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GURU GUIDESNAPPER SECRETS

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2 SNAPPER SECRETS

Thanks to Mark Kitteridge, the NZ Fishing News team, other contributors and keen fishos from around the country.

Some of this material is based on Mark’s book ‘Catch more snapper’, available through Halcyon Publishing: www.halcyonpublishing.co.nz

This content is property of FCO Fishing Camping Outdoors and its contributors. This document is © copyright protected. This should be used a resource only. Please make the most of this content but do not abuse it, tight lines.

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INTRODUCTION

SNAPPER: NUMBER ONE FOR KIWI ANGLERS!

While there will also be numerous supporters for blue cod, hapuku, kingfish and marlin instead, there’s no doubting that snapper is the most popular fish targeted by Kiwi anglers.

Available over the more northern two-thirds of our country’s coastline, snapper are found in all sorts of terrain, feed on a wide variety of sea creatures, and can be caught using almost every conceivable method. They also reach pretty hefty weights – at least 18kg - are tough, scrappy fighters, look colourfully handsome, and offer very tasty table fare, so no wonder we love them.

Snapper are not especially fussy about what they eat, so, as already mentioned, they can be found feeding in widely ranging environments, from shallow, sandy beaches and bays through to mangrove-choked estuaries and rocky, weedy coastlines, right out into 100m-plus depths. This sees them fished for with equally diverse methods and equipment from the beaches, rocks and wharves, while the fish further out are chased with kayaks, jet-skis and all sizes of boats. Lures and baits can be used very effectively to catch them, and both approaches have their passionate supporters. Snapper are also found in other countries, along with various similar looking sub species, and because there are also lots of other species called ‘snapper’ that bear little resemblance to these worldwide, our species is officially called ‘squirefish’ by the IGFA, the organisation that processes and keeps the world’s sport fishing records.

CATCHING SNAPPER FROM THE BOAT

The five most common ways to catch snapper are as follows: 01 Stray-lining: Deploying a baited rig with just enough weight incorporated so it slowly sinks downwards in a reasonably realistic manner;

02 Bottom fishing: Deeper water and faster currents demand weighted rigs that get baits down to the bottom and make them stay there; two methods are mostly used here - the Running Rig and the Ledger Rig;

03 Slow-jig fishing: Slow-motion manipulations are used to make this technique’s rather unusual looking lures come to life;

04 Soft-plastic lure fishing: An aspect of the sport that could fill a whole book with its intricacies!

05 Rock fishing for Snapper

06 Surfcasting for Snapper

SNAPPER SECRETS

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The term ‘stray-lining’ describes any situation where only enough weight is used to enable the bait to slowly waft downwards. This can be anything from just the inherent weight of the bait and hook to possibly as much as 4oz! In all cases though, the sinker(s) is placed on the trace directly above the hook, creating a more compact, single unit, ensuring a more natural- looking presentation as the rig sinks. Consequently, the sinker cannot be too big or it will intrude on the hook’s gape and affect your hook-up chances. However, on very big baits with equally large hooks - 8/0-10/0, say - a couple of two-ounce sinkers are no problem.

Stray-line fishing is well suited to water around 30 meters in depth or less, with a light to moderate current. However, it can be successful in at least twice that depth if the current is light and you have the patience – or by adding perhaps a couple of ounces to help the bait get down a little quicker.

Stray-lining usually involves casting the bait well out from the boat, but where there’s modest current, it’s possible to simply drop the bait behind the stern so the tide carries it off. Provided it’s correctly weighted and doesn’t get eaten first, it will reach the bottom eventually.

STRAY-LINING

Freespool outfits enable the line to be efficiently altered, either letting more out or retrieving any slack, yet allowing a snapper to run off at any time.

SNAPPER SECRETS: STRAY-LINING

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STRAY-LINING OUTFITS

Typically a 6-10kg casting outfit is used. There will be places and times when you can use lighter tackle, say 4kg, which is often still effective and a lot of fun, but not recommended as a front-line outfit, especially when starting out. Conversely, there may also be occasions where a really grunty outfit appears necessary, with a lot of people opting for 15kg to try and drag big fish out of reefy, weedy territory.

Choose a relatively long rod of around 2 to 2.5 meters with a light, sensitive tip and powerful butt section, as such rods cast lightly-weighted baits well, are sensitive to bites, can set hooks home effectively, and are good fish-fighting tools.

The reel can be either a freespool or spinning-type reel, as long as it casts well, holds at least 200 meters of line and is suited to the rod. A quick retrieve will also help, particularly when it comes to setting hooks, which is further aided by a spool that is well filled, as the bigger the circumference, the greater the length of line retrieved per handle turn.

The line used to fill the reel will make a big difference to the outfit’s suitability in certain situations. For example, because light nylon (6-8kg, say) is easily stretched, much of the striking pressure is absorbed by its elasticity, making it less effective in deep water. Therefore, the deeper the water and the bigger the hooks used, the more the situation suits braid lines. However, having said that, certain advantages are gained by sticking with thinner lines, and the problem of setting standard hooks can be avoided by using circle/re-curve hooks.

The main advantages of thin lines is that they cut through the water more efficiently, so less weight is needed to get them to the bottom, and as thin line is less obvious than thick line, you’ll get more bites.

Also, circle/re-curve hooks, only require steady pressure – rather than abrupt, brute strength – to find their way securely into the corner of a snapper’s mouth.

Spinning reels are easy to use, especially the Baitrunner type seen here.


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Consequently, a two-hooked stray-line rig can be lethal, and the main elements to successfully using it are as follows:

Employ a light-tipped/bendy rod and a reel loaded with nylon rather than braid.

Use a short nylon trace that’s heavier than the mainline, connected with a joining knot rather than a swivel if possible (but this is not critical, especially with the small, strong swivels available these days).

STRAY-LINING OUTFITS

A fixed, two-hook stray-line rig is hard to beat.

Removable sinkers enable anglers to keep bait rigs perfectly weighted for the changing conditions; always use the least possible to get down.

The strongest way to do this is by tying a short Bimini Twist into your mainline (just 30-60cm is fine), joined by a No-name knot or small swivel. See Stray-lining Knots for Bimini Twist and No-name knots

If using added weight, have one or two free-sliding ball or bean sinkers sitting atop the leading (upper) hook.

The lead re-curve hook is tied on with a Snood or Snell, and the trailing hook knotted with a Uni Knot (standard J type hooks will also do the job, especially if they’re thin in diameter and very sharp). See Stray-lining Knots for Uni knot

This rig works well because the two hooks used cover a large/long bait better than one, and should one hook be taken out of play for some reason (perhaps ripped free of the bait or deeply buried in it), it’s nice to have another well placed to do the damage.

Only just enough weight is used to overcome the current and get your bait down to the bottom (the bigger the bait, the thicker the line and the greater the current, the more weight you’ll need). Because it’s placed directly on top of the leading (Snooded) hook’s eye, the bait and sinker are able to be packaged into a single unit for a neater and more natural bait presentation, and making the rig easier to cast. Also, as it’s nice and compact, it snags up less. (It pays to have removable sinkers on hand just in case a little extra weight is needed when the tide is in full flow, and remove it when the current subsides again.)


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Look for suitable structure - anything that breaks up or changes the current flow, including reefs, pinnacles, drop-offs, canyons, weedy areas, headlands and guts. However, this can also be more subtle, like a depression or ledge that’s slightly deeper than the relatively featureless terrain surrounding it (a typical scenario on the northern west coast). But that’s just the start. To really attract the snapper, the structure should also offer food and protective shelter nearby, with the presence of active water (caused by the current, swell or both) helping the situation still further. In nearly all instances, fish numbers will be higher on the side of the structure exposed to the current, rather than the protected side, and the best fishing tends to occur while the tide is running.

Unfortunately, while there’s suitable territory everywhere, only a small proportion of it is visible from the surface, so a fish-finder is a vital tool. However, I suggest not placing too much emphasis on seeing ‘snapper sign’, as this can be notoriously hard to do. Instead, concentrate on simply looking for suitable territory and general fish life, as time and burley can make a big difference.

Structure interrupting current flow will often produce, especially at times of low light.

SETTING UP FOR STRAY-LINING


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The potential of all stray-line spots is more likely to be realised by the use of burley - but only if dispersed correctly.

While it is a relatively simple matter to burley in shallow water with a gentle tidal flow, either via a burley pot and masher, or by tethering a frozen block of burley in a mesh bag. The latter option provides a thick, uninterrupted trail of fragmented food flowing away in the current - without the thumping of burley pots. However, a big frozen block of it can disappear in a matter of an hour or so when submerged in the tepid water of mid-summer, so instead of completely removing the contents from the plastic covering, just cut a quarter or third of the plastic off one end to make the burley last much longer.

Augment your chances further by dispensing regular handfuls of chopped pilchards/skipjack or crushed kina/mussels. But don’t think that ‘more is always better’. Too much groundbaiting can fill your target species up so they become less inclined to eat your bait. Small and often is the way to go.

Burley released from the surface into deeper water with some current present is often a waste of time, as the burley is carried a long way from the boat, well beyond where your baits are positioned.

Consequently, you will need a weighted burley distribution system with enough weight incorporated to keep the attached 5mm+ cord in a reasonably vertical position when filled with burley and set just off the bottom. ‘Near’ the bottom, rather than on it, is important, as there’s very little current present hard on the seafloor, so your burley’s broadcasting capabilities will be reduced if left there. So start about 1-1.5 meters from the seafloor initially (with more distance recommended in very reefy areas), and then check the position occasionally for any adjustment needed over the tidal phase.

Although a ‘puka bomb’ or dive weight attached to an onion sack will suffice, the commercially-made Wobble Pot (or something along similar lines) will work much better. You may find the wind pushes and holds the boat somewhat sideways in the current, so attaching the burley cord to the far side of the boat’s cockpit, out the way, but still ahead of the anglers’ lines, makes good sense. A simple onion sack filled with frozen burley suffices when

fishing shallow waters with a light to moderate current flow.

BURLEY UP!


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Despite snapper being well-known scavengers, they can also show a marked preference for different types of bait at times. So have a variety of baits and some idea on how each can be rigged.

PILCHARDS

Whatever you plan to do with your pilchard baits, do not start by thawing them out! Frozen pilchards might make baiting up a little more difficult, but they also resist bites better and aren’t so prone to falling off the hook. So take just the edge off, leaving them still ‘crispy frozen’, but not frozen solid.

A single whole pilchard is probably the most common bait for snapper - and everyone has a different way of rigging them, so here are just a couple of the more commonly used ones.

If large snapper are a possibility, it often pays to use one really big pilchard or multiples of smaller ones; two similar-sized fish, placed side-by-side, line up well for hook placement and the half-hitching around their tails. There are two main differences when rigging up multiple pilchards instead of singles. For a start, the leading hook should end up placed through the bony cartilage in front of the pillie’s eyes, so even if the rest of the bait gets taken, the two or three pilchard heads left on the hook can be a tempting morsel. Also, it’s not necessary to get the ‘keeper’ hook through all the bodies just burying this hook deeply into one of them is fine (or you can scoop through one mid-body if using circle hooks), but consistent success is dependent on firmly half-hitching around the tail wrists to finish.

A single pilchard is perhaps the most popular snapper bait overall, and there are so many different ways to rig them!

Multiple pilchards provide a bigger target, even after a few nibbles by smaller snapper, resulting in bigger fish hooked.

BAITING UP

24-37kg trace

2-3 half hitches

1/8-1oz sinker

6/0-8/0 recurve hook


2 or 3 pilcards

MULTIPLE PILCARDS RIG


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SKIPJACK TUNA

Although the skin is nice and tough when freshly caught, the skippie appears as a totally different animal when dredged up from the local bait stockist, with the frozen corpse typically battered, bloodied and almost skinless. One would have every right to be peeved with the product if it still didn’t attract snapper so well!

SQUID

When looking to buy squid, make sure they’re the nice creamy, light brown specimens - not the pinky-purple horrors that sometimes emerge from freezers.

Double-hooked squid: Sew the trailing hook’s point through the base of the mantle and out through the tentacle cluster clump to hold the body parts nicely together, before placing the slightly smaller ‘keeper’ hook through the tube higher up, allowing just enough space for a sinker to be half-hitched into place afterwards. If the squid are small, lay them on top of each other and perform the same rigging process.

Taking it to the extreme – a whole small skipjack tuna – and it ended up attracting a reasonable snapper, too!

A double-hooked squid provides lots of snapper for dinner!

A skipjack tuna can be made into a lot of good baits, but fresh or freshly frozen is preferable, as the skin is much tougher than those of long-term freezer inhabitants caught in seine nets.

BAITING UP

15-24kg trace. 30-40cm

1/4 - 1/2oz sinker



Snood knot

Uniknot

RIGGING SQUID


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The best tuna baits are made by cutting the rear third of the fillet off the skipjack and then slicing the resulting triangular slab lengthways, producing two superb baits. Not only do they taper down perfectly for tidy rigging, they’re also from a tough part of the fish, staying nicely together when cast - or savagely eaten.

Although these are the best baits, several other passable baits can be made from the rest of the fillet. Again, the baits are cut so they are long, slim and tapering, but this time they are cut vertically rather than horizontally. You will find that the skin near the skippie’s head does not adhere to the flesh very securely.

A skipjack bait needs some skin to hold it together, and be shaped reasonably slim and streamlined so snapper can easily swallow it.

BAITING UP

Skippie Head Bait

‘Fish Fingers’Mid Section Baits

Tail Section Baits(Perfect Baits!)

SKIPJACK STRIP BAIT TWO-HOOK FIXED RIG FOR GRASSY AREAS

SKIPJACK STRIP BAIT RIGGED

SKIPJACK STRIP BAIT CUTS


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Short 80lb Trace

8/0-10/0 Hook

MACKEREL BAITS (YELLOWTAIL, SLIMIE AND KOHERU)

Mackerel are favoured as bait for bigger snapper. Although they can be purchased from bait sellers at times, it’s usually pretty easy to catch your own. Simply drop a set of bait flies perhaps baited with small slivers of squid or skipjack belly down to where they are in the burley trail or are showing on the fish-finder screen. If without bait slivers, you’ll probably need to swoop and jiggle them around to get action.

