Snapper Secrets

8/10/2019 Snapper Secrets

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F IS H IN G F IS H IN G

F I S H IN GF I S H IN G

GURU GUIDE

SNAPPER SECRETS

www.fco.co.nz


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

Some of this material is based on Mark’s book ‘Catch more snapper’, available throughHalcyon 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.



INTRODUCTION

SNAPPER: NUMBER ONE FOR KIWI ANGLERS!

While there will also be numerous supporters for blue cod, hapuku, king sh and marlininstead, there’s no doubting that snapper is the most popular sh targeted by Kiwianglers.

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

Snapper are not especially fussy about what they eat, so, as already mentioned, theycan be found feeding in widely ranging environments, from shallow, sandy beachesand bays through to mangrove-choked estuaries and rocky, weedy coastlines, rightout into 100m-plus depths. This sees them shed for with equally diverse methodsand equipment from the beaches, rocks and wharves, while the sh further out arechased with kayaks, jet-skis and all sizes of boats. Lures and baits can be used veryeffectively to catch them, and both approaches have their passionate supporters.Snapper are also found in other countries, along with various similar looking subspecies, and because there are also lots of other species called ‘snapper’ that bearlittle resemblance to these worldwide, our species is of cially called ‘squire sh’ bythe IGFA, the organisation that processes and keeps the world’s sport shing records.

CATCHING SNAPPER FROM THE BOAT

The ve 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 shing: Deeper water and faster currents demand weighted rigs thatget 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 shing: Slow-motion manipulations are used to make this technique’srather unusual looking lures come to life;

04 Soft-plastic lure shing: An aspect of the sport that could ll a whole bookwith its intricacies!

05 Rock shing for Snapper

06 Surfcasting for Snapper

SNAPPER SECRETS



The term ‘stray-lining’ describes any situation where only enough weight is used toenable 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, singleunit, ensuring a more natural- looking presentation as the rig sinks. Consequently, thesinker 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 - acouple of two-ounce sinkers are no problem.

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

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

STRAY-LINING

Freespool out ts enable the line to be ef ciently altered, either letting more out or retrieving any slack, yet allowing a snapperto run off at any time.

SNAPPER SECRETS: STRAY-LINING



STRAY-LINING OUTFITS

Typically a 6-10kg casting out t is used. There will be places and times when youcan use lighter tackle, say 4kg, which is often still effective and a lot of fun, but not

recommended as a front-line out t, especially when starting out. Conversely, theremay also be occasions where a really grunty out t appears necessary, with a lot ofpeople opting for 15kg to try and drag big sh out of reefy, weedy territory.

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

The reel can be either a freespool or spinning-type reel, as long as it casts well, holdsat 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 lled, as the bigger the circumference, the greater the length of line retrievedper handle turn.

The line used to ll the reel will make a big difference to the out t’s suitability incertain 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 indeep water. Therefore, the deeper the water and the bigger the hooks used, themore the situation suits braid lines. However, having said that, certain advantagesare gained by sticking with thinner lines, and the problem of setting standard hookscan be avoided by using circle/re-curve hooks.

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

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

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




Consequently, a two-hooked stray-line rig can belethal, and the main elements to successfully using itare as follows:

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

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

STRAY-LINING OUTFITS

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

Removable sinkers enable anglers to keepbait rigs perfectly weighted for the changingconditions; always use the least possible to getdown.

The strongest way to do this is by tying a short Bimini Twist into your mainline(just 30-60cm is ne), 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 sittingatop the leading (upper) hook.

The lead re-curve hook is tied on with a Snood or Snell, and the trailing hookknotted with a Uni Knot (standard J type hooks will also do the job, especially ifthey’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 thanone, and should one hook be taken out of play for some reason (perhaps rippedfree of the bait or deeply buried in it), it’s nice to have another well placed to do thedamage.

Only just enough weight is used to overcome the current and get your bait downto 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 unitfor 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 sinkerson hand just in case a little extra weight is needed when the tide is in full ow, andremove it when the current subsides again.)




Look for suitable structure - anything that breaks up or changes the current ow,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 slightlydeeper than the relatively featureless terrain surrounding it (a typical scenario onthe northern west coast). But that’s just the start. To really attract the snapper, thestructure should also offer food and protective shelter nearby, with the presence ofactive water (caused by the current, swell or both) helping the situation still further.

In nearly all instances, sh numbers will be higher on the side of the structure exposedto the current, rather than the protected side, and the best shing tends to occurwhile the tide is running.

Unfortunately, while there’s suitable territory everywhere, only a small proportion of it

is visible from the surface, so a sh- nder is a vital tool. However, I suggest not placingtoo much emphasis on seeing ‘snapper sign’, as this can be notoriously hard to do.Instead, concentrate on simply looking for suitable territory and general sh life, astime and burley can make a big difference.

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

SETTING UP FOR STRAY-LINING




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 tidalow, either via a burley pot and masher, or by tethering a frozen block of burley in amesh bag. The latter option provides a thick, uninterrupted trail of fragmented foodowing away in the current - without the thumping of burley pots. However, a bigfrozen block of it can disappear in a matter of an hour or so when submerged in thetepid water of mid-summer, so instead of completely removing the contents fromthe plastic covering, just cut a quarter or third of the plastic off one end to make theburley 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’. Toomuch groundbaiting can ll your target species up so they become less inclined toeat your bait. Small and often is the way to go.

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

Consequently, you will need a weightedburley distribution system with enoughweight incorporated to keep theattached 5mm+ cord in a reasonablyvertical position when lled with burleyand set just off the bottom. ‘Near’ thebottom, rather than on it, is important, asthere’s very little current present hard onthe sea oor, so your burley’s broadcastingcapabilities will be reduced if left there.So start about 1-1.5 meters from thesea oor initially (with more distancerecommended in very reefy areas), and

then check the position occasionally forany adjustment needed over the tidalphase.

