay, Western Port, Lakes Entrance and Gippsland
in Victoria. South Australia’s St Vincent Gulf and Metro Adelaide, Shark Bay
in Western Australia, Sydney Coast line and Tweed Heads New South
Wales and Brisbane Coast line, the list goes on and on. If you’re fishing
for reds with your maximum rods, it’s worth making sure at least some of
them are rigged with a Snapper Snatcher for a bit of variety. No matter whether
you’re fishing from the shore or a boat, it is best to jazz up your Snapper
Snatcher hooks with a small piece of bait. A strip of pilchard is ideal,
especially in the surf. Pass the hook through the squid strip just once,
towards one end of the strip, just as you would for normal circle hooks . Small fish fillets or pieces of
cut up baitfish can also be used with Snapper Snatchers. When baiting up, it is
essential to ensure the gape of the hook is not obscured with too much bait and
the hook point is well clear of the bait. Once you have your Snapper Snatcher
rigged, baited and in the water, do nothing! The circle hooks, are designed to
hook the fish in the corner of the mouth as it takes the bait and moves away.
Striking at bites will only pull the hooks from the red’s mouth, so it is
imperative not to strike. If holding the rod while surf fishing, don’t start
fighting the fish until you’re sure the fish is well hooked. If boat fishing,
put the rod in a rod holder, low to the water, then sit back and wait for the
fish to hook themselves. Don’t even touch the rod until there is a strong,
sustained bend in the rod and/or line is pouring from the reel. It’s a hard
habit to break, but it’s important. A great way to fish for snapper with Reedys
rig’s is directly to the bottom, beneath the boat. Presumably the rocking of
the boat gives the rigs some up and down action, which attracts the fish. It
doesn’t matter whether you use your Snapper Snatchers in conjunction with a
braid or mono mainline. You will get excellent hook up rates with both.
When fishing for Salmon in
the surf or Snapper in the bays, Snapper Snatchers with Circle 5/0 hooks are a
good choice. If you are specifically targeting Gummy sharks or Mulloway, go up
to 7/0 hooks.
Reedy’s rigs are readily
available from most tackle shops or online here
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