The rigs used for tuna strip baits are identical to those used with pilchards, with the leading hook sewn two or three times (depending on relative bait and hook size) from the thinner tapered end down to the thicker end. To keep the gape relatively unchoked and enable it to be easily ripped out, note the direction of the beak hook’s kirb and place the hook in the bait so that the point is near the bait’s edge and pointing away from the main bulk of the bait. Re-curve hooks are better scooped in similar positions along the skin side.

The sinker placement and size too, is similar to typical pilchard rigs, with up to two-ounce sliding ball sinkers held within the bait and locked in position by a couple of half-hitches above.

SKIPJACK TUNA HEAD

This big snapper bait can either be whole or split in half, depending on the size of the skippie and the snapper you hope to catch. Most times it’s half a skipjack head, mainly because splitting exposes all the internal juices, scents and bits inside the head (the blood-soaked gills being important), but also to make it a more manageable size for a decent snapper to chomp down. Kahawai, mullet and trevally heads also work well

BAITING UP

SKIPJACK HEAD BAIT RIGGED


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BUTTERFLIED MACKEREL

The process ideally starts by apologising to the live mackerel, then throwing it hard onto the cockpit floor to kill or stun it. Next, use a knife to cut up towards the head (as if filleting), until the gut cavity on both sides of the fish is just exposed. Now lift one of the fillet flaps and carefully cut through the exposed backbone section and remove it, along with the connected tail. Your mackerel is now ‘butterflied’. (For the more ambitious amongst you, this can also be done with small but legal trevally to a kilo or so in weight.)

However, there will be times when small snapper make short work of your efforts, especially if the mackerel baits have been frozen; at such times it’s better to use your mackerel rigged whole.

BAITING UP

Very little can beat a freshly wriggling yellowtail mackerel for effectiveness, so it pays to have some bait flies at your disposal.

7/0-8/0Hook

1/4-1 ounce sinker

24-37kgtrace

Short 24-37kg trace

5/0-7/0 recurve snooded in

place

5/0-7/0 recurve scooped along

body

Hook placed through

bait’s nose

Minimal weight -

just enough to sink

Uni knot

Positioning hook higher up at shoulder is also effective.

BUTTERFLIED MACKEREL

WHOLE MACKEREL RIGGED


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BAITING UP

Downsizing hooks, baits and tackle can make a huge difference to your results sometimes, and makes the most of the small to medium fish found in the bays and estuaries over summer.

FRESH KAHAWAI

Notice it’s fresh only, as kahawai becomes much less appealing after being frozen.

Kahawai SausagesUpon catching a ‘spotted terror’, remove the fillets, then skin and divide them lengthways into two. Big baits like these slow their brothers and sisters’ appetite down quite a bit, especially when combined with a slightly heavier sinker to reduce the vulnerable descent time.

These kahawai ‘fingers’ or ‘sausages’ are treated as if they are large whole pilchards, with 8/0 to 10/0 hook(s) sewn down their length and either buried deeply if beak-style hooks, or moderately deeply scooped along the length if circles/re-curves. The trace is then half-hitched two or three times to hold the sinker in place and take the casting strain.

DOWNSIZING

There will be times when smaller baits work better - generally in the cooler months or when targeting smaller fish.

It seems that half-pilchards, squid pieces (especially the tentacle clumps) and skipjack strip baits release juices and oils more readily and are also nicely ‘bite-sized’, encouraging ‘gobble and runs’.

Both halves of the pilchard can be effectively utilised, especially if the pilchard is cut across on a 60° angle.

24-37kg trace

Two or Three half-hitches

Minimal weight - just enough

to sink



Remove skin from fresh Kahawai and shape it so it’s long and slim, with one tapered end.

KAHAWAI ‘SAUSAGE’


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This gives the bait enough length for hooks and traces to be sewn or half-hitched along, so it stays on better throughout casts and bites. For those with the inclination (or very soft pilchards), the use of cotton or Bait Elastic keeps the bait on for much longer, but removing all the strands afterwards, prior to putting on a new bait, takes up a lot of fishing time.

Small whole squid or parts of bigger squid can also be used, but keep in mind that squid strip baits soon lose their flavour, so must be replaced regularly. Squid baits are many times more effective when tentacles are included, so if your bait doesn’t have any natural tentacles, make some with a sharp knife. It really does help.

BAITING UP

Use a sharp knife to create artificial

tentacles

Double recurve rig

HALF PILCHARD BAITS

‘PIMPED’ SQUID BAIT


2-3 Half hitches around tail wrist, holding sinker in

place

4/0-6/0 Beak hook or 3/0-5/0 Recurve

hook placed two-thirds to three-quarters down the

tail-half length

4/0-6/0 Beak hook or 3/0-5/0 circle hook ‘sewed’ up through pilchard

nose and placed two-thirds to three-quarters down body

Cut on angle to look bigger

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BAITING UP

Small baits like these are mostly used in conjunction with hooks in 4/0 or 5/0 sizes, with circle hooks proving particularly well suited to those who like to kick back and relax with the rod left in the rod holder. These baits are easily swallowed, and the snapper’s own momentum removes the slack and stretch from the (nylon) line until the power of the rod smoothly kicks in and drags the hook into place around the jaw hinge. As much of the circle hook’s effectiveness is determined by its placement, you’ll need to take some care here; if the hook point isn’t exposed, it’s far less likely to hook up, as it’s designed to slide and catch around a fish’s jaw hinge when steady pressure is applied by the angler or rod holder.

Small, double circle-hooked baits are often lethal.


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Although your burley trail will attract snapper closer to you, the bigger, wiser ones will generally hang back, away from the noise and shadow of your boat. This means casting your bait out to them. However, it’s not necessary to cast so hard your bait flies apart. A firm lob will suffice – around 20-30 meters is good.

When the bait splashes down, do not immediately place the reel in gear or, if it’s a freespool, let the line pull off the reel’s spool. Engaging the bail arm or the reel’s gears straight away reduces the potential distance achieved after the cast and can make the bait’s descent look less natural. Instead, pull line off at a steady speed that allows the line leaving the rod tip to remain slack at all times, even if that means leaving a coil of line on the water’s surface. Get used to the speed at which the line disappears into the water and be alert for any slight hesitation or decrease in the descent rate: this usually signals that the bottom has been reached or that you have a bite.

As soon as the line abruptly (often just momentarily) slackens from apparently hitting the bottom, wait a few seconds (in case it’s actually a bite) before engaging the reel and winding in a few turns. At first there will be a little pressure, but this should increase once the slack line has been wound in and the bait starts lifting off the bottom. As soon as the extra weight is felt, either flick the reel out of gear if it is a freespool, or open the bail-arm if it is a spinning reel, and allow the bait to drop back down again. You now have a line that is more direct from the rod tip to the bait, enabling better bite detection and hook-up ability.

Let the bait sit for a while, as the descent’s movement often attracts attention, as does the small rise and fall of the bait when you tighten the line. If you have a freespool-type reel, you should have your middle/index finger lightly on the spool. This will enable you to control the reel’s spinning spool if a snapper suddenly runs off with the bait, or be used to quickly adjust the bait’s position (more on this shortly).

STRAY-LINING TECHNIQUES

Barely submerged weedy rocks are great snapper producers, especially when swells are washing over them and the light is low.


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STRAY-LINING TECHNIQUES

When it comes to standard spinning reels, many anglers have the drag set at a third to half the breaking strain of the line, the bail-arm open, with the line held lightly in front of the spool between their thumb and forefinger, ready for release if a fish bites. As for bait-runner type reels, simply set the pre-set knob as lightly as possible so it won’t overrun should a fish take the bait and run off quickly, then leave it with the bail-arm closed.

You will get more fish if you reposition the baited rig occasionally. Just how much and often you need to do this is largely determined by the speed of current and how much weight you’ve used on your rig. Reposition the bait every minute or two to: provide movement (which attracts snapper over for a closer look); keep the line reasonably taut; ensure the baited rig stays near the bottom; and reposition the bait, possibly leading to it being in a new place where it’s more easily seen, accessed and eaten.

Freespool reel fishers can reposition by flicking their out-of-gear spool around with their finger(s), so the baited rig comes up/in a little, or by releasing some line so the bait tumbles back a short distance. The last is only done when there is sufficient current to pull line off the reel’s spool.

Repositioning is harder to do with spinning reels, as you’ll often need to pull the bail-arm across to retrieve line if using a typical spinning reel, or wind a bait-runner model into gear; you don’t want a snapper to bite at this moment.

Freespool reels make controlling stray-lined baits very easy, so bites are usually turned into hook-ups.


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Snapper usually nibble and chew on the bait experimentally before deciding whether to take it properly or not (although the occasional larger specimen will sometimes simply seize it hungrily and steam off at high speed!). Consequently, you’ll generally need to tease the snapper into becoming more committed. This involves slowly pulling the bait away using your rod tip – but no more than 15cm or so – and then, if nothing happens, releasing a little line or dropping the rod tip back to its original position so the bait tumbles back. Most good anglers do both in succession, and nearly always attract further and harder bites.

This procedure is easier to do with freespool reels, as you can leave them out of gear, with your fingers either holding the spool in place while pulling back with the rod or allowing the spool to rotate and let line out – until, hopefully, the line begins smoking off from under your fingertips.

If using standard-type hooks, we want a steady flow of line leaving the reel – even if it is just for two or three seconds – to have a reasonable chance of hooking the fish. This is where ‘bait-runner’ type reels offer a big advantage. As already mentioned, their design means that the line is pulled from the reel from a static position (the bail roller) and under slight pressure (due to the ‘bite and run’ drag), so the line stays straighter and more direct to the rod tip. Consequently, the weight of the fish comes on more quickly when the reel is engaged, so strikes can be made earlier and more effectively. Just be sure to always set the ‘bite and run’ drag to the lightest tension possible – a pressure that allows the fish to run off fast without overrunning the spool – or the pressure may prove too hard and lead to rejected baits.

THE BITE AND PREPARING TO STRIKE

Wait until the line is running off smoothly before striking with J-type hooks.


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THE BITE AND PREPARING TO STRIKE

Depending on the hooks used, you’ll need to adopt one of the two following procedures to hook snapper:

Using ‘beak/octopus’ type hooks: Once the line is leaving the spool smoothly, engage the reel, wait until the line starts tightening up, then sweep the rod upwards hard, keeping the tip well raised afterwards to keep the pressure on (and perhaps winding to tighten the line further), before cranking the rod tip downwards with the reel, and then lifting firmly again to ensure the hook is firmly in the snapper’s mouth.

Using ‘circle/re-curve’ type hooks: Unlike the previous process, it’s not necessary to have line leaving the reel steadily – just a hard pull is usually enough – and the reel can even remain in gear, especially if small baits are being used. Whatever happens, don’t strike hard in response to a bite, as this simply bounces the circle hook out of the fish’s mouth. Instead, quietly click the reel into gear, or clamp your finger(s) hard on the spool, and slowly raise or pull back your rod tip. If the pressure increases, keep lifting, until the rod tip really starts bending, whereupon one further, firmer lift should see you hooked up. Better get that reel in gear if you haven’t done so already!

On the other hand, if the snapper lets go without hooking up, slowly drop your rod tip back again, perhaps feeding out a little line as well, and then try lifting again. This often teases the fish into biting again, more firmly, enabling you to go through the hook-up process again.

As you can see, this technique does not wrench the bait out of the snapper’s mouth and out of reach if it fails to hook up, due to the succession of hard rod strikes and fast winds performed while attempting to set the hook - as so often happens when using beak-type hooks. Also, as it’s also less likely to contribute towards ripping hooks out from baits, which the other procedure does too, it cannot help but catch more fish at the end of the day.

Interestingly, nylon lines, in combination with relatively light-tipped or ‘forgiving’ rods, work better than braid outfits in this instance, as this stretchier material does not transmit the angler’s presence to the fish as effectively as braid does. For those who still prefer braid – perhaps because it enables such compact and light tackle to be used – the nylon’s elastic property can be replicated to a certain extent by a rod with a long, light, bendy tip that folds away.

A steady uplift with the rod is all that’s required when using circle hooks.


22 SNAPPER SECRETS: STRAY-LINING

In all instances you need to maintain pressure on the fish following hook-up, which basically means keeping your rod bent and nicely raised, with the reel also used to wind in line if necessary to keep a decent amount of pressure on. ‘Nicely raised’ roughly equates to around a 60- to 70-degree angle from horizontal, although a strong running fish and heavy line may force your rod tip to be dragged down much flatter. Just keep trying to lift the rod, and once you manage to do so, it’s usually possible to then smoothly drop the rod-tip and wind the reel as you do so, retrieving line. This motion is called ‘pumping the rod’. Those new to the sport may find this difficult to co-ordinate, but if the reel’s drag is set properly and the fish isn’t too big, it soon becomes second nature.

One of the biggest mistakes made by the users of spinning-reel outfit is to continue to pump and wind while line is peeling off the reel. Often this is simply due to the drag being set too lightly and therefore easily rectified.

At other times it’s due to the efforts of a big, powerful fish; this is when you must be patient and not panic. A fish that keeps pulling off line, despite the pressure exerted by a well-set drag, is the fish we really want, so try and keep/get that rod tip up and LEAVE THE DRAG ALONE! (Increasing the amount of drag pressure is one of the most common causes of lost fish.) Basically, do not wind when you can hear or see line leaving the spool, or if your winding efforts are failing to put any line back on the reel, as this twists the line. (In some instances this can become so severe that fishing is impossible afterwards; the terminal tackle will need to be cut off and the twisted line fed out behind a moving boat for five to ten minutes to untwist the line.)

The only other thing to look out for is the surge of adrenalin that rushes into your brain upon seeing your biggest-ever snapper; try to keep calm and continue pumping smoothly – don’t alter a thing, especially the amount of pressure being exerted – and don’t rush the person into trying to net or gaff your fish.

However, do make sure they need to net the snapper head-on once it’s up and flapping on the surface, as fish do not have a reverse gear. Coming at them from behind enables them to simply swim ahead and out of the net again.

FIGHTING THE FISH

Keep the pressure on and the rod raised while the fish is racing off on its first run.

Scoop fish up headfirst, or they will simply swim out again.