Although a ‘puka bomb’ or dive weightattached to an onion sack will suf ce,the commercially-made Wobble Pot (orsomething along similar lines) will workmuch better. You may nd the windpushes and holds the boat somewhatsideways in the current, so attaching theburley cord to the far side of the boat’scockpit, out the way, but still ahead ofthe anglers’ lines, makes good sense. A simple onion sack lled with frozen burley suf ces when

shing shallow waters with a light to moderate current ow.

BURLEY UP!




Despite snapper being well-known scavengers, they can also show a markedpreference 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 dif cult, but they also resist bitesbetter and aren’t so prone to falling off the hook. So take just the edge off, leavingthem still ‘crispy frozen’, but not frozen solid.

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

If large snapper are a possibility, it often pays to use one really big pilchard ormultiples of smaller ones; two similar-sized sh, placed side-by-side, line up well forhook 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 infront of the pillie’s eyes, so even if the rest of the bait gets taken, the two or threepilchard heads left on the hook can be a tempting morsel. Also, it’s not necessary toget the ‘keeper’ hook through all the bodies just burying this hook deeply into oneof them is ne (or you can scoop through one mid-body if using circle hooks), butconsistent success is dependent on rmly half-hitching around the tail wrists to nish.

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

Multiple pilchards provide a bigger target, even after a fewnibbles by smaller snapper, resulting in bigger sh hooked.

BAITING UP

24-37kgtrace

2-3 halfhitches

1/8-1ozsinker

6/0-8/0 recurvehook

6/0-8/0 recurvehook

2 or 3pilcards

MULTIPLE PILCARDS RIG




SKIPJACK TUNA

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

SQUID

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

Double-hooked squid: Sew the trailing hook’s pointthrough the base of the mantle and out throughthe tentacle cluster clump to hold the body partsnicely together, before placing the slightly smaller‘keeper’ hook through the tube higher up, allowing

just enough space for a sinker to be half-hitchedinto place afterwards. If the squid are small, laythem on top of each other and perform the samerigging process.

Taking it to the extreme – a whole small skipjack tuna – and itended 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 freshor freshly frozen is preferable, as the skin is much tougher thanthose of long-term freezer inhabitants caught in seine nets.

BAITING UP

15-24kg trace.30-40cm

1/4 - 1/2ozsinker

5/0-6/0recurve hook

6/0-8/0recurve hook

Snoodknot

Uniknot

RIGGING SQUID




The best tuna baits are made by cutting the rear third of the llet off the skipjack andthen 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 ofthe sh, staying nicely together when cast - or savagely eaten.

Although these are the best baits, several other passable baits can be made fromthe rest of the llet. Again, the baits are cut so they are long, slim and tapering, butthis time they are cut vertically rather than horizontally. You will nd that the skin nearthe skippie’s head does not adhere to the esh 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

SkippieHead 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




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 purchasedfrom bait sellers at times, it’s usually pretty easy to catch your own. Simply drop aset of bait ies perhaps baited with small slivers of squid or skipjack belly down towhere they are in the burley trail or are showing on the sh- nder screen. If withoutbait 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 theleading 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 relativelyunchoked and enable it to be easily ripped out, note the direction of the beak hook’skirb and place the hook in the bait so that the point is near the bait’s edge andpointing away from the main bulk of the bait. Re-curve hooks are better scooped insimilar 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 ofhalf-hitches above.

SKIPJACK TUNA HEAD

This big snapper bait can either be whole or split in half, depending on the size ofthe 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 manageablesize for a decent snapper to chomp down. Kahawai, mullet and trevally heads alsowork well

BAITING UP

SKIPJACK HEAD BAIT RIGGED




BUTTERFLIED MACKEREL

The process ideally starts by apologisingto the live mackerel, then throwing ithard onto the cockpit oor to kill or stunit. Next, use a knife to cut up towards thehead (as if lleting), until the gut cavity onboth sides of the sh is just exposed. Nowlift one of the llet aps and carefully cutthrough the exposed backbone sectionand remove it, along with the connectedtail. Your mackerel is now ‘butter ied’.(For the more ambitious amongst you,this can also be done with small but legaltrevally to a kilo or so in weight.)

However, there will be times when smallsnapper make short work of your efforts,especially if the mackerel baits havebeen frozen; at such times it’s better touse your mackerel rigged whole.

BAITING UP

Very little can beat a freshly wriggling yellowtail mackerelfor effectiveness, so it pays to have some bait ies at yourdisposal.

7/0-8/0Hook

1/4-1 ouncesinker

24-37kgtrace

Short24-37kg

trace

5/0-7/0 recurvesnooded in

place

5/0-7/0 recurvescooped along

body

Hook placedthrough

bait’s nose

Minimalweight -

just enoughto sink

Uni knot

Positioning hook higher upat shoulder is also effective.

BUTTERFLIED MACKEREL

WHOLE MACKEREL RIGGED




BAITING UP

Downsizing hooks, baits and tackle can make a hugedifference to your results sometimes, and makes the mostof the small to medium sh found in the bays and estuariesover 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 llets, then skin and divide themlengthways into two. Big baits like these slow their brothers and sisters’ appetite downquite a bit, especially when combined with a slightly heavier sinker to reduce thevulnerable descent time.

These kahawai ‘ ngers’ 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-stylehooks, or moderately deeply scooped along the length if circles/re-curves. The traceis then half-hitched two or three times to hold the sinker in place and take the castingstrain.

DOWNSIZING

There will be times when smaller baits work

better - generally in the cooler months orwhen targeting smaller sh.