23SNAPPER SECRETS: STRAY-LINING

DRIFTING

When conditions permit (light winds and a slight current), it can be well worthwhile drifting over productive areas with lightly weighted baits (or slow-jigs and soft-plastic lures).

To fish this way properly, many of the previous tips for stray-lining still apply, but it is doubly important to use the right sized sinker. Err on the side of slightly too heavy rather than a little too light, as the line angle shouldn’t become too great. Increased angle equals too much line out, which in turn means reduced bite detection and a greater chance of snagging. Other things that will help anglers include:

Use a drogue/sea anchor to slow your drift if the wind is pushing you along too quickly; they can make a lot of difference, enabling fishing in winds up to 20 knots (if the drogue is a big, well made one);

Braid will often help when using standard (rather than re-curve) hooks in deep water situations, as this allows you to get away with lighter sinkers and still get down, while the line’s lack of stretch means you’ll feel bites better and set the hooks more effectively in response;

Use the slimmest types of sinker, and/or two or three smaller sinkers rather than one large sinker to keep the rig trim;

Rig whole baitfish so they’re pulled headfirst and are as streamlined as possible. That way they’re less likely to catch on the bottom;

For the same reason, cut baits so they’re long and slim rather than wide and ‘flappy’ (this makes them easier for fish to swallow, too);

Keep your outfits in your hands so you can adjust the line length whenever necessary;

Do not leave your bait lying on the sea floor the whole time; every now and then wind it up a few meters and drop down again; this movement attracts much more snapper attention. In fact, in places such as the Mokohinau Islands and Cuvier Island, the bait’s usually at its most effective while drifting down. Deliberately slowing its descent using the fingertips works well; if a bite doesn’t occur on the way down, wind back up again to halfway and repeat the process.

A drogue will slow you down when drifting baits in deeper water.


The Bimini Twist is used to create a strong double in all lines, enabling any joining knots tied with it to be incredibly strong, too. Although a little complex to tie, it’s better than a Spiders Hitch because it absorbs sudden pressure, retains its breaking strain exceptionally well over time, and can be used on all breaking strains of line to 60kg.Doubles only need to be 60cm or less for this purpose, so are easily tied with the mainline wrapped around the back of your legs.

Sit down and place the mainline behind both knees, ensuring at least one metre of the mainline’s tag-end is in your right hand. Rotate the tag-end around the mainline 20 times.

Using your right hand, half-hitch the tag-end around one leg of the mainline loop only. (Note: many Bimini practitioners recommend that both legs should have one half-hitch placed around each; I find it unnecessary.) Pull up firmly.

Work your left hand down until it can be placed over the lower juncture of the three pieces of nylon. Hold firmly in place.

Open your knees so line twists tighten up, aided by your hands forcing the twists down from the other end at the same time.Keep your hands only a few centimeters from the twists and at similar angles to one another. Stop applying pressure when twists are as tight as they can go without deforming. Next, increase pressure again by slowly spreading knees apart whilst bringing tag-end smoothly downwards – but don’t ‘drag’ tag-end downwards; instead, let tag-end spiral down naturally between twist gullies.

KNOTS

THE BIMINI TWIST FOR NYLON

STEP 1

STEP 4

STEP 3STEP 2

Close your legs. Half-hitch twice (only shown once in the diagram) around both mainline loop legs.

Three- to five-turn spiral finish. Start as if you are about to half-hitch around both mainline legs, then proceed with three or four more internal spirals. Pull the tag-end up slowly with the left hand, while at the same time stroking downwards over the turns with your left-hand thumb and forefinger in the opposite direction.This helps keep them in order as the knot tightens up.

The finished Bimini Twist. Cut off the tag-end leaving 2mm-4mm protruding.

STEP 5 STEP 6 STEP 7

25

The Spiders Hitch is for anglers who like the idea of a ‘double’ tied in the mainline, but feel daunted by the Bimini Twist. An adequate alternative for people scared off by the Bimini Twist. This is by far the easiest of the double knots to tie, and although surprisingly strong, it does slowly bite into itself over time, so is best tied on the day. It should only be used on lines up to 15kg; after that it becomes less efficient.

A Double over two meters of line and hold the metre-long ‘double’ formed between your thumb and index finger, the tag-end protruding past your wrist by 6-7cm, and with your thumb and forefinger making a smoothly tapered wedge shape.

B Get the doubled main - line and make a small loop by bending the doubled-over line back and behind itself. Hold in position with your thumb and fingertip.

Spiral the remaining section of doubled-line firmly around the wedge formed by your thumb and finger five or six times, making sure each successive rotation is higher up the wedge than the previous one.

Pass the end of the doubled mainline through the small loop.

Continue pulling until the knot tightens up firmly. Cut the tag-end, leaving about 2-3mm protruding.

Slowly pull the loops off the thumb and index finger, one at a time.


KNOTS

THE SPIDERS HITCH DOUBLE

STEP 1 STEP 2

STEP 3

STEP 5

STEP 4

A

B


If you want to have a double hook rig, yet wish to remain within IGFA regulations (i.e. because you’d like any fish subsequently caught to be eligible for potential records or when fishing in contests being run in accordance to IGFA rules), you’ll need to learn how to snood or snell a hook, as a free-running second hook is illegal under IGFA regulations.

If using two hooks, tie the main hook on first with a Uni knot. Position the keeper hook where you want it on the remaining section of trace. Form a circle with the remaining nylon trace, with the ends overlapping each other along the hook’s shank.

As the loose loop tightens, be careful to avoid it twisting across to the other side of the hook, as it will not pull up correctly afterwards.

A Trap tag-end ‘B’ firmly between your thumb and index finger up near the hook’s eye.

B Wind the right-hand side of the loop (end ‘A’) around the hook shank and tag-end ‘B’, making sure you wind firmly enough to keep the loops in place as you spiral along the shank five to seven times.

C Once the required number of turns has been made, trap them under your finger and slowly pull tag-end ‘B’ through the covering wraps.

Place line ‘B’ through Place line ‘B’ through it hangs correctly.

KNOTS

SNOOD KNOT

STEP 1

STEP 3

STEP 2

STEP 4

TAG-END B

TAG-END B

TAG-END B

27

The Uni Knot is the most useful knot to know, as it’s relatively simple to tie and can be used to connect all manner of lures and terminal tackle, from hooks and lures to swivels and sinkers. Even better, it works on line weights from 2kg to 200kg.

Thread the trace through the hook (or jig or lead-head) eyelet. Run up and alongside the line. Curve out and away before heading back in towards the lead-head, jig or hook, crossing both strands and forming a loop.

A Complete five or six turns around the two strands, heading up along the line and away from the lead-head/jig/hook.B Pull the tag-end up firmly until the knot is compact but not immovable.

A Through to B Rotate the tag-end around the two parallel strands.

Slide the knot down slowly. Note: you can make a small loop for lures by placing your thumbnail under it and pulling hard tag-end to seat it firmly. Cut the tag-end so it protrudes just 2-3mm.


KNOTS

THE UNI KNOT

STEP 1

STEP 3

STEP 2

STEP 4

TAG-END

MAIN TRACE LINE

A

B


Form an overhand loop in the thicker trace line. Pass the doubled strand of mainline through the overhand loop for one complete rotation, ensuring that it enters and leaves from the same side as the heavy trace line, but from the opposite direction.

Pull apart both ends of the heavy trace only, until the overhand knot tightens up firmly.

A Hold the trace and doubled strand of mainline apart firmly between your thumb and index finger.B Wrap the doubled mainline around the trace-line five or six times (seven if you’re using braid).C Pass the doubled loop through the open gap.

A Hold the end of the mainline loop between your teeth (but DO NOT pull or place any pressure on it), and do not move your right hand either.B Pull away on the doubled mainline strand only with your left hand, until the knot starts to snug down. Now let go of the loop in your teeth, so you can see the knot tightening up properly.

Trim the tag-ends close to the knot.

KNOTS

NO-NAME KNOT

STEP 1 STEP 2

STEP 3

STEP 4

STEP 5

TAG-END

TRACE LINE

TRACE LINE

Short double or section of mainline doubled over

A

B

Don’t touch this end

29SNAPPER SECRETS: BOTTOM FISHING

BOTTOM FISHING

When the waters are deep and/or swift, making stray-line rigs impossible to use, because they get whisked away and cannot reach the bottom – even in their heaviest configurations. Now it’s time to use a bottom-fishing outfit armed with a ledger/flasher rig or weighted running rig.

The water might be deep and swift, but there are still a lot of lovely snapper down there waiting for something to eat.

30 SNAPPER SECRETS: BOTTOM FISHING

SUITABLE TACKLE

Reels can be spinning or overhead models, spooled up with around 250m or more of l8-15kg nylon or braid. However, in areas affected by particularly swift-running currents and perhaps inhabited by healthy populations of sharks and rays, you may even need 24kg super-braid line to deal with the situation. However, as super-braids are so thin but rather unforgiving when knotted (i.e. they can lose a lot of breaking strain when tied poorly), it is possible and advisable to use line-class weights that are one or two categories higher than the weight of nylon you’d normally use. For example, if you normally like to use 10kg nylon, use 15 or 24kg braid instead – but still treat it as if it were 10kg. As braid diameters tend to be around a third the thickness of standard nylon, the stronger line still puts you at a great advantage.

Having said that, the line’s lack of stretch sometimes works against the angler; the same increased sensitivity that delights anglers when feeling bites often allows snapper to detect something isn’t right at their end, too. The result is a suspicious fish and half-eaten bait. While this doesn’t matter so much with ledger rigs, as the small baits often produce hook-ups pretty quickly, running rigs armed with bigger baits can suffer. So in the latter case try using a reasonably long (two meters plus), light tipped rod with a powerful butt section, the reel left in gear. This means you can hold the rod tip up high if necessary, so snapper will drag the light tip down without feeling much pressure. Then, once the rod’s more powerful mid and butt sections come into play, smoothly increasing the amount of pressure being exerted, the bait’s usually within the snapper’s mouth and in the process of hooking up before the fish can spook and spit the bait out.

If using braid, you’ll find a freespool type reel equipped with a level-wind system useful - or, alternatively a sturdy spinning reel - as both allow anglers to fight fish and retrieve line under pressure without the braid possibly causing line cuts.

When fishing deeper, faster waters - especially on the West Coast – it pays to have sturdier tackle to cope with the heavier sinkers used.

Relatively long, light tipped rods can be effective when fishing deeper waters with braid and larger baits, especially when the snapper are not biting positively.


DEEP WATER BURLEYING

There’s no point in anchoring in deep, fast water and dispersing burley from the surface, as it will simply be whisked away, never to be seen again.

Instead, use a dispenser that’s sufficiently weighted and/or streamlined to get down near the bottom and then stay there. Again, a Wobble Pot is ideal for this, as it consists of a big, heavy coil spring covered in tough mesh, and comes in sizes big enough to accommodate even five-kilo blocks of frozen burley. However, you can use something as simple as an onion sack with a diver’s weight/’puka bomb’ (or two) inside to disperse burley if necessary.

In all cases the dispenser will need to be attached to a length of cord that’s thin enough to cut through the water efficiently, but not so thin that retrieving the weighted burley from 30 meters down becomes painful – around 3-4mm is usually about right. This line can be stored on a large plastic hand-line spool, which makes deployment easy, too.

When dropping the burley down, note the current direction so the burley can be dropped from a part of the boat where it will stream out past your baits, but the rope remains out the way. This usually means tying off around 1.5-3 meters back from the stern – but lift the burley a couple of meters up off the bottom before doing so, as there’s minimal current present hard on the sea floor.

Do not tie burley to the anchor chain, as the boat must remain positioned perfectly behind the anchor for this ploy to succeed; if the wind pushes the boat even a few degrees to either side, due to the distance involved between the anchor and the boat, your bait will end up well away from the burley trail and any fish attracted by it.

As mentioned, these swift, deep waters usually suit a running-sinker rig or a ledger rig, so here are a few pointers about using them.

SETTING BURLEY IN DEEP OR FAST FLOWING WATER

Tie burley line off transom to keep clear of angler lines

Larger fish tend to hang further back – especially in water less

than 20 meters deep

Set weighted burley system one or two meters off sea floor

32 SNAPPER SECRETS: BOTTOM FISHING

THE RUNNING-SINKER RIG

This rig is very simple, yet can be a very effective way to catch fish, especially on the east coast.

As its name implies, this system allows the line to ‘run’ relatively unimpeded through the sinker’s hole or attachment loop. This means fish can grab the bait and move off without becoming unduly suspicious; meanwhile, the angler watches the line steadily departing from the reel, until the time comes to engage the reel’s gears and set the hook.

This used to involve waiting for the weight to come on, then trying to seat the hooks with a firm strike or two, keeping the (hopefully bent) rod tip up to maintain pressure, winding smartly to increase the pressure and bring the rod tip down, then repeating if necessary. However, although this strategy often proved successful, these days many weighted snapper rigs incorporate re-curve or circle hooks, as they’re even more effective and allow fish to be released in good shape if desired. To hook up with re-curves, simply engage the reel as you drop the rod tip, wait for the rod to start bending over, and then lift it steadily in response.

Tying up the double-hooked trace is the most complex aspect of this otherwise simple rig. Despite what many people say, the 50-80lb (24-37kg) traces only need to be about 70cm long when completed; longer traces often allow too many baits to be lost without anglers feeling the bites, and an unacceptable number of fish end up swallowing the hooks.

The two-hook rig used here is very similar to that used in stray-lining rig, and the same considerations apply, except that the trace is obviously longer and always connected with a swivel. This swivel doesn’t need to be very big, as most are surprisingly strong, but must be larger than the sinker’s line hole to prevent it jamming or passing right through. Make a whole heap of traces up before heading out, so time spent re-rigging out on the water is kept to a minimum.

As usual, try to keep sinker weight down to the least amount necessary for the rig to reach the bottom. The faster the current, the thicker the mainline and the larger the baits used, the more weight you’ll need to get the job done.

I usually thread one or two ball sinkers onto my main line, as this lets the rig roll around a bit on the sea floor, attracting the attention of snapper in the process. However, try threading a rubber luminous bead or section of tubing between the sinkers when rigging them to stop them knocking against each other. Lead sinkers are relatively soft, so repeated contact can squash the entry/exit holes shut, jamming them in place on the mainline.

RUNNING-SINKER SNAPPER RIG2-8oz Ball

Sinker(Depending

on tidal strength)

Small or Medium sized

swivel

5/0-7/0 recurve or beak hook

5/0-7/0 recurve or beak hook

Snood

50-6

0mm

18-

37kg

30-6

0mm

Uni knot

33

PILCHARD SQUID STRIP-BAIT

SNAPPER SECRETS: BOTTOM FISHING

THE RUNNING-SINKER RIG

Bait Options All stray-lining bait-rigging options can also be used on the running rig, but of course in the latter instance there won’t be any weight sitting directly on top of the hook. However, in all instances, slim baits work best, as they cope with the current better and are easier for snapper to swallow. And, same as when stray-lining, if you use baits that are still alive, it can make a huge difference to your fortunes.

The following bait-rigging possibilities are typical, and as circle hooks work best at depth, most are shown rigged with them but slim, super-sharp and strong Beak/Octopus types can also bring home the bacon.

Fishing the Running RigThe rod’s length is mainly used to slowly move baits away from tentatively biting fish – there’s nothing like an escaping meal to make a snapper realise it does want to eat that freezer-burnt mackerel after all! As for the rod’s light tip, this provides slight resistance initially, so dinner appears to be fighting back, encouraging the snapper to grab it more firmly, at which stage the gruntier part of the rod kicks in, pulling the hooks into position in the snapper’s mouth – provided they’re well placed in the bait. If not, some of the bait will probably have been chomped off, and it’s up to you to tempt fish into providing a second chance with what’s left. To do this, try letting a little line out. Wait a moment. Nothing? Now wind in a bit. Still nothing? Drop back again - this will usually do the trick if a reasonable chunk of bait remains on your hooks. Then, once the tip folds over properly, indicating the fish is on, it doesn’t hurt to lift the rod steadily in response, just to make sure the hook-up is secure.

The same slow lifting and dropping action is also effective while waiting for a fish to bite (but only every couple of minutes or so), as the movement attracts nearby opportunistic fish in for a closer look. Just as importantly, this tactic also reduces the bow in your line, improving sensitivity to bites, and repositions your bait in a slightly different – possibly better – location, away from the slow-moving clutches of starfish, crabs, snails and moray eels.


THE LEDGER RIG

The ledger rig is a wonderfully effective rig to use; although it enables beginners to catch fish, skilled anglers will do even better. So let’s look at the various components and attributes of the good old ledger rig, and try to work out why.

A basic ledger rig consists of a length of line with a sinker at one end, a swivel at the other, and one to three dropper loops/traces knotted along its length. These should be positioned far enough apart so they don’t catch up on each other, and tied so they stick out at right angles to the backbone. Hooks, which can be almost any type and size, are looped onto these droppers. However, re-curved (circle) type hooks around 5/0 generally suit this way of fishing best.

Trace elementsThe thickness (breaking strain) of the ledger rig’s trace material is largely determined by where you’re fishing and the size of the fish you expect to encounter.

Failure is mostly a result of the dropper-loop knots used; very few people can tie them so they end up strong and durable. A poorly tied knot cuts into itself, drastically reducing the rig’s breaking strain (up to 50%), made even worse by nylon’s tendency to steadily lose strength over time when knotted. Consequently, 24-27kg (50-60lb) is more commonly utilised, and the strongest rigs are those tied just the night before or on the way out to the fishing grounds.

If fishing in high current areas, where heavy weights and tackle are required, and perhaps rays, kingfish and sharks are regularly encountered, your ledger rigs may even need to be made from 37-45kg (80-100lb) trace.

RUNNING-SINKER SNAPPER RIG

There are times when nothing beats a ledger rig!

Uni knot

24-37kg trace

Dropper loop knot

Uni knot

Uni knot

Medium swivel Streamlined

sinker, 6 ounces minimum

Luminous Bead5/0 Recurve

Hook

8-10

cm

30-50cm18-26cm


THE LEDGER RIG

The sinker In this instance some extra weight can be beneficial, providing sufficient force to pull a circle hook into a fish’s mouth well before the angler can react. Consequently, although a 4oz sinker might be enough to get this rig to the bottom, it usually pays to opt for a 6-8oz sinker instead. However, on the west coast, where much heavier weights are used as a matter of course – more than enough to set the hook home – there’s no advantage in adding still more weight.

The shape of the sinker can make a big difference, too. Long and streamlined models tend to work well, as they sink quickly and are less likely to snag up – a particularly useful attribute if fishing on the drift.

The SwivelAlthough the swivel needn’t be anything special, ideally the gauge of its wire attachment loops should be thicker than that of the nylon trace, otherwise the nylon can cut into itself.

Dropper LoopsThe trace’s branching dropper loops should be tied with strong knots that cause the loops to stick out at right angles from the backbone.

The loops are positioned on the trace backbone so the hooks can’t catch onto one another, and are tied short enough so they don’t flail or twist around the backbone when dropped down or retrieved.See Stray-lining Knots for Bimini Twist and No-name knots

HooksRe-curved or circle hooks are definitely the go again, especially in deep water with lots of current and when using nylon mainline. Nylon is very stretchy, making bites hard to detect, which is exacerbated further when the line’s bowed out by a strong current like a long, thin sail. As re-curve hooks only require some tension to slide into place around the jaw hinge, anglers won’t necessarily need to feel anything to hook up when using them. And even if bites are felt, a slow, steady lift is all that’s required.

Hook size is mainly determined by the size of the fish being targeted, as this in turn indicates the size of bait used (while there will always be plenty of exceptions, the ‘big bait equals big fish’ theory definitely applies to ol’ greedy-guts snapper).

Deep, fast waters suit long, streamlined sinkers.


THE LEDGER RIG

Having said that though, a 5/0 circle hook will accommodate a bait that’s big enough to entice and catch a pretty decent snapper, along with a bunch of lesser, but still legal, fish.

Whatever hook you choose though, it must be sharp. Snapper, particularly the larger specimens, have tough, bony jaws, and unless the hook point catches on some part of them, it will bounce or slip free.

The hook also needs to be attached correctly to the dropper to realise its full potential. This is done by threading the dropper loop in through the front (i.e. the point and barb side) of the hook’s eye and over its bend and point, so that when the loop is pulled up firmly, the hook’s incurving form is exaggerated still further – to the point you may wonder how fish will find the hook’s point.

Rig Accessories The basic Ledger Rig can be improved still further by adding several well-proven fish attractants, which is why the commercially tied models (popularly called ‘flasher rigs’) have proven so effective and popular. You might want to ‘pimp’ your own rigs up with some of these accessories, too.

For a start, tests have shown that fish detect luminescence and fluorescence more keenly than humans. Therefore, luminous materials – usually in the form of a plastic or rubber beads – are used to help the rig stand out in gloomy conditions, perhaps when fishing deep down in murky water and/or during the hours of darkness.

As for fluorescence, which shows up particularly well in sunlight, this often comes courtesy of the bright paint covering many commercially-tied hook

A steady uplift will hook snapper when using ledger rigs armed with circle-type hooks.

Although a circle hook works well used as is, the pattern is even better when adorned with a variety of proven fish-attracting components.


THE LEDGER RIG

The following baits are commonly used:

The head half of a pilchard (cut on an angle so the bait seems longer and is easier to swallow): place the hook through the bony section in front of the eyes, or up between the gills and out through the upper skull.

Strip baits (especially tough and/or oily baits such as skipjack tuna, mullet and kahawai): cut them into slender, tapered strips and place the hook just once through the fatter end. This allows the bait to move enticingly, be nibbled on and then hook up.

Squid-tentacle head clump: medium-sized ones are usually best, so if too big, divide lengthwise into two baits. Place the hook through the head clump once, so the hook point exits the side or out amongst the tentacles.

snoods, and it can also be present in the bright and glittery strands of Krystal Flash (or similar) cleverly secured by this same knot. As Krystal Flash strands undulate and pulse in the water, they add movement and flash to further encourage fish to bite the bait. These visual stimuli are a large part of the reason why flasher rigs work so well – and why they are best incorporated in a ledger rig; after all, this is very much a case of, ‘if you’ve got it, flaunt it’. It’s no good possessing so many fish-attracting properties and then lying on the silty bottom. Instead, the enhanced baits are presented up off the bottom, where the bright colours and flash are more easily seen from further away. Then, when the fish come to investigate more closely, they also find movement and tasty food at an easily accessed height.

Baiting UpOne big disadvantage with commercially-tied flasher-type rigs is that the material tied onto the hook prevents anglers from ‘sewing’ the hook along the bigger baits for optimal positioning. Consequently, they suit small/slim/short baits that need to be hooked just once, such as shellfish, half-pilchards, squid-tentacle clumps, and strips of squid or fish. And because the rigs tend to be multi-hooked, two or three different baits can be used at once to see which one appeals most at the time.

OR

Pilchard head or squid

tentacle clump

Slim, tapered strip of skipjack tuna or mullet


THE LEDGER RIG

Fishing the Ledger Rig Simply drop the Ledger Rig to the bottom, engage the reel and wind up any slack line until it is tight to the sinker but still on the bottom (or gently bouncing along if drifting).

When a fish bites, slowly lift the rod, and if it lets go or the bites stop, drop down again. Usually there will be some bait left and you’ll get more bites. When this happens, slowly lift once more, and if the rod continues to bend over, keep the pressure on and start winding, perhaps lifting firmly at this point, just to make sure the hook is well seated.

Outfits do not have to be very specialised when ledger/flasher type rigs are used, with just a firm uplift required to seat the hook.

Not a monster, but typical of the very healthy, fat fish found on the West Coast – perfect targets for ledger rigs!


KNOTS

Form an overhand loop and start twisting tag-end around loop. Note: Make the loop bigger than you think you’ll need; a bit bigger than the circumference of a saucer is good.

A Hold in mouth until twists start to snug up, then let go and ensure knots form evenly.B Pull apart

DROPPER LOOP KNOT

STEP 1

STEP 3

STEP 2

STEP 4

A If you want the loop to feed through the twists more easily, hold tenth twist apart between thumb and index finger and then continue on.B Pinch between thumb and index finger and feed through middle of twists.

Fishined loop

5 twists this side(10 in total)

A

B

5 twists this side

B B

A

40 SNAPPER SECRETS: SLOW JIGGING

SLOW JIGGING

No doubt about it, slow-jigging’s the latest, super-hot technique right now. Some of this is probably due to the wild looking lures used, which vary hugely in design, shape and colour, but all comprise of three basic elements: a beautifully painted weighted section, an ‘octopus’ skirt or several flexible tendrils, and an assist rig armed with two small but surprisingly strong and sharp hooks. The weighted section gets the lure down and helps attract fish over for a closer look, the wafting, undulating octopus/tentacles further entice the snapper into biting, while the little hooks contained within do the catching.

At this relatively early stage, it appears that slow-jigging techniques are not that complex (but that’s what we thought initially with soft-plastics, too!), so provided your tackle is right and you employ the following recommendations, you should catch plenty of fish.

Slow-jigging is very effective and heaps of fun, thanks to the light tackle deployed.

41SNAPPER SECRETS: SLOW JIGGING

LIKELY SLOW-JIG SCENARIOS

Any time you’re in a work-up scenario involving gannets/dolphins/feeding school fish (a pair of binoculars are very useful for this), or see a clump of fish on the sounder, or are in an area known to hold fish, try dropping a slow-jig down – especially in depths around 25-50 meters and when the wind is not too strong.

A pair of binoculars makes spotting work-ups so much easier.

Work-ups offer the best-case scenario for slow-jigs, but anytime snapper are present in water over 20 meters or so in depth, they are worth trying.


SUITABLE TACKLE

To get the best from these lures though, suitable tackle is required. While a reasonably parabolic, light tipped soft-plastic rod will do the job, slightly shorter (i.e. around two meters), more flexible rods work even better, helping to provide the gentle rise-and-fall action often favoured, as well as enabling anglers to tease fish into biting more firmly on slow rod uplifts, and serving to cushion the sudden bumps and bangs that occur during fights with big snapper – movements that would otherwise see the small lure hooks rip or bend out.

Reels can be spinning reels or small freespools/baitcasters and both have their advantages and disadvantages. For example, as the spinning reel’s method of line release involves coils of line spiraling off the spool, this means slack line ends up hanging in the water, equating to poor bite detection capabilities on the drop. Fortunately, this can be largely rectified by lightly running the line through your finger tips, slowing the release slightly and creating greater tension during the drop.

And while freespools/baitcasters offer better contact with the lure during the long initial descent, thanks to their more static point of line release (and perhaps light feathering by a finger/thumb to moderate the speed of line release), they lack the retrieval rate provided by spinning reels, thanks to the latter’s comparatively large circumference spool. This makes them less efficient when the time comes to wind the slow-jig up and redeploy it.

The right tackle makes a lot of difference to results: look for light tipped rods, as these absorb sudden bumps and bangs, helping to preserve the lure’s small hook’s grip when hooked up.

Spinning outfit versions are surprisingly effective.


SUITABLE TACKLE

Small, compact freespool reels and baitcasters are ideal for slow-jigging.

As for line, it’s got to be braid, and the lighter you’re able to practically use the better. This generally equates to line that actually breaks around 6-10kg after you have knotted it. Again, as braid tends to overtest by quite a bit, we’re talking about line that’s labeled as 4-7kg – unless your FCO fishing tackle salesman tells you different.

Next is the trace, which tends to be fluorocarbon rather than nylon monofilament; it’s much more durable and harder to see underwater. As we’re generally fishing in reasonably clear territory (or too many expensive jigs can be lost to snags and weed) and the tackle being used is only moderately strong, just a couple of meters of 7-10kg trace are required – any longer and/or heavier and you’ll find the lure’s action is hampered and the trace becomes too visible.


SUITABLE TACKLE

Connection options for tying the braid to the trace are the same as those used for soft-plastics, so refer to that section if necessary.

The slow-jigs themselves comprise two types: madai and inchiku. Madai jigs tend to be squatter with tentacles and tendrils trailing behind them, while inchiku are longer and more streamlined, with a small plastic ‘octopus’ attached alongside.

Madai jigs tend to be more rounded and squat – perhaps imitating small octopi; it seems this style can be dragged further back behind the boat more effectively than inchiku type slow-jigs.