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

Both halves of the pilchard can beeffectively utilised, especially if the

pilchard is cut across on a 60° angle.

24-37kgtrace

Two or Threehalf-hitches

Minimal weight- just enough

to sink

5/0-7/0recurve hook

6/0-8/0recurve hook

Remove skin from fresh Kahawaiand shape it so it’s long andslim, with one tapered end.

KAHAWAI ‘SAUSAGE’




This gives the bait enough length for hooks and traces to be sewn or half-hitchedalong, 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 muchlonger, but removing all the strands afterwards, prior to putting on a new bait, takesup a lot of shing time.

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

BAITING UP

Use a sharp knifeto create arti cial

tentacles

Doublerecurve rig

HALF PILCHARD BAITS

‘PIMPED’ SQUID BAIT


2-3 Half hitchesaround tail wrist,holding sinker in

place

4/0-6/0 Beak hookor 3/0-5/0 Recurve

hook placedtwo-thirds to three-quarters down the

tail-half length

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

nose and placed two-thirds tothree-quarters down body

Cut on angle tolook bigger



BAITING UP

Small baits like these are mostly used in conjunction with hooks in 4/0 or 5/0 sizes, withcircle 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’sown momentum removes the slack and stretch from the (nylon) line until the powerof 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’llneed to take some care here; if the hook point isn’t exposed, it’s far less likely tohook up, as it’s designed to slide and catch around a sh’s jaw hinge when steadypressure is applied by the angler or rod holder.

Small, double circle-hooked baits are often lethal.




Although your burley trail will attract snapper closer to you, the bigger, wiser oneswill generally hang back, away from the noise and shadow of your boat. This meanscasting your bait out to them. However, it’s not necessary to cast so hard your bait

ies apart. A rm lob will suf ce – around 20-30 meters is good.

When the bait splashes down, do not immediately place the reel in gear or, if it’s afreespool, let the line pull off the reel’s spool. Engaging the bail arm or the reel’s gearsstraight away reduces the potential distance achieved after the cast and can makethe bait’s descent look less natural. Instead, pull line off at a steady speed that allowsthe line leaving the rod tip to remain slack at all times, even if that means leaving acoil of line on the water’s surface. Get used to the speed at which the line disappearsinto 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 hittingthe bottom, wait a few seconds (in case it’s actually a bite) before engaging the reeland winding in a few turns. At rst there will be a little pressure, but this should increaseonce the slack line has been wound in and the bait starts lifting off the bottom. Assoon as the extra weight is felt, either ick the reel out of gear if it is a freespool, oropen 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 betterbite 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 afreespool-type reel, you should have your middle/index nger lightly on the spool.This will enable you to control the reel’s spinning spool if a snapper suddenly runs offwith 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.




STRAY-LINING TECHNIQUES

When it comes to standard spinning reels, many anglers have the drag set at a thirdto 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 fore nger, ready for release if a shbites. As for bait-runner type reels, simply set the pre-set knob as lightly as possible soit won’t overrun should a sh take the bait and run off quickly, then leave it with thebail-arm closed.

You will get more sh if you reposition the baited rig occasionally. Just how muchand often you need to do this is largely determined by the speed of current andhow much weight you’ve used on your rig. Reposition the bait every minute or twoto: provide movement (which attracts snapper over for a closer look); keep the linereasonably 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 shers can reposition by icking their out-of-gear spool around withtheir nger(s), so the baited rig comes up/in a little, or by releasing some line so thebait tumbles back a short distance. The last is only done when there is suf cientcurrent 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 modelinto 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.




Snapper usually nibble and chew on the bait experimentally before deciding whetherto take it properly or not (although the occasional larger specimen will sometimessimply seize it hungrily and steam off at high speed!). Consequently, you’ll generallyneed to tease the snapper into becoming more committed. This involves slowlypulling 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 originalposition so the bait tumbles back. Most good anglers do both in succession, andnearly 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 ngers either holding the spool in place while pulling back with the rod orallowing the spool to rotate and let line out – until, hopefully, the line begins smokingoff from under your ngertips.

If using standard-type hooks, we want a steady ow of line leaving the reel – even ifit is just for two or three seconds – to have a reasonable chance of hooking the sh.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 bailroller) and under slight pressure (due to the ‘bite and run’ drag), so the line staysstraighter and more direct to the rod tip. Consequently, the weight of the sh comes

on more quickly when the reel is engaged, so strikes can be made earlier and moreeffectively. Just be sure to always set the ‘bite and run’ drag to the lightest tensionpossible – a pressure that allows the sh 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.




THE BITE AND PREPARING TO STRIKE

Depending on the hooks used, you’ll need to adopt one of the two followingprocedures 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 upwardshard, keeping the tip well raised afterwards to keep the pressure on (and perhapswinding to tighten the line further), before cranking the rod tip downwards with thereel, and then lifting rmly again to ensure the hook is rmly in the snapper’s mouth.

Using ‘circle/re-curve’ type hooks: Unlike the previous process, it’s not necessaryto have line leaving the reel steadily – just a hard pull is usually enough – and thereel can even remain in gear, especially if small baits are being used. Whateverhappens, don’t strike hard in response to a bite, as this simply bounces the circle

hook out of the sh’s mouth. Instead, quietly click the reel into gear, or clamp yournger(s) hard on the spool, and slowly raise or pull back your rod tip. If the pressureincreases, keep lifting, until the rod tip really starts bending, whereupon one further,rmer lift should see you hooked up. Better get that reel in gear if you haven’t doneso already!

On the other hand, if the snapper lets go without hooking up, slowly drop your rodtip back again, perhaps feeding out a little line as well, and then try lifting again. Thisoften teases the sh into biting again, more rmly, enabling you to go through thehook-up process again.