The longer, thinner inchiku lures are better suited to a more vertical style of presentation.


SLOW-JIGGING STRATEGIES

There’s not a lot of obvious action going on when everyone’s fishing with slow-jigs – until fish are encountered!

First, it usually pays to deploy a drogue (sea anchor) to slow your drift, or the lure can be whisked off by the current too quickly to be effective. Big boats can allow drogues to be tied off the stern or transom, but smaller boats must deploy drogues from the bow or risk possible swamping in rough conditions. About 20 knots is about the maximum strength of wind allowing good slow-jigging.

Be alert during the initial descent, concentrating on keeping the line reasonably taut at all times – generally by regularly applying very light manual pressure - so any bites are likely to be seen via your line, which typically will jerk around, suddenly slacken, or speed away. In all cases, promptly engage and lift the rod to set the hook. If you miss hooking up, quietly jiggle your lure around a bit, or give it a few small, slow lifts and drops, as other fish might be in the area. If nothing happens keep dropping to the bottom. Next, upon reaching the seafloor, the lure should be slowly and gently twitched around, or v-e-r-y s-l-o-w-l-y mechanically jigged (a slow lift and drop action while winding with half turns of the handle) back upwards; aggressive movements tend not to be as effective. Perform the mechanical jigging retrieve as if in slow motion, and even when you feel fish bite, it generally pays to continue slowly lifting and/or winding, as provided the line is taut and there is some pressure, the small, strong hooks will eventually find purchase and hook-up. Once the rod begins bending, again, just a firm uplift is all that’s needed to ensure the small, sharp hook is properly set.



Slow-jigs can also be deployed directly below the boat or allowed to trail behind it (the madai types are especially good for this); in both cases the lure should be positioned very close to the seafloor, but it the former scenario it’s better to try a few different things occasionally. Although most of the action tends to happen during the descent, or shortly after touching down (generally upon engaging the reel, winding out the slack and lifting for the first time or two), it can also happen well after, so try imparting very occasional, gentle and stuttering uplifts, or embark on slow mechanical-jigging retrieves that take the lure at least 10-20 meters up off the seabed (depending on the overall depth), before dropping back down again and re-presenting, as this is the most effective time. While it’s best to do this manually, it’s also possible to simply leave the rod in an appropriately angled holder for Mother Nature to do it for you (the rod and line must be around 75-90 degrees to each other though, or you risk a snapped rod), especially if the sea is choppy and the fish are reasonably numerous.

All on! Multiple hook-ups are common when using slow-jigs.

Snapper often find slow-jigs hard to resist, and double catches on single lures are common.



Light tipped rods are required when fishing slow-jigs, or the small hooks used can be bent or ripped out.

It seems the long rubber tentacles and fine waving tendrils are at their most attractive when simply undulating in the current and/or rising and falling with the boat above. However, a slow lift, gentle jitter or slow-motion retrieve of the lure once in a while can make ALL the difference to your chances of success, so do this if you can.

A small amount of Secret Sauce or similar can often help bring on the action when it’s slow, too, but don’t put it on the fine tendrils, as this can clump them up and prevent them working effectively.

In all cases, keep in mind that slow-jigs do not have large hooks, so although often remarkably strong, they can easily rip out. That’s why light-tipped rods work best, and reel drags should never be set too severely.

48 SNAPPER SECRETS: SOFT-BAIT FISHING

SOFT-BAIT FISHING

Although soft-plastic fishing has been around for quite some time now, new aspects and adaptations of it keep on emerging.

However, there will still be times when they fail to produce, just as natural baits sometimes fail, but if you stick with fishing soft-plastics throughout a reasonable fishing session, by home time you’ll usually have a decent feed.

Having the right gear makes a huge difference to soft-plastic fishing’s effectiveness and enjoyment. These outfits should be compact and light yet reasonably grunty, offering: increased comfort over prolonged sessions; an ability to manipulate the lure effectively; and the capability to control hooked fish.

Snapper offer a perfect target for soft-plastic lures.

49SNAPPER SECRETS: SOFT-BAIT FISHING

SOFT-BAIT REELS

Although both overhead and spinning type outfits will effectively catch snapper, spinning reels are easier to cast and use.

The reel is the most important part of the soft-plastic outfit equation, so buy the best you can afford – you won’t regret buying good quality in this situation. Both spinning and baitcasting reels can be used effectively, and each has advantages and disadvantages, but most anglers settle on spinning reels, as they’re easier to use.

Whatever the brand though, a suitable soft-plastic reel should possess the following attributes:

A realistic capacity: at least 200 meters of line (but 250 to 300 meters is even better) with an actual breaking strain of 8-10kg – which can be hard to determine as braid notoriously overtests by quite some margin. So if you trust your FCO salesman, get them to recommend something, or choose something labeled as 4-6kg – that’s usually pretty safe if your knot-tying capabilities are okay.

A powerful and smooth drag system. If the reel cannot smoothly exert at least 3kg of pressure, then you won’t be able to make the most of the thin, strong lines typically used.

Good quality, corrosion-resistant ball/roller bearings: When put in the right places for the right reasons, these components will help ensure a much smoother and longer-lasting performance. However, poor quality bearings simply rust and seize up. Generally the price of the reel indicates the likely ball bearing quality.

Spinning reels should be placed on reasonably long rods to make the most of their casting capabilities.

Baitcaster/freespool outfits can be very effective in the right hands; due to the more direct method of line release (no looping coils of line floating around here) they enable better bite detection on the descent.


CHOOSING A SOFT-BAIT ROD

The three most important characteristics of effective soft-plastic rods are good length, lightness and power/stiffness.

Rod length: A rod around 2.1m-2.4m (7’-7’10’) enables anglers to cast well away from the boat, work the lure more attractively, and then remove any slack line and set the hook when a fish bites.

The lighter the rod the better: Over the day – or even just a few hours – it’s surprising how even the lightest gear can take its toll when you must constantly hold, jiggle and strike it – as well as battle all the fish hooked! Nothing beats graphite as a soft-plastic rod-blank material, especially as it also offers a surprising amount of power.

Sufficient grunt: Without enough rod power at your disposal (which should ideally be distributed along much of the rod’s length), hooking fish becomes much harder to achieve – after all, you’re often trying to set a decent-sized hook into tough jaws from some distance away. And then, of course, you need to battle and successfully overcome your opponent!

A good reel-seat: The reel seat also needs to hold the reel ‘foot’ securely and not become loose during use. As reel-seat designs vary considerably, it may pay to try placing your reel in the prospective rod’s seat before buying it; sometimes they are not compatible, with the reel’s ‘foot’ sliding around despite the reel clamp being screwed down as tightly as possible. Those reel seats fitted with plastic/graphite-composite cushions inside their hoods help to protect the coating on your reel’s ‘foot’ and make a snug fit more likely.

A well positioned and realistically sized foregrip: Many current rods – including some otherwise superb models – have foregrips that are too small and/or too far back on the rod, reducing the leverage and your ability to fight big fish after hooking up. So test them by holding them in front of you, the butt against your upper thigh, and see if you can generate reasonable lifting pressure when holding them at the foregrip, ideally with an assistant pulling the rod tip down for you. If your arm seems too bent and cramped in this position, the rod’s foregrip is probably not far enough up the blank.

A hook holder: Previously the domain of freshwater rods, a hook holder on soft-plastic rods allows the jig lead-head to be held securely while underway, whereas on rods without them, anglers are forced to attach the hooks to the guide frame or a part of the reel, which wears away protective coatings over time and leads to premature corrosion.

Now it’s time to attach your reel to your rod, spool up with a suitable ‘superline’ and tie a Bimini double in preparation for the appropriate trace material.

A good soft-plastic rod should be: light to hold; of reasonable length (i.e. two meters minimum): and powerful enough to battle and lift big snapper.


THE ‘SUPERLINE’ TANGLE

Bright, colourful braid enables better line control and bite detection, resulting in more hook-ups.

As a tackle item, braid might seem pretty straightforward. After all, it’s just a single, long, thin strand. Why then, can choosing the right one be such a difficult task?

As usual, much of the confusion stems from the mind-boggling selection on offer, the widely varying thicknesses and diverse characteristics being the result of myriad manufacturing processes that incorporate all sorts of materials and mixes.

And while such variation is a good thing, allowing manufacturers to offer lines with special or unique qualities that make them more or less suitable than the others for particular purposes and needs (such as being the thinnest, toughest, best handling, furthest casting, strongest, roundest, cheapest and so on), this same diversity also creates a major potential problem for the customer.

In order to successfully catch fish, GSP lines need to be knotted to 2-3 meters of trace material, which might be nylon or fluorocarbon, which, like the super-lines, are made using different processes to provide specific properties. Then, of course, trace material comes in all sorts of breaking strains, diameters and specific characteristics, too. The net result of so much diversity is that not all trace lines can be tied to all super-braids using exactly the same knots – and even those knots that work with one line weight might not work with a heavier or lighter breaking strain. So if you find certain super-lines and trace materials that produce strong connections when knotted together, it often pays to keep on using them!

Also, you should choose a braided/fused line that’s brightly coloured – even though many brands fade quite quickly, as super-lines are notoriously difficult to impregnate with colour long-term. A bright – usually fluoro – line is easier to see and keep track of, allowing better line control during the initial descent, as well as to detect more bites. In much the same way as better nymphing flyfishers watch their flyline for any suspicious bumps, speed-ups and hesitations that alert them to potential customers before a tug actually transmits along the line through to them, competent soft-plastic fishers can detect fishy interest by paying close attention to how their line behaves during the lure’s descent. Very often it will jerk, jiggle, go prematurely slack, or tear away, so if the angler doesn’t see these actions in time – or at all – these are wasted opportunities.


SPOOLING TIPS

Tie your line onto the spool with a Uni Knot, as it can be snugged right down against the spool with your thumbnail. Having a firm anchorage point is important or the whole slippery line load can spin around the spool when placed under pressure later on, especially if insufficient pressure has been applied while initially spooling the reel. Load the spool to within 1.5-2mm of the spool lip, but other, less well-designed models may require 2.5-3mm to be safe; you don’t want a heap of coils slipping off at once, especially as snarl-ups in thin, limp super-lines are very hard to untangle.

Fill your reel with braid until it is a couple of millimetres below the spool lip; the line on the spool should feel firm when pressed, or it can slice down into the layers beneath when under tension later on.


SPOOLING TIPS

Some good fish can be found in the weedy shallows, but you’ll need a reasonably long length of fluorocarbon trace to help pull them out.

Tie that DoubleBefore tying on the trace, it pays to tie a double in your mainline. This recommendation has resulted in many anxious faces in the past – especially after seeing diagrams showing the knot-tying process. However, much of this fear is due the numbers of line-twists involved, making the procedure look more complex than it really is.

Realistically it may take an hour to learn (including the repeated tyings needed to embed the process), but is a worthwhile investment: a well-tied Bimini Twist double knot means minimal loss of strength in the mainline, and when the resulting double of mainline is knotted to a length of leader material, the extra strand adds much needed bulk, distributing the pressure better and helping to create a much stronger join.

However, those who already know how to tie a Bimini may need to reduce the number of twists to just 12, as more twists actually make the knot weaker, not stronger, as initially thought.

Also, by reverting to the traditional side-by-side, close-spiral covering of the initial twists, rather than allowing the tag-end to corkscrew back down along the line-twist gullies (a worthwhile adaptation that creates a ‘bungy’ effect in nylon), this double knot is further strengthened.

Now it’s time to tie your leader on, and select and attach your lure.

The Trace Choosing the best possible trace for the circumstances will always be a balancing act: we need a material that’s hard to see but also thick and tough enough to help guard against wear, abrasion and teeth. That’s why fluorocarbon rather than nylon trace is the obvious choice.

However, the less flexible nature of fluorocarbon (relative to nylon) means it doesn’t always tie up easily – especially to your mainline – so make sure you know at least one or two of the following joining knots…


SPOOLING TIPS

Joining lines TogetherThe Yucatan: This strong, streamlined and reliable knot is best tied when the mainline’s double is intact; around ten rotations seems to do the job pretty well, with five turns going up and five down being better still than the ten going upwards, as shown in the diagram.

However, if the double is broken, or you want to do without the recommended Bimini Twist double because it looks too daunting, try using a Back-to-back Uni Knot instead (although those without a short double in the mainline will still need to double over a 50-60cm section of super-line, as a single strand won’t distribute the pressure effectively enough). A No Name Knot is also pretty good, but doesn’t suit every line-trace combination; in all cases, give the knot a really hard, steady pull before using it.

Which Leader? Whatever trace material you settle on though, it can’t be too thick or you’ll interest fewer fish. But nor can it be too light or you’ll simply break fish off. Consequently, most anglers rarely go below 7kg breaking strain – it’s simply too risky and means having to retie the knots too often during hot sessions (even well-tied knots bite into themselves when placed under pressure, particularly when anglers lift struggling fish into the boat by hand rather than using a net).

Around 20lb (10kg) is a good option most times, but if the terrain’s rugged and the fish are perhaps a bit bigger than usual, go up to 25lb (11.5kg) – and plenty of anglers won’t hesitate to use 30lb (15kg). The only problem with these stronger strains is that you almost always lose everything if you get snagged and must break off – double, trace and lure – and have to start again from scratch.

As for the length, two to three meters will generally do the job – long enough to take any punishment dished out by fish and the terrain, as well as divorcing it sufficiently from the highly visible mainline, but not so long as to hold the bait up in the water column.

Now all you need to do is select an appropriately hooked and weighted lead-head.

It might only be 10kg or so, but a good brand of fluorocarbon can withstand the crushing teeth of hefty snapper when the soft-plastic is completely swallowed.


SPOOLING TIPS

The end gameWhen casting into the whitewash and surge around the coast and exposed reefs, or around the weedy shallows at the change of light, it’s best to use a very lightly weighted soft-plastic - around a quarter ounce is about right. Such conditions are also ideal for soft-plastics incorporating internal weights, as their less streamlined shape causes them to sink more gradually, allowing anglers to retrieve them more slowly without snagging up too often, so they remain in the ‘hit-zone’ for longer. As the water gets deeper and currents become stronger, progressively heavier lead-heads are required, but unless fishing in windy conditions, very deep water (over 40-50 meters say) or west coast harbour entrances, more than an ounce is rarely required if you employ the right techniques.