As you can see, this technique does notwrench the bait out of the snapper’smouth and out of reach if it fails to hookup, due to the succession of hard rodstrikes and fast winds performed whileattempting to set the hook - as so oftenhappens when using beak-type hooks.Also, as it’s also less likely to contributetowards ripping hooks out from baits,which the other procedure does too, it

cannot help but catch more sh at theend of the day.

Interestingly, nylon lines, in combinationwith relatively light-tipped or ‘forgiving’rods, work better than braid out ts in thisinstance, as this stretchier material doesnot transmit the angler’s presence to thesh as effectively as braid does.For those who still prefer braid – perhapsbecause it enables such compact andlight tackle to be used – the nylon’s elasticproperty can be replicated to a certainextent by a rod with a long, light, bendytip that folds away.

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



http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/snapper-secrets 22/932 SNAPPER SECRETS: STRAY-LINING

In all instances you need to maintainpressure on the sh following hook-up,

which basically means keeping your rodbent and nicely raised, with the reel alsoused to wind in line if necessary to keepa decent amount of pressure on. ‘Nicelyraised’ roughly equates to around a60- to 70-degree angle from horizontal,although a strong running sh and heavyline may force your rod tip to be draggeddown much atter. Just keep trying to liftthe 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 doso, retrieving line. This motion is called‘pumping the rod’. Those new to the sportmay nd this dif cult to co-ordinate, butif the reel’s drag is set properly and thesh isn’t too big, it soon becomes secondnature.

One of the biggest mistakes made by the users of spinning-reel out t is to continue topump and wind while line is peeling off the reel. Often this is simply due to the dragbeing set too lightly and therefore easily recti ed.

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

The only other thing to look out for is the surgeof adrenalin that rushes into your brain uponseeing your biggest-ever snapper; try to keepcalm and continue pumping smoothly – don’talter a thing, especially the amount of pressurebeing exerted – and don’t rush the person intotrying to net or gaff your sh.

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

FIGHTING THE FISH

Keep the pressure on and the rod raised while the sh is racing off on its rst run.

Scoop sh up head rst, or they will simply swim outagain.


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DRIFTING

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

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

Use a drogue/sea anchor to slow your driftif the wind is pushing you along too quickly;they can make a lot of difference, enabling

shing in winds up to 20 knots (if the drogue isa big, well made one);

Braid will often help when using standard(rather than re-curve) hooks in deep watersituations, as this allows you to get away withlighter sinkers and still get down, while theline’s lack of stretch means you’ll feel bitesbetter and set the hooks more effectively inresponse;

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

Rig whole bait sh so they’re pulled head rst 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‘ appy’ (this makes them easier for sh to swallow, too);

Keep your out ts in your hands so you can adjust the line length whenever

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

A drogue will slow you down when drifting baits indeeper water.



The Bimini Twist is used to create a strong double in all lines, enabling any joining knotstied with it to be incredibly strong, too. Although a little complex to tie, it’s betterthan a Spiders Hitch because it absorbs sudden pressure, retains its breaking strainexceptionally 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 themainline wrapped around the back of your legs.

Sit down and placethe mainline behindboth knees, ensuringat least one metre ofthe mainline’s tag-endis in your right hand.Rotate the tag-endaround the mainline20 times.

Using your righthand, half-hitchthe tag-endaround one leg ofthe mainline loop

only.(Note: manyBimini practitionersrecommendthat both legsshould haveone half-hitchplaced aroundeach; I nd itunnecessary.)Pull up rmly.

Work your left handdown until it can beplaced over the lower

juncture of the threepieces of nylon. Holdrmly in place.

Open your knees so linetwists tighten up, aided byyour hands forcing the twistsdown from the other end atthe same time.Keep your hands only a fewcentimeters from the twistsand at similar angles toone another. Stop applyingpressure when twists are astight as they can go withoutdeforming.Next, increase pressureagain by slowly spreadingknees apart whilstbringing tag-end smoothlydownwards – but don’t‘drag’ tag-end downwards;

instead, let tag-end spiraldown naturally betweentwist gullies.

KNOTS

THE BIMINI TWIST FOR NYLON

STEP 1

STEP 4

STEP 3STEP 2

Close yourlegs. Half-hitch twice(only shownonce in the

diagram)around bothmainlineloop legs.

Three- to ve-turn spiralnish. Start as if youare about to half-hitcharound both mainlinelegs, then proceed

with three or four moreinternal spirals. Pullthe tag-end up slowlywith the left hand,while at the same timestroking downwardsover the turns withyour left-hand thumband fore nger in theopposite direction.This helps keep themin order as the knottightens up.

The nishedBimini Twist. Cutoff the tag-endleaving 2mm-4mm protruding.

STEP 5 STEP 6 STEP 7



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 offby the Bimini Twist. This is by far the easiest of the double knots to tie, and althoughsurprisingly strong, it does slowly bite into itself over time, so is best tied on the day. Itshould only be used on lines up to 15kg; after that it becomes less ef cient.

A Double over two metersof line and hold the metre-long ‘double’ formedbetween your thumb andindex nger, the tag-endprotruding past your wrist by6-7cm, and with your thumband fore nger making asmoothly tapered wedgeshape.

B Get the doubled main -line and make a small loopby bending the doubled-over line back and behinditself. Hold in position withyour thumb and ngertip.

Spiral the remaining sectionof doubled-line rmlyaround the wedge formedby your thumb and ngerve or six times, making sureeach successive rotation ishigher up the wedge thanthe previous one.

Pass the end of thedoubled mainline throughthe small loop.

Continue pulling until theknot tightens up rmly. Cutthe tag-end, leaving about2-3mm protruding.