The type and size of hook incorporated in the lead-head is a particularly vital component in soft-bait fishing. Suitable hooks need to be very sharp and thin enough in gauge to set easily using comparatively light rods, yet strong enough structurally to resist the power generated by the fish’s tail – as well as by its crushing jaws! You’ll also find that, provided that the hook’s gape isn’t overly choked by the soft-plastic tail, the smaller hook sizes are set more easily. This is especially true when dealing with ‘pannies,’ which are harder to hook due to their relatively small body mass; they’re easily hauled through the water when anglers strike, making solid hook-ups less likely, whereas bigger fish stay put, providing anglers with solid resistance to haul a hook into.

I find 3/0 to be a good compromise - even for 7-inch soft-plastics - as this size hook sticks out enough to provide clean hook-ups, yet its point remains close enough to the tail to be engulfed along with it when the fish bites, resulting in more hook ups.

Lead-heads fitted with a relatively small 3/0 hook will generally do the job, despite the snapper’s crushing teeth – as the dents in this lead-head attests.


ATTACHING THE LURE

You will probably be relieved to know a Uni Knot does this quite adequately, although the lure will move more freely if the knot stays open-looped rather than pulled up hard against the connection point. Uni-knotters can achieve this by tightening the knot up hard against a finger and thumbnail. However, a decent fish will pull the knot tight against the hook or lead-head, so it may need to be opened up again or retied after each fish – a hassle. That’s why a Rapala Loop Knot, also known as the Lefty Kreh Loop Knot, is better. This knot is reasonably simple to tie (once you know how), super-strong (no need for a doubled-over length of line here) and also remains open-looped regardless of the pressure. The hardest thing to initially master is the size of the loop, which should be as small as possible otherwise a lead-head can occasionally slip through the loop and catch up.

A good loop knot tied into the trace allows the lure to move very freely, and also retains its breaking strain well.


CHOOSING AND FITTING TAILS

While unscented tails do catch fish on many occasions, when the snapper aren’t really hungry, a tasty scent can make all the difference. And the fishy smell doesn’t have to be that clever, either. Many packets contain soft-plastic tails simply soaking in fish oil, aniseed or garlic formulas. However, while these can be initially attractive, the smell or juice may be washed away after some time in the water, diminishing their effectiveness.

That’s why many anglers prefer to use soft-plastics that incorporate the smell in their construction, so they keep attracting fish till they’re nibbled to bits or lost.

What shape?The shape and size of the soft-plastic tail you use will have a big bearing on the amount of success (or frustration) you experience.

For example, a large, bulky soft-plastic will descend more slowly through the water column than a smaller, slimmer tail on the same sized lead-head, especially in a current.

Both scenarios can be used to the angler’s advantage. For example, by casting a reasonably substantial offering out into the reefy shallows, its bulky form will hold it up clear of the weed for longer. Or maybe the fish are taking lures on the way down, so the longer they drift down the more likely they will be taken – ideal for schooling season or when probing beneath baitfish work-ups.

However, sometimes smaller and slimmer is preferable, enabling the lure to cut through the water more efficiently and get down deeper quickly. No point having that monster ‘Nuclear Chicken’ tail if it’s unable to reach the fish!

Also, when given a jiggling motion with the rod, the slimmer profile tails rise and fall more quickly in response, creating a more erratic motion that sometimes proves more attractive to sly old snapper than something larger but more sluggish.

As for whether the preferred soft-plastic has a paddle or grub tail, or is a more straightforward jerk or stick bait, such things are often a personal thing and the result of experience. All can be effective if worked properly.

Some brands of lure prove so tasty the fish keep nibbling away until there’s nothing left!

A bulky soft-plastic slows down the descent rate – and this can be a good thing sometimes!



The roles of Colour, Fluorescence and LuminescenceWhile virtually any colour will work at times, at others it can be very frustrating to watch your mate catching all the fish because he has a colour combo that you don’t have. Consequently, it pays to have a range of well-proven colours amongst your soft-plastic repertoire, which should include the more natural colours as well as the brighter, more fluorescent hues.

Colours are also a personal thing, but if you have a selection that includes brown-tan (‘New Penny’), along with more brightly coloured fluorescent colours - pink-white (‘Pink Shine’), pink-green (‘Electric Chicken’), red-green (‘Nuclear Chicken’), yellow-red (‘Curried Chicken’) are all well proven – you’ll be well served. As fluorescent colours stand out vividly against the surroundings, they offer a big advantage when the lures end up in dark or murky water that masks the presence of more naturally-coloured prey, or when they are amongst work-ups containing thousands of other potential food items. Getting noticed means getting attention and a reaction.

That’s why luminescence is a big advantage, too. Having a lure that gently glows in dull or dark conditions makes it much more visible, so, the same as fluorescence, it’s more likely to get eaten.

Fluoro colours can really stand out in dark or murky water, increasing the chance of being seen and eaten.

Always carry a variety of soft-plastics in colours – including both natural and garish options - as preferences can regularly change.



Tails on HeadsGood rigging starts by mentally gauging where the hook point should emerge before starting. This an acquired skill for most anglers, and although it’s possible to readjust the hook if you don’t get it right first time, this tends to weaken the tail structurally, making it more likely to slip or be pulled down the jig-hook’s shank to the bend. So, to make the process easier and more accurate, you may like to hold the tail alongside the hook beforehand to get some idea of where the hook point should come out. Next, carefully position the hook’s point so it pierces the middle of the tail’s circumference and is threaded up along the body’s length as centrally as possible throughout the process (otherwise it can get ‘the wiggles’ – not necessarily a completely terminal problem, but not a desirable characteristic either, as the lure’s action will be affected to some degree). Upon nearing the point where the hook point should emerge, try to accommodate the curve of the hook’s bend by smoothly angling out towards the exit spot.

The end result should be a tail that sits nice and straight along the hook’s shank and doesn’t choke the hook’s gape too much.

RIGGING SOFT PLASTICS

Measure up alongside soft-plastic lure to see where lead-head hook should emerge

A Push hook along tail length keeping as central & straight as possible

B Just prior to hook exit point start angling upward to accommodate hook curve

Insert hook point into soft-plastic tail’s circumference

A properly rigged tail should end up nice & straight

STEP 1

STEP 2

STEP 4

STEP 3


TECHNIQUES AND STRATEGIES

Yes, it’s time to actually get our soft-plastic lure in the water and catching fish!

Shallow water The basic concept here involves drifting and casting over areas with some structure and/or weed present, or into rocky coastline/exposed reefs, preferably with active swells producing some sudsy white-water.

Although this technique tends to be best early morning or late evening, there are many exceptions, especially if the conditions are overcast and there’s minimal boat traffic around. So, if times are tough out deep, it’s always worth a crack in shallower, because you never know.

The boat’s roleAs we’re dealing with a species of fish that tends to react badly to unusual noises, it pays to be on a water-craft that’s as quiet as possible, with minimal/no engine noise and a hull that produces very little wave-slap. (This explains why kayak fishers often do so well here.)

Having said this though, those aboard relatively noisy tinnies and bigger charter boats can still get amongst the action by taking a bit more care and thinking smarter, perhaps drifting along sections of coastline that disappear into deeper waters.

It pays to take precautions prior to reaching the location. When a hundred meters or so from ‘Spot X’, ease back on the throttle to just above idle and slowly trundle in, taking care to skirt the area you intend casting into, or drifting across, as you do so, because the boat’s shadow and engine noise can make the fish less likely to take a lure.

Ideally, the boat is positioned to take advantage of any tide and/or wind present so the anglers can start or finish a comfortable casting distance away from the targeted area, or so the boat continues to encounter new opportunities while drifting along the coastline or reefy area.

Shallow moves (up to 20m)Wherever you end up, concentrate on casting your soft-plastic lure into new water; this usually means up ahead of the boat’s drift direction or out to the sides – but of course there will always be exceptions, especially if the boat is drifting away from the best territory and you’re still keen to keep casting back into it.

The key after casting is to know when to stop feeding out line from the reel – or whether to feed out any at all. In very shallow water (less than five meters, say), it is best to engage the reel right away – especially if you’ve cast a reasonable distance– wait a few seconds, then perform a two or three short, sharp, rising jiggles with the rod, before winding the reel handle a couple of times to remove any slack line. Then, either wait for the line to slacken, indicating it has reached the bottom, or immediately commence your jittering retrieve if confident the lure is within the strike zone.



In slightly deeper water, try whipping off a rod-length or two of slack line initially, before engaging your reel, and occasionally (depending on the drift direction) winding a little to tighten the line and slow the lure’s descent. At all times watch the line keenly, as it will twitch and jerk when fish bite on the way down, or may even race away if the snapper are particularly hungry. Fish that bite ‘on the drop’ tend to be the larger, bolder specimens, so the ability to detect bites and then convert them into hook-ups is definitely worthwhile.

Once the lure reaches the bottom the line will go slack (wind and strike first, just in case it’s a fish – as it often is), signalling it’s time to begin the twitching, jiggling retrieve, using your lifting rod to create the lure movement and with your reel taking in the slack line as you lower the rod tip again. Repeat as necessary. Overall you want the lure coming back towards you erratically, but slowly sinking as the depth (often) increases, all the while ensuring there’s minimal slack line. (Obviously you will need to wind faster if the wind or current is blowing the boat towards the lure.) Catching up momentarily on weed and structure occasionally is actually not a bad thing – it means you’re down where the snapper are lurking – but if it happens too often, the lead-head is too heavy and/or you are winding too slowly.

Also keep in mind that snapper will race up two or three meters to grab prey, so don’t stress too much about whether your lure is close enough to the bottom or not.

Probing the depths (over 20m)The deeper waters often produce exciting action, especially during the warmer months when the fish are schooling and actively feeding.

Cast up ahead or to the side of where the boat is heading on its drift.

Hop and jiggle the lure back towards you, but don’t lift the rod too high on the uplifts or you won’t have room left to strike.

Keep your rod tip down and pointed along the line as the lure sinks, keeping the line tight and enabling an effective strike if the lure’s eaten during the descent.



While it’s possible to use exactly the same rods and reels as those deployed in shallow waters, small freespool and baitcaster type outfits can be even more effective.

Obviously the sea varies a great deal in depth, so much of your success will depend on your ability to choose a strategy that best suits the existing conditions. For example, before even starting, you need to decide on the lead-head weight. Do you tie on a heavy one to plummet the soft-plastic lure down so it reaches the fish on the sea floor as quickly as possible, or use a lighter one to take advantage of the times when the bigger fish are up off the bottom, attracted by work-up activity, and which will take the lure in mid descent? Or perhaps a compromise between the two will ultimately prove most effective. It pays to experiment and adapt to the changing conditions.

The next big question to ponder is: do I need or want to cast? If using a lead-headed soft-plastic, the answer is usually ‘yes’ (unless heaps of fish are showing on the fish-finder directly under the boat), as although you no longer need to worry much about the effect of the boat on any wary snapper below, casting or lobbing your soft-plastic lure up ahead, or to the side, of your drift direction allows more time for the soft-plastic lure to sink and then be jiggled back towards the boat. And, if the drift’s not too fast, you might even like to trail and twitch it behind the boat for a while before winding in and casting again. This results in more area being covered and causes the lure to assume a variety of actions, any of which might be the one that triggers a strike.

Otherwise, simply drop the lure over the back, let the line get dragged off the spool or slip lightly through your fingertips, as despite slowing the lure’s descent, it also keeps the line slightly tighter and more direct to the lure, again enabling better bite detection and a more effective response.

Sometimes it can be hard to know when your lure has reached the bottom, especially if the seas are choppy and the drift is fast. So if in any doubt let more line out, watching closely as it sucks down steadily, before (hopefully) momentarily slowing and producing

Overhead outfits work well in deeper waters, providing better lure control during descents.



slack line, indicating the seabed has been reached – or that a fish has grabbed the lure. The latter situation happens surprisingly regularly, especially when snapper are attracted and drawn up from the bottom by work-ups overhead.

However, should your soft-plastic lure reach the bottom safely (and sadly), engage the reel and commence the usual jiggling rod-lift-and-drop retrieves, the speed of which is determined by the wind and current conditions at the time. No matter which outfit is used, light winds and a light-modest current in the same direction tend to work well, but for once lightish wind-against-tide situations can be a good thing, too, often battling one another to produce the slow drifts needed for the lighter soft-plastic lures to stay near the bottom for longer – provided they’re not too evenly matched or you’ll end up going nowhere.

When the wind blows Too much wind is the soft-plastic angler’s greatest enemy, although certain measures can be adopted to keep us fishing through to around a maximum of 20 knots of wind (when drift fishing).

First to be deployed is a sea anchor/drogue - the bigger the better. If casting soft-plastics, attach the drogue from the bow (with the collapsing rope attached back at the cockpit, so it can be easily set and retrieved), particularly if conditions are choppy and your boat is relatively small, as attaching it elsewhere can be dangerous. However, if simply dragging soft-plastics behind the boat, you’ll probably need to attach the drogue from the stern-cleat instead – if conditions indicate this can be done safely. Casting further ahead can help in this situation too, as despite the fast drift speed, you’re giving the soft-plastics more time to get down. However, you will need to wind in any slack line created or you’ll miss a lot of strikes.

Other small things can help too, including using the thinnest possible mainline, so it slices downwards with minimal water resistance; using a heavier lead-head to get down more quickly; and selecting smaller and/or more streamlined soft-plastic tails, again enabling them to descend more rapidly.

Anglers in more confined boat cockpits can also work in with each other to retain maximum effectiveness, taking turns to cast ahead and then move down along the side of the boat, slipping under or over one another as necessary.

It usually pays to use a drogue to slow your drift down, especially when the wind gets up (or conversely, to harness the current when there’s no wind.



Dragging This technique basically involves dropping down a soft-plastic lure and either leaving it to its own devices in the boat rod holder, or holding the rod and reel in your hand and providing small twitches and manipulations, as well as effecting any necessary line-length alterations and occasional re-presentations.