Slowly pull the loops off thethumb and index nger,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 sh subsequently caught to be eligible for potential recordsor when shing in contests being run in accordance to IGFA rules), you’ll need tolearn how to snood or snell a hook, as a free-running second hook is illegal underIGFA regulations.

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

As the loose loop tightens, be careful to avoid it twistingacross to the other side of the hook, as it will not pull upcorrectly afterwards.

A Trap tag-end ‘B’ rmly between your thumb and indexnger up near the hook’s eye.

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

C Once the required number of turns has been made, trapthem under your nger and slowly pull tag-end ‘B’ throughthe covering wraps.

Place line ‘B’ through

Place line ‘B’ through ithangs correctly.

KNOTS

SNOOD KNOT

STEP 1

STEP 3

STEP 2

STEP 4

TAG-END B

TAG-END B

TAG-END B



The Uni Knot is the most useful knot to know, as it’s relatively simple to tie and canbe used to connect all manner of lures and terminal tackle, from hooks and lures toswivels 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 awaybefore heading back in towards the lead-head, jig or hook,crossing both strands and forming a loop.

A Complete ve or six turns around the two strands, headingup along the line and away from the lead-head/jig/hook.B Pull the tag-end up rmly until the knot is compact but notimmovable.

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

Slide the knot down slowly. Note: you can make a small loopfor lures by placing your thumbnail under it and pulling hardtag-end to seat it rmly. Cut the tag-end so it protrudes just2-3mm.


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 overhandloop for one complete rotation, ensuring that it enters andleaves from the same side as the heavy trace line, butfrom the opposite direction.

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

A Hold the trace and doubled strand ofmainline apart rmly between your thumband index nger.B Wrap the doubled mainline around thetrace-line ve or six times (seven if you’reusing braid).C Pass the doubled loop through the opengap.

A Hold the end of the mainline loop between yourteeth (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 onlywith your left hand, until the knot starts to snugdown. Now let go of the loop in your teeth, so youcan 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 orsection of mainlinedoubled over

A

B

Don’t touchthis end


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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 con gurations. Now it’s time to use a bottom- shing out t armed with aledger/ asher 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.


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SUITABLE TACKLE

Reels can be spinning or overhead models, spooled up with around 250m or moreof 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 mayeven need 24kg super-braid line to deal with the situation. However, as super-braidsare so thin but rather unforgiving when knotted (i.e. they can lose a lot of breakingstrain when tied poorly), it is possible and advisable to use line-class weights thatare one or two categories higher than the weight of nylon you’d normally use. Forexample, if you normally like to use 10kg nylon, use 15 or 24kg braid instead – but stilltreat it as if it were 10kg. As braid diameters tend to be around a third the thicknessof 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; thesame 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 shand half-eaten bait. While this doesn’t matter so much with ledger rigs, as the smallbaits often produce hook-ups pretty quickly, running rigs armed with bigger baits cansuffer. So in the latter case try using a reasonably long (two meters plus), light tippedrod with a powerful butt section, the reel left in gear. This means you can hold the rodtip up high if necessary, so snapper will drag the light tip down without feeling muchpressure. 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 withinthe snapper’s mouth and in the process of hooking up before the sh can spook andspit the bait out.

If using braid, you’ll nd a freespool type reel equipped with a level-wind systemuseful - or, alternatively a sturdy spinning reel - as both allow anglers to ght sh andretrieve line under pressure without the braid possibly causing line cuts.

When shing deeper, faster waters - especially on the WestCoast – it pays to have sturdier tackle to cope with the heavier

sinkers used.

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



DEEP WATER BURLEYING

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

Instead, use a dispenser that’s suf ciently weighted and/or streamlined to get downnear the bottom and then stay there. Again, a Wobble Pot is ideal for this, as itconsists of a big, heavy coil spring covered in tough mesh, and comes in sizes bigenough to accommodate even ve-kilo blocks of frozen burley. However, you canuse 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 thinenough to cut through the water ef ciently, but not so thin that retrieving theweighted 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 makesdeployment easy, too.

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

Do not tie burley to the anchor chain, as the boat must remain positioned perfectlybehind the anchor for this ploy to succeed; if the wind pushes the boat even a fewdegrees to either side, due to the distance involved between the anchor and theboat, your bait will end up well away from the burley trail and any sh 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 tokeep clear of angler lines

Larger sh tend to hang furtherback – especially in water less

than 20 meters deep

Set weighted burleysystem one or twometers off sea oor


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THE RUNNING-SINKER RIG

This rig is very simple, yet can be a very effective way to catch sh, especially on theeast coast.

As its name implies, this system allows the line to ‘run’ relatively unimpeded throughthe sinker’s hole or attachment loop. This means sh can grab the bait and move offwithout becoming unduly suspicious; meanwhile, the angler watches the line steadilydeparting from the reel, until the time comes to engage the reel’s gears and set thehook.

This used to involve waiting for the weight to come on, then trying to seat the hookswith a rm 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 repeatingif necessary. However, although this strategy often proved successful, these days

many weighted snapper rigs incorporate re-curve or circle hooks, as they’re evenmore effective and allow sh to be released in good shape if desired. To hook upwith re-curves, simply engage the reel as you drop the rod tip, wait for the rod to startbending over, and then lift it steadily in response.

Tying up the double-hooked trace is the most complex aspectof this otherwise simple rig. Despite what many people say, the50-80lb (24-37kg) traces only need to be about 70cm long whencompleted; longer traces often allow too many baits to be lostwithout anglers feeling the bites, and an unacceptable numberof sh 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 thetrace is obviously longer and always connected with a swivel.This swivel doesn’t need to be very big, as most are surprisinglystrong, 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 wateris kept to a minimum.

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

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

RUNNING-SINKER SNAPPER RIG

2-8oz BallSinker

(Dependingon tidal

strength)

Small orMedium sized

swivel

5/0-7/0recurve orbeak hook

5/0-7/0

recurve orbeak hook

Snood

5 0 - 6

0 m m

1 8 - 3

7 k g

3 0 - 6

0 m m

Uni knot



PILCHARD SQUID STRIP-BAIT

SNAPPER SECRETS: BOTTOM FISHING

THE RUNNING-SINKER RIG

Bait OptionsAll 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 betterand are easier for snapper to swallow. And, same as when stray-lining, if you use baitsthat 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 atdepth, 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 sh

– there’s nothing like an escaping meal to make a snapper realise it does want toeat that freezer-burnt mackerel after all! As for the rod’s light tip, this provides slightresistance initially, so dinner appears to be ghting back, encouraging the snapper

to grab it more rmly, at which stage the gruntier part of the rod kicks in, pulling thehooks 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 totempt sh into providing a second chance with what’s left. To do this, try letting a littleline 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 sh is on, it doesn’t hurt to lift the rodsteadily 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 shto bite (but only every couple of minutes or so), as the movement attracts nearby

opportunistic sh in for a closer look. Just as importantly, this tactic also reduces thebow in your line, improving sensitivity to bites, and repositions your bait in a slightlydifferent – possibly better – location, away from the slow-moving clutches of star sh,crabs, snails and moray eels.



THE LEDGER RIG

The ledger rig is a wonderfully effectiverig to use; although it enables beginners

to catch sh, skilled anglers will doeven better. So let’s look at the variouscomponents and attributes of the goodold ledger rig, and try to work out why.

A basic ledger rig consists of a length ofline with a sinker at one end, a swivelat the other, and one to three dropperloops/traces knotted along its length.These should be positioned far enoughapart so they don’t catch up on eachother, and tied so they stick out at rightangles to the backbone. Hooks, whichcan be almost any type and size, arelooped onto these droppers. However,re-curved (circle) type hooks around5/0 generally suit this way of shing best.

Trace elementsThe thickness (breaking strain) of the ledger rig’s trace material is largely determinedby where you’re shing and the size of the sh you expect to encounter.

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

If shing in high current areas, where heavy weights and tackle are required, andperhaps rays, king sh and sharks are regularly encountered, your ledger rigs mayeven need to be made from 37-45kg (80-100lb) trace.

RUNNING-SINKER SNAPPER RIG

There are times when nothing beats a ledger rig!

Uniknot

24-37kgtrace

Dropperloop knot

Uniknot

Uniknot

Mediumswivel Streamlined

sinker, 6 ouncesminimum

LuminousBead5/0 Recurve

Hook

8 - 1

0 c m

30-50cm18-26cm



THE LEDGER RIG

The sinkerIn this instance some extra weight can

be bene cial, providing suf cient forceto pull a circle hook into a sh’s mouthwell before the angler can react.Consequently, although a 4oz sinkermight be enough to get this rig to thebottom, it usually pays to opt for a 6-8ozsinker instead. However, on the westcoast, where much heavier weights areused as a matter of course – more thanenough to set the hook home – there’sno advantage in adding still more

weight.

The shape of the sinker can make a bigdifference, too. Long and streamlinedmodels tend to work well, as they sinkquickly and are less likely to snag up – aparticularly useful attribute if shing onthe drift.

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

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

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

HooksRe-curved or circle hooks are de nitely the go again, especially in deep water withlots of current and when using nylon mainline. Nylon is very stretchy, making biteshard to detect, which is exacerbated further when the line’s bowed out by a strongcurrent like a long, thin sail. As re-curve hooks only require some tension to slide intoplace around the jaw hinge, anglers won’t necessarily need to feel anything to hookup 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 sh 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 sh’ theory de nitely applies to ol’ greedy-guts snapper).

Deep, fast waters suit long, streamlined sinkers.



THE LEDGER RIG

Having said that though, a 5/0 circlehook will accommodate a bait that’s

big enough to entice and catch a prettydecent snapper, along with a bunch oflesser, but still legal, sh.

Whatever hook you choose though, itmust be sharp. Snapper, particularly thelarger specimens, have tough, bony

jaws, and unless the hook point catcheson some part of them, it will bounce orslip free.

The hook also needs to be attachedcorrectly to the dropper to realise its fullpotential. This is done by threading thedropper loop in through the front (i.e.the point and barb side) of the hook’seye and over its bend and point, so thatwhen the loop is pulled up rmly, thehook’s incurving form is exaggerated stillfurther – to the point you may wonderhow sh will nd the hook’s point.

Rig AccessoriesThe basic Ledger Rig can be improvedstill further by adding several well-proven sh attractants, which is why thecommercially tied models (popularlycalled ‘ asher rigs’) have proven soeffective and popular. You might wantto ‘pimp’ your own rigs up with some ofthese accessories, too.

For a start, tests have shown that shdetect luminescence and uorescencemore keenly than humans. Therefore,luminous materials – usually in the formof a plastic or rubber beads – are usedto help the rig stand out in gloomyconditions, perhaps when shing deepdown in murky water and/or during thehours of darkness.

As for uorescence, which shows upparticularly well in sunlight, this oftencomes courtesy of the bright paintcovering many commercially-tied hook

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

Although a circle hook works well used as is, the pattern is evenbetter when adorned with a variety of proven sh-attractingcomponents.



THE LEDGER RIG

The following baits are commonly used:

The head half of a pilchard (cut on anangle so the bait seems longer andis easier to swallow): place the hookthrough the bony section in front ofthe eyes, or up between the gills andout through the upper skull.