In the first instance, the only action given to the lure is provided by the sea conditions and the wind strength at the time. As a fixed part of the boat, the rod-holder transfers all the sea’s joggles, jerks and rocks to the rod, which in turn causes the attached lure to lift and drop continually and erratically. As for the tidal flow, this determines the trailing lure’s speed. This is remarkably effective for attracting bites, but unless the fish is of good size and takes confidently at the right angle, you’re unlikely to hook up. However, reasonable success can still be gained by watching for nibbles, whipping the outfit out quickly when this happens, giving a couple of twitches, and striking if the fish bites again.

Otherwise, you have to be the rod holder, staying patient and moving stiffly with the boat’s movements; for some reason anything we intentionally do tends to be less effective in this situation. When you get as bite, drop the rod tip slightly, twitch it back up, and if the pressure starts to come on at any moment, strike hard.

Dragging can be amazingly effective at times.

It’s possible to catch some very big snapper ‘dragging’, as this angler found out.



The other big advantage of dragging manually is that you’re able to regularly adjust the lure’s depth so that it hops and skims along just above the sea floor. When suspended like this, the snapper tended to bite much harder and more confidently – very different to the generally tentative nibbles and chews inflicted on soft-plastics that slither and plough along the sea floor.

Also, your rod’s health is much safer. Unless placed securely in an appropriately angled rod-holder and/or with the current angling the line far enough back from the boat’s stern, a rod and line that’s left reasonably vertical in a rod holder may become point-loaded if a decent fish hooks up, and could snap.

Obviously this technique is better used over light foul or sandy areas, as rugged foul soon proves costly, both in terms of tackle and in the amount of time spent re-rigging.

Ideally, dragging is done with 5/8-1oz lead heads, but depth and wind strength may mean heavier is required. So attach a Cyclops Deep Water rig (or similar) instead. Despite looking as subtle as a fist between the eyes and the heavy weight deadening the jiggling uplifts, this rig’s a killer. After all, there are times when just getting down to the bottom quickly and then staying there is often more important than anything else.

Although virtually any tail will work when fished with this rig, curly ‘grub’ tail or paddle tails are recommended, as they create strong movement when descending or being retrieved, which attracts and excites predatory fish.

As many fish bite while the lure is dropping, it makes sense to wind back up after the bottom’s been reached - a third to halfway back up - and then drop down again.

It’s possible to catch some very big snapper ‘dragging’, as this angler found out.

The Reward


KNOTS

A Sit down with mainline behind both knees and at least a metre of mainline tag-end in right hand.

B Rotate tag-end around mainline 10-12 times.

C Open knees slowly so line twists tighten, aided by hands moving further apart at other end.

D Hands must stay near top of twists and at similar angles from one another throughout (if not, inch back closer to twist junction, maintaining pressure as you do so). Stop increasing pressure when twists are as tight as possible without deforming.

Work left hand down until placed over lower juncture of three pieces of line. Hold firmly.

Start increasing pressure again by slowly drawing knees apart again, but this time bringing tag-end down smoothly, allowing tag-end to spiral tightly downwards over twists beneath.

THE BIMINI TWIST KNOT FOR BRAID

STEP 1

STEP 4

STEP 2 & 3

B

C

A

STEP 2

STEP 3

D


KNOTS

Using right hand, half-hitch tag-end around one leg of mainline loop only. Pull up firmly.

A Start as if about to half-hitch around both mainline legs, but proceed with three or four more internal spirals heading towards half-hitches.

B Pull tag-end up slowly with left hand, while simultaneously stroking downwards over turns with left-hand thumb and forefinger in opposite direction. This keeps them in order as knot tightens.

A Close your legs.B Half-hitch twice (only shown once in diag) around both mainline loop legs.

Finished Bimini Twist, shown with tag-end cut off and 2mm-4mm left protruding for safety.

THE BIMINI TWIST KNOT FOR BRAID

STEP 5

STEP 7

STEP 6

STEP 8

B

A

A

B


KNOTS

THE YUCATAN KNOT

The Yukatan Knot is the most dependable knot I know of for tying braided lines to nylon and fluorocarbon traces. However, it does require the mainline double to be complete (i.e. a loop) when tying, so if it’s broken you’ll need to try the No Name, Back-to-back Uni or Albright instead.

Thread trace between two strands at base of mainline double

A Rotate leader material up towards Bimini Twist double knot around both double’s strands – 10 rotations are usually necessary. (Alternatively, rotate five times up and five times down.)

B Curve back in opposite direction.

C Exit base of double loop from opposite side entered.

D Hold both trace strands in one hand and mainline double in other, before slowly pulling on trace only.

E If slippage starts to occur, pull on tag-end then resume tightening.

Pull hard to test for slippage once more, then cut tag-end off closely.

Insert index finger to secure the double and keep it open

throughout the process

STEP 1

STEP 2

STEP 3

AB

C


KNOTS

THE BACK-TO-BACK UNI KNOT

The big advantage of this knot is that it will tie almost any line together. The resulting knot might not be particularly pretty to look at or exceptionally strong, but it’s not too bad either. When I’m having trouble joining trace to braid, I often resort to this knot as it’s so dependable.

Lay trace end and doubled-over mainline so they overlap by around 30cm.

A Rotate five (nylon) to seven (braid) times around both lines inside loop.B Hold all three strands protruding from the right-hand end of loop with right hand, and with left slowly pull up spirals till snug but not really tight.

Holding just doubled mainline with right hand and just trace with left, slowly pull apart until knots slide together, forming completed knot.

Finished knot.

STEP 1

STEP 3

STEP 5 STEP 6

A Curve doubled mainline out and away from the strands before returning back in to form loop.B Start rotating back around both lines in original direction.

Repeat procedure with thicker trace line in opposite direction, although five to six rotations only are necessary.

STEP 2

STEP 4


KNOTS

THE RAPALA LOOP KNOT

Although opinion is divided as to which legend was responsible for coming up with this knot - Aussie Rod Harrison or American Lefty Kreh - there’s no doubting its usefulness; whenever a lure is tied to a trace, this knot retains an open loop, enabling lures to retain maximum movement - and it’s very strong, too.

A Form a small overhand loop in the trace.B Thread the tag-end through the lead-head’s eyelet.C Feed the tag-end through the overhand loop, making sure the tag-end enters from the same side the overhand loop exits.

Holding the lure in one hand and the trace in the other, tighten the tag-end a little with your teeth, before letting it go and slowly pulling the knot up with your hands. You may need to again pull on the tag-end with your teeth while pushing down on the knot with your fingertips to make it snug down properly and be more compact. It takes a bit of practice to get the loop nice and small.

STEP 1

Thread the tag-end through the nearest part of the initial overhand loop. This is made easy by pressing the nearest part of the loop down with your thumb, opening the twist.

STEP 3

If the loop remains positioned too far up the trace, a very big loop will result, so use your thumb and forefinger to push and ‘roll’ the loop along the trace so it’s closer to the lead-head, before rotating the tag-end around the trace-line three times, producing six twists.

STEP 2

STEP 4

A

C

B

71SNAPPER SECRETS: ROCK FISHING

ROCK FISHING

Many budding snapper fishermen begin their ‘careers’ fishing from the rocks and then continue to do so for the rest of their lives!

It’s not hard to work out why. Unlike boats, our extensive rocky coastline costs nothing to buy, maintain and run, and doesn’t suffer from mechanical problems either. Also, as we are standing on structures that provide snapper with food and shelter under the water, they’re often nearby. Big casts are usually not needed.

One of the great things about fishing from the rocks is that the fish are attracted to the structure we’re standing on! This big snapper was caught by a bait set just a couple of meters from the water’s edge

72 SNAPPER SECRETS: ROCK FISHING

TACKLE

Use 10-15kg tackle when fishing rocky, weedy places, as lighter lines are too easily dragged into gnarly places and snagged or broken. Losing lots of gear/fish isn’t good for either party.

Rods should be at least two-metres long, preferably 2.5m to 3m, as this enables good casts with lightly weighted baits to be made, and keeps the line angle more elevated while fighting snapper, reducing the chances of the line coming into contact with weed and rocks. Longer rods also allow anglers to stand further back when fishing in marginal conditions, yet still keep their line clear of the rocks and weed in front. In fact, some anglers even opt for 3.5m rods and longer to keep themselves safer still.

Consider using a casting freespool-type reel, as these are very well suited to stray-lining baits. A freespool reel can be kept out of gear after casting, enabling the angler to let more line out or flick it back in manually, as the situation demands. This sees the bait washing around quite naturally with the surges, yet enables the angler to remain in good contact with the terminal tackle and bait, reducing the chances of snags. Better still, as the reel stays in freespool, fish can run off with the bait, but not feel any pressure until it’s too late! Otherwise, ‘Baitrunner’-type reels will do a reasonable job, too.

A reasonably long rod capable of handling 10-15kg line is an advantage when rock fishing – as is having a freespool reel


THE RIG

Stray-line RigThis rig has little or no weight incorporated, and is used in shallow areas without much current present, enabling the bait to look as natural as possible. (See the stray-lining section in the boat-fishing section for rig details.)

The size of the hooks is mostly determined by the size of baits you plan to use, which in turn are selected according to the size of fish you’re likely to encounter. Consequently hooks in sizes from 5/0 to 10/0 are usual, although many keen rock fishers find 8/0 usually does the job. Again, try re-curve hook designs when rock fishing, as they snag up less in the foul conditions.

Whether you use a single- or double-hook rig often depends on how rugged the territory is. A single hook is less likely to snag, but on large baits it will hook less fish too. Double-hook rigs will do the best job, so make up a bunch before starting fishing.

Both hooks are best knotted in place, but the smaller leading hook can also be left sliding on the trace so it can accommodate different length baits and then have the trace wound around its shank a few times to hold it in place. The only disadvantages are that this is not IGFA legal, so any potential records will be ineligible, and as re-curve hooks require steady, direct pressure to set them, a sliding role doesn’t suit them very well.If your hooks are to be firmly knotted in place, extra care needs to be taken to ensure the distance between the hooks is about right. Aim to place the smaller leading hook through the head of a baitfish and then position the larger trailing hook further back in the shoulder, between a third and half-way back.

Two hooks knotted in place are best; leave enough distance between them so one can be positioned in the head and the other further down the body, without much slack in between


THE RIG

Cut baits - shaped so they’re long, slim and triangular - should have the large trailing hook scooped well down and reasonably deeply into the bait’s thicker base area, while the smaller leading hook is scooped just far enough down the bait to still allow the sliding sinker (if used) to be trapped in place on top of the hook by two or three half-hitches heading progressively away towards the bait’s tip. The half-hitches not only prevent the sinker possibly tangling up the line-to-trace connection, they also absorb the casting pressure better than just the hook can, and make it harder for fish to remove the bait without hooking up.

Should a little lead be needed to get down (perhaps there is a steep drop-off in front of your rock or you must get past ravenous kahawai nearer the surface), a free-sliding ball sinker of a quarter to half an ounce is placed so it is directly above the hook(s). Don’t worry about the snapper feeling the lead; they live on a diet of crabs, kina and shellfish, so lots of things feel hard to them. At the end of a good session, there will often be deep teeth imprints all over your sinker.

The trace length is best kept short no more than 25-30cm as this means it won’t extend too far past the end of the bait, making the bait look more natural and easier to cast. Ideally the trace should be joined to the mainline with a No-Name knot (a back-to-back Uni knot will do, too), as this provides a subtle and strong connection, but the smallest swivel able to take the pressure will also do. (See the stray-lining section in the boat-fishing section for knot process details.)

The beauty of this rig is that it can drift gently down and around in a totally natural way, and ebb and flow amongst the weed without snagging up too much. It reigns supreme when seeking big snapper, especially around the change of light, both in the late afternoon and the early morning.


POTENTIAL SPOTS AND SAFETY

Look for reasonably steep, rocky points with plenty of weed out front and maybe deep gutters or holes nearby. A bit of white-water wash is good, too, but obviously avoid places with waves washing over them. (Consequently, if possible, it usually pays to watch potential spots for a few minutes before making your way down onto them, as it can take a while for a bigger set of waves to come through.)

It’s also advisable to fish in pairs or small groups, so someone’s always likely to be watching the sea, and if you fall over and injure yourself, someone can assist and/or go for help. Lightweight hiking boots with felt soles give good grip on rocks, as do metal studs. A slim and unobtrusive PFD is advisable in places affected by swell.

Early StrategiesFirst, place your gear well up and away from the water, even if the conditions don’t appear to warrant it. This can be a hassle when traipsing up and down, but one day you’ll be glad you did.

Next, set your burley trail. A heavy-duty lidded bucket drilled with holes works well as a dispenser. Fill this with frozen burley, secure it to the rocks with a shortish length of rope, and allow it to wash around with the waves. Otherwise, tie a plastic milk bottle to the burley sack (onion sack) to stop it sinking and getting caught up, then tether it to the rocks with a rope as above.

Rocky points disappearing into deep water will usually be productive, and can often be fished all day


POTENTIAL SPOTS AND SAFETY

If you don’t have premade burley, throw all your fish scraps, excess/substandard bait etc into a bucket, mush it all up, add some water, and dole this ‘soup’ out at regular intervals. Just chopping up mushy pilchards and skipjack tuna into small pieces and throwing small handfuls out every couple of minutes can be surprisingly effective, too.

Whatever you do though, try to keep your burley trail constant throughout the day; you never know when it will start to pay dividends.

If sharks are becoming a nuisance, use shellfish burley instead, as it’s less attractive to sharks but still brings in the snapper (and trevally).

Stow all gear well up out of the way of ‘freak’ waves. You’ll be glad you did one day!

A plastic bucket filled with frozen burley and allowed to wash around on the end of a rope works very well


BAITS

It often pays to use soft, oily baits such as whole pilchards or skipjack tuna strip baits. In addition to distributing plenty of enticing scent into the water when cast out, they also allow hooks to be placed deeper within them, making the points less likely to catch snags, yet still achieve a hook-up when fish bite. (Otherwise, the baits and rigs are basically the same as those used when boat-fishing with stray-lined baits, so look in that section for details and pointers.)

For most situations a whole pilchard is a decent enough bait especially if it’s a big, healthy specimen but two or three smaller pillies can be placed together at times, especially when they’re a little softer than ideal and you’re trying to introduce more scent in the water. Such baits tends to splatter upon hitting the water when cast, so parts float down with what remains afterwards, and there’s usually enough left to cope with the attentions of pickers and small snapper for a while, which in turn creates enough activity and smell to attract bigger fish in for a closer look. It works pretty well.