Strip baits (especially tough and/oroily baits such as skipjack tuna, mulletand kahawai): cut them into slender,tapered strips and place the hook

just once through the fatter end. Thisallows the bait to move enticingly, benibbled on and then hook up.

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

snoods, and it can also be present in the bright and glittery strands of Krystal Flash (orsimilar) cleverly secured by this same knot. As Krystal Flash strands undulate and pulse

in the water, they add movement and ash to further encourage sh to bite the bait.These visual stimuli are a large part of the reason why asher rigs work so well – andwhy they are best incorporated in a ledger rig; after all, this is very much a case of, ‘ifyou’ve got it, aunt it’. It’s no good possessing so many sh-attracting properties andthen lying on the silty bottom. Instead, the enhanced baits are presented up off thebottom, where the bright colours and ash are more easily seen from further away.Then, when the sh come to investigate more closely, they also nd movement andtasty food at an easily accessed height.

Baiting UpOne big disadvantage with commercially-tied asher-type rigs is that the material

tied onto the hook prevents anglers from ‘sewing’ the hook along the bigger baitsfor optimal positioning. Consequently, they suit small/slim/short baits that need to behooked just once, such as shell sh, half-pilchards, squid-tentacle clumps, and stripsof squid or sh. And because the rigs tend to be multi-hooked, two or three differentbaits can be used at once to see which one appeals most at the time.

OR

Pilchardhead or squid

tentacleclump

Slim, taperedstrip of skipjacktuna or mullet



THE LEDGER RIG

Fishing the Ledger RigSimply drop the Ledger Rig to the bottom, engage the reel and wind up any slackline until it is tight to the sinker but still on the bottom (or gently bouncing along ifdrifting).

When a sh 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 onand start winding, perhaps lifting rmly at this point, just to make sure the hook is wellseated.

Out ts do not have to be very specialised when ledger/ asher type rigs are used, with just a rm uplift required to seat thehook.

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



KNOTS

Form an overhand loop and start twisting tag-end aroundloop. 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 andensure 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 nger andthen continue on.B Pinch between thumb and index nger and feed throughmiddle of twists.

Fishined loop

5 twists this side(10 in total)

A

B

5 twists thisside

B B

A


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SLOW JIGGING

No doubt about it, slow-jigging’s the latest, super-hot technique right now. Some ofthis 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 weightedsection, an ‘octopus’ skirt or several exible tendrils, and an assist rig armed withtwo small but surprisingly strong and sharp hooks. The weighted section gets the luredown and helps attract sh over for a closer look, the wafting, undulating octopus/tentacles further entice the snapper into biting, while the little hooks containedwithin do the catching.

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

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


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LIKELY SLOW-JIG SCENARIOS

Any time you’re in a work-up scenario involving gannets/dolphins/feeding schoolsh (a pair of binoculars are very useful for this), or see a clump of sh on the sounder,or are in an area known to hold sh, 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 reasonablyparabolic, light tipped soft-plastic rod will do the job, slightly shorter (i.e. around two

meters), more exible rods work even better, helping to provide the gentle rise-and-fall action often favoured, as well as enabling anglers to tease sh into biting morermly on slow rod uplifts, and serving to cushion the sudden bumps and bangs thatoccur during ghts with big snapper – movements that would otherwise see thesmall lure hooks rip or bend out.

Reels can be spinning reels or small freespools/baitcasters and both have theiradvantages and disadvantages. For example, as the spinning reel’s method of linerelease involves coils of line spiraling off the spool, this means slack line ends uphanging in the water, equating to poor bite detection capabilities on the drop.Fortunately, this can be largely recti ed by lightly running the line through your nger

tips, slowing the release slightly and creating greater tension during the drop.

And while freespools/baitcasters offer better contact with the lure during the longinitial descent, thanks to their more static point of line release (and perhaps lightfeathering by a nger/thumb to moderate the speed of line release), they lack theretrieval rate provided by spinning reels, thanks to the latter’s comparatively largecircumference spool. This makes them less ef cient when the time comes to windthe slow-jig up and redeploy it.

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

Spinning out t 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 haveknotted it. Again, as braid tends to overtest by quite a bit, we’re talking about linethat’s labeled as 4-7kg – unless your FCO shing tackle salesman tells you different.

Next is the trace, which tends to be uorocarbon rather than nylon mono lament;it’s much more durable and harder to see underwater. As we’re generally shingin 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 metersof 7-10kg trace are required – any longer and/or heavier and you’ll nd the lure’saction 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 forsoft-plastics, so refer to that section if necessary.

The slow-jigs themselves comprise two types: madai and inchiku. Madai jigs tend tobe squatter with tentacles and tendrils trailing behind them, while inchiku are longerand 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 backbehind 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 shing with slow-jigs – until sh are encountered!

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

Be alert during the initial descent, concentrating on keeping the line reasonablytaut 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, suddenlyslacken, or speed away. In all cases, promptly engage and lift the rod to set thehook. If you miss hooking up, quietly jiggle your lure around a bit, or give it a fewsmall, slow lifts and drops, as other sh might be in the area. If nothing happens keepdropping to the bottom. Next, upon reaching the sea oor, the lure should be slowlyand gently twitched around, or v-e-r-y s-l-o-w-l-y mechanically jigged (a slow lift anddrop action while winding with half turns of the handle) back upwards; aggressivemovements tend not to be as effective. Perform the mechanical jigging retrieve as ifin slow motion, and even when you feel sh bite, it generally pays to continue slowlylifting and/or winding, as provided the line is taut and there is some pressure, thesmall, strong hooks will eventually nd purchase and hook-up. Once the rod begins

bending, again, just a rm uplift is all that’s needed to ensure the small, sharp hookis properly set.