However, sometimes the attention from maomao, mackerel and small trevally can be overwhelming, stripping the hook bare in seconds. At such times, tougher baits such as fresh kahawai/trevally cut-baits, squid and whole mackerel can be handy.

Try making two or three big, juicy baits out of a decent kahawai fillet; if also skinned, they can still be rigged in a similar way to pilchards and skippie baits (i.e. with the hooks mainly hidden within the bait and half-hitched a couple of times at the thinner end), but are harder to bite and rip off. Their physical size tends to intimidate the smaller fish and pickers, leaving them intact for the big ones that come along.

A whole squid particularly one that’s of reasonable size and a nice, fresh, brown-cream colour can be very effective, as snapper find them almost impossible to resist. However, it is the tentacle part that attracts them the most, so make sure your bait has them, and if not, create some with a sharp knife.

Yellowtail mackerel make great baits. Most are just the right size to cast well and entice good fish, and as they also come pre-wrapped in reasonably tough skin, they resist ‘nuisance’ fish quite well, too. It can pay to butterfly the first ones so extra scent is released into the water, helping to get the fish excited and feeding, but as this also allows small snapper access to the flapping fillets, leaving them whole can be a better option. However, keep in mind that a head-first-rigged mackerel will slip through foul ground better than one rigged in reverse, especially as the latter also tends to involve a half-hitch or three around the tail’s wrist very risky, as the sharp scutes here can cut through thick nylon when placed under pressure.


WHERE TO CAST

Next, look at the area in front of you. Are there some small clearings amongst the weed that might allow accessible exposure and minimal snags to your baited hooks? Is there an obvious drop-off into deeper water within casting distance? Is there a nearby reef coming out of relatively deep water, perhaps covered in mussels with foam around it? Or is there a deep channel or gutter in the vicinity? All these structures need thorough investigation. Otherwise, just explore all the area around your area, and be sure to vary the casting distances.

Stow all gear well up out of the way of ‘freak’ waves. You’ll be glad you did one day!


FISHING TACTICS

After casting, avoid having excessive amounts of slack line OR too much tension on your drifting bait or your rig will snag up too much. This means dropping or lifting your rod tip in response to the swells’ pull and surge, as well as winding in or letting out more line as required (that’s where that freespool reel comes in again!). In short, holding your outfit at all times and constantly responding to what’s required will see you snag up less and catch more snapper.

However, if you do snag up, don’t immediately put the pressure on the line to try and clear or break it. Instead, wait with minimal pressure on for several minutes, as the surging weed will often free your rig or a fish will bite it clear for you (true!).

Anglers who hold their outfits, maintain good line control and allow their baits to wash around while stray-lining will be more successful


THE END GAME

If you have a big snapper beaten at the water’s edge, it’s usually best to have someone with a long-handled gaff secure it for you. If not though, don’t panic. Instead, look around for a suitable place to slide the fish out, wait for a surge, and as it comes up onto the rocks, smoothly bring your fish up with it, keeping the tension steadily on as it recedes so your fish is left high and dry afterwards.

A reasonably long, powerful rod is an asset when targeting snapper in rough terrain

Although it’s often possible to slide big snapper out with a helpful swell, a long-handled gaff is safer and more effective

81SNAPPER SECRETS: SURFCASTING FOR SNAPPER

SURFCASTING FOR SNAPPER

No wonder surfcasting’s one of the most popular forms of fishing in New Zealand: it’s relatively cheap to get into (a modest outfit costs around $200-$300) and we have a massive coastline waiting to be fished.

Surfcasting is a great way to spend some downtime, perhaps sitting in a deckchair watching the waves crashing and a warm breeze in your hair and often there’s a feed of fresh fish to be taken home at day’s end - although it may well be something other than snapper!

Kane Wrigglesworth holds the sort of snapper that can drive surfcasting folk to fish all night! Photo: Bruce Basher

82 SNAPPER SECRETS: SURFCASTING FOR SNAPPER

TACKLE

A decent rod length allows increased casting capabilities and helps keep the line up above advancing swells


RODS

Suitable rods should be at least 3.65m (12’) in length, enabling baits to be cast out a good distance and then keep the line up above the breaking swells. Longer is not always better with surf rods; really long rods (over 4.6m/15’) can be hard to control, particularly if not mostly constructed from graphite.

Although the rod’s tip and mid-section largely determine the sinker weights (up to 4 or 5 ounces are useful), it’s the butt section that provides the rod’s line-weight capabilities. Experienced anglers can usually determine a rod’s realistic capabilities, but for those with no idea, most rods have this information printed on the rod, generally above the foregrip and before the first (butt) guide. To make things a little tricky, various companies often have different ideas about the sinker and line weights for similar types of rods, but using a line weight that’s in the mid to lower end of the manufacturer’s recommended range is pretty safe (for example, a rod with ‘8-15kg’ capabilities should suit 10kg line). Otherwise, you’ll have to put your faith in your friendly FCO salesman or a friend.

Look for a rod-butt section that’s the right length for your arms. One that’s too long will cause accuracy troubles (as you tend to drag the rod around), while too short will cramp you up and reduce leverage, resulting in shorter casts. Measure a rod butt for suitability by putting the butt in your armpit and reaching up the rod; your fingers should reach the centre of the reel seat.

Avoid sharp-ended ‘spuds’ at the butt; a wider, rounded butt can be lodged comfortably on your upper thigh when fighting fish.

It can pay to paint your rod tip with lumo white (for night fishing) and/or a bright flouro colour (for day fishing), so it’s easier to see against the sky or background.

Butt-section length has a big influence on your casting capabilities


REELS

A spinning reel with a relatively large spool is most commonly used (although freespools and sidecast (Alvey) reels have their supporters, too).

A decent spool circumference means fewer coils of line coming off it throughout the cast, which in turn means the line level remains higher, resulting in less friction as the nylon or braid comes up and over the spool lip, producing longer casts. For a similar reason, the spool should be reasonably long, as this increases the surface area available and reduces the line-level loss still further.

The reel should be able to accommodate around 300 meters of the selected line (more on this next), and a reasonably crisp retrieval rate will often offer advantages while fishing.

Surfcasting tackle suitable for snapper fishing can take many forms, but those incorporating spinning reels are by far the most popular


LINE

Most surf fishers start on 10kg nylon and slowly work down to around 6kg over time - if the conditions are conducive to doing so (i.e. the type of sea floor being fished into is suitable). The reason for this is twofold. Although 10kg is comparatively strong, providing some insurance against less-than-perfect knots while learning, the relatively thick nylon causes the line level on the spool to reduce quickly when cast, increasing the amount of spool-lip friction and impacting on cast length. Secondly, tidal currents and surf affect thicker lines more seriously, encouraging many anglers to settle on 6-8kg nylon later on, as it cuts through the water and wind more effectively, yet can take on the biggest snapper – provided the rest of the gear is in good shape and the knots are well tied.

However, these lighter breaking-strain lines require a shock leader, otherwise the pressure when loading up the rod on the cast causes snap-offs to occur. This leader should be long enough to go along the length of the rod and then around the reel’s spool five or six times, and may be as light as 10-15kg (20-30lb) in breaking strain when light sinkers (to 3 ounces, say) are being used, but 15 to 24kg (30 to 50lb) is more usual.

The heavier line is best tied to the mainline with an Albright or No-Name Knot, but back-to-back Uni Knots, tied on the day, will suffice.

The advantages of surfcasting with nylon lines include its relative cheapness, its inherent stretch, which provides a degree of forgiveness, absorbing and smoothing out sudden bumps and bangs dished out by fighting fish and tumbling waves. In addition it’s not especially harsh on tackle or the casting finger and relatively easy to knot.

A heavier length of shock-leader is required when using lines under 15kg


FISHING WITH BRAIDED LINES

The introduction of braided and fused ‘superlines’ has really changed the face of surfcasting. They are super-thin, and their lack of stretch equates to excellent sensitivity, too. Depending on their composition, these lines can be anything from half as thick as nylon of comparable strength to as little as a third. The results are longer casts and less water resistance problems, yet more power at the angler’s disposal when fighting fish. However, there are disadvantages – especially its lack of stretch. Unfortunately, when a big swell crashes down on it, despite its relatively efficient water-cutting capabilities, its minimal elasticity means much of the pressure is transferred to the break-out sinker’s grapnel, ripping it free of the sand whenever the swells are of reasonable size. Braid is therefore mostly used in less boisterous conditions.


WETSUITS VERSUS CHEST-WADERS

This is a contentious issue. Both will keep you drier and warmer, but nothing beats a snug-fitting wetsuit when swells are big and boisterous. Waders obviously have limitations, and if a tight-ish belt isn’t worn, they can be a liability and lead to drowning. In all cases wearing a decent Personal Flotation Device (PFD) is recommended.

If the beach is affected by swells, it’s hard to beat a snug fitting wetsuit for keeping warm and safer


TERMINAL TACKLE AND RIGS

A 4WD or quad-bike will help you find the beach’s best-looking spots in a quick, relatively safe manner – but don’t disregard good-looking water at the car park, as ‘further’ isn’t always best. Look for any changes in the lines of swells, indicating holes and channels places where the waves regularly stop breaking before hitting the shoreline as these are usually prime snapper feeding spots. If possible, check for potential spots from an elevated position such as atop a sand dune.

Look for washed-up shells on the beach, too this signals a shellfish bed out in front and is often where the snapper will be feeding.

Also, watch out for stirred-up sand, which could indicate a school of snapper feeding on shellfish or the current stirring up the sand, uncovering all sorts of marine food. Both scenarios are good for surfcasters.

A four-wheel-drive gives great access along the beach.

Shellfish beds often equal snapper nearby; one angler fights his fish while his buddy digs up more fresh bait!



SinkersBreak-out sinkers of 4-6oz are a must on beaches with swells and/or current present. However, don’t wind your rod tip down too hard up against the break-out sinker, as snapper can be shy biters and will detect a ‘hard tip’.

If the conditions are particularly boisterous, it may be necessary to wind a strand of bait-elastic around the sinker’s wire tines at their ‘elbows’, locking them in place and making it harder for them to release prematurely.

However, don’t get bogged down with using break-out sinkers if the currents and swell don’t require them, as a style of sinker that moves with the beach’s tidal movement and swell can allow you to cover more ground (you simply walk parallel to the trundling rig from the beach), making it more likely your bait will encounter fish.

HooksFor most situations sharp recurve-style hooks in 4/0-6/0 sizes work really well, achieving optimal hooking-up capabilities when your rod is set in a long, firmly set rod-stand with the drag set modestly (just enough to let a big fish run off without dragging your rod-stand over). The reel’s drag will set the hook for you.

‘Bling’ and other rig accessories The addition of items such as luminous/fluorescent floats, beads and ‘plastic octopus’ add colour, movement and improved visibility, especially when the water’s murky or at times of low light. It is particularly important to incorporate lumo beads/tubing on your rigs after dark, and glow them up with a torch or headlamp before casting out.

A break-out sinker is a must when fishing beaches with swells, and bait-clips like this one help enable longer casts to be made. Photo: Bruce Basher

It often pays to add accessories to your rig, as they can make your bait more visible and attractive to nearby fish. Photo: Bruce Basher



If paddle crabs or sea lice are stripping your baits, add a small float to the trace so your bait’s lifted off the bottom.

Be preparedSometimes a hot snapper bite doesn’t last long, so the more freshly rigged baits you have on hand to replace those left in caught fish, or which are damaged, the better. It therefore pays to make up a number of clip-on traces, complete with bait-elastic-wrapped baits, and place them separately in zip-lock plastic bags.

BaitsIf long casts are required, use smaller baits on ledger or pulley rigs and consider incorporating long-cast aids into your rigs, such as an Impact Shield.

Pickers such as small snapper, crabs and spotties can be a problem at times, so use tough baits like fresh kahawai, trevally, mullet and octopus. (However, softer baits - i.e. tuatua, pilchards and skipjack tuna - can be toughened by salting and refrigerating for a few hours or even days.) In all cases though, binding all baits onto your hooks with bait-elastic or similar (cotton works, too) will help your bait withstand the rigours of casting (and retrieving), as well as all the chomps and nibbles afterwards, and helps to ensure your hooks remain nicely positioned to bite home. (Pic 14: The use of bait-elastic will help your baits withstand casting and bites much better.)

Larger sized baits offer increased defense against bait-stealing crabs (but will cut down your casting distance); try a whole mackerel or mullet, or heads of kahawai or trevally.

The addition of brightly coloured floats lifts baits off the bottom and helps make baits more visible

Smaller baits enable longer casts, especially when held by a bait-clip



When crabs are a problem, use any you catch for bait. Remove the legs, cut the carapace down the middle, and tie it onto a double-hooked rig with bait-elastic. Also, if crabs stop picking at your baits, get fresh baits back into the water quickly, as they only stop feeding when predators move in.

The use of bait-elastic will help your baits withstand casting and bites much better

TACTICS

Keep in mind too that snapper tend to move out of the shallows as the sun comes up and back in again as light levels fall towards the end of the day. Therefore, early mornings and late afternoons/early evenings are the times to target snapper from the beach. (However, the fishing can also be very good on overcast days or in the rain. At such times snapper may feed all day in close.)

Night is another great time to target snapper from the beach, especially the bigger ones. If you do this, try Cellotaping an activated Lunker Light between your top line guide and the tip so you can easily see any bites without continually having to shine a torch on your rods.

In all cases it pays to fish with two surfcasters, with one set further out and one cast short (after all, many large snapper have been caught just behind the shoreline breakers). Try using different rigs and baits on the two rods and keep changing till you find the best bait, rig and distance for the day. The changing tides constantly create different scenarios for surfcasters, so if the fishing slows, look elsewhere for new opportunities.

Finally, some spectacular snapper fishing can occur as the water starts to clear a day or two after a decent storm. At such times snapper come in close to feed on shellfish and other food items killed, injured, uncovered or dislodged by the rough seas.

The change-of-light period around sunrise and sunset are prime times to target snapper from the beach. Photo: Bruce Basher

Fishing at night might involve more effort, but the results can make it worthwhile. Photo: Andy Macleod

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