Slow-jigs can also be deployed directlybelow the boat or allowed to trail behindit (the madai types are especially goodfor this); in both cases the lure should bepositioned very close to the sea oor,but it the former scenario it’s better totry a few different things occasionally.Although most of the action tends tohappen during the descent, or shortlyafter touching down (generally uponengaging the reel, winding out the slackand lifting for the rst time or two), it canalso happen well after, so try impartingvery occasional, gentle and stutteringuplifts, or embark on slow mechanical-

jigging retrieves that take the lure atleast 10-20 meters up off the seabed

(depending on the overall depth),before dropping back down again andre-presenting, as this is the most effectivetime. While it’s best to do this manually,it’s also possible to simply leave therod in an appropriately angled holderfor Mother Nature to do it for you (therod and line must be around 75-90degrees to each other though, or yourisk a snapped rod), especially if the seais choppy and the sh are reasonably

numerous.

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

Snapper often nd slow-jigs hard to resist, and double catcheson single lures are common.




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

It seems the long rubber tentacles andne waving tendrils are at their mostattractive when simply undulating in thecurrent and/or rising and falling with theboat above. However, a slow lift, gentle

jitter or slow-motion retrieve of the lureonce in a while can make ALL thedifference to your chances of success,so do this if you can.

A small amount of Secret Sauce or similarcan often help bring on the action whenit’s slow, too, but don’t put it on the netendrils, as this can clump them up andprevent them working effectively.

In all cases, keep in mind that slow-jigs

do not have large hooks, so althoughoften remarkably strong, they can easilyrip out. That’s why light-tipped rods workbest, and reel drags should never be settoo severely.


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SOFT-BAIT FISHING

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

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

Having the right gear makes a huge difference to soft-plastic shing’s effectiveness

and enjoyment. These out ts should be compact and light yet reasonably grunty,offering: increased comfort over prolonged sessions; an ability to manipulate thelure effectively; and the capability to control hooked sh.

Snapper offer a perfect target for soft-plastic lures.


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SOFT-BAIT REELS

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

The reel is the most important part of the soft-plastic out t equation, so buy the bestyou can afford – you won’t regret buying good quality in this situation.

Both spinning and baitcasting reels can be used effectively, and each hasadvantages and disadvantages, but most anglers settle on spinning reels, as they’reeasier to use.

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

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 braidnotoriously overtests by quite some margin. So if you trust your FCO salesman, getthem 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 least3kg of pressure, then you won’t be able to make the most of the thin, strong linestypically used.

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

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

Baitcaster/freespool out ts can be very effective in the righthands; due to the more direct method of line release (nolooping coils of line oating around here) they enable betterbite 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 fromthe boat, work the lure more attractively, and then remove any slack line and set thehook when a sh bites.

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

Suf cient grunt: Without enough rod power at your disposal (which should ideally be

distributed along much of the rod’s length), hooking sh becomes much harder toachieve – after all, you’re often trying to set a decent-sized hook into tough jaws fromsome distance away. And then, of course, you need to battle and successfully overcomeyour opponent!

A good reel-seat: The reel seat also needs to hold the reel ‘foot’ securely and not becomeloose during use. As reel-seat designs vary considerably, it may pay to try placing yourreel 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 tightlyas possible. Those reel seats tted with plastic/graphite-composite cushions inside theirhoods help to protect the coating on your reel’s ‘foot’ and make a snug t more likely.

A well positioned and realistically sized foregrip: Many current rods – including someotherwise superb models – have foregrips that are too small and/or too far back on therod, reducing the leverage and your ability to ght big sh after hooking up. So test themby holding them in front of you, the butt against your upper thigh, and see if you cangenerate reasonable lifting pressure when holding them at the foregrip, ideally with anassistant pulling the rod tip down for you. If your arm seems too bent and cramped in thisposition, 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 beheld securely while underway, whereason rods without them, anglers are forcedto attach the hooks to the guide frameor a part of the reel, which wears awayprotective coatings over time and leadsto premature corrosion.

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

A good soft-plastic rod should be: light to hold; of reasonablelength (i.e. two meters minimum): and powerful enough tobattle 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 dif cult 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 myriadmanufacturing processes that incorporate all sorts of materials and mixes.

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

In order to successfully catch sh, GSP lines need to be knotted to 2-3 meters oftrace material, which might be nylon or uorocarbon, which, like the super-lines, aremade using different processes to provide speci c properties. Then, of course, tracematerial comes in all sorts of breaking strains, diameters and speci c characteristics,too. The net result of so much diversity is that not all trace lines can be tied to allsuper-braids using exactly the same knots – and even those knots that work withone line weight might not work with a heavier or lighter breaking strain. So if you

nd certain super-lines and trace materials that produce strong connections whenknotted together, it often pays to keep on using them!

Also, you should choose a braided/fused line that’s brightly coloured – even thoughmany brands fade quite quickly, as super-lines are notoriously dif cult to impregnatewith colour long-term. A bright – usually uoro – line is easier to see and keep trackof, allowing better line control during the initial descent, as well as to detect morebites. In much the same way as better nymphing y shers watch their yline for anysuspicious bumps, speed-ups and hesitations that alert them to potential customersbefore a tug actually transmits along the line through to them, competent soft-plastic shers can detect shy 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 arewasted opportunities.



SPOOLING TIPS

Tie your line onto the spool with a Uni Knot, as it can be snugged right down againstthe spool with your thumbnail. Having a rm anchorage point is important or the

whole slippery line load can spin around the spool when placed under pressure lateron, especially if insuf cient 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 modelsmay 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 i t is a couple of millimetres below the spool lip; the line on the spool should feel rm when pressed,or it can slice down into the layers beneath when under tension later on.



SPOOLING TIPS

Some good sh can be found in the weedy shallows, but you’ll need a reasonably long length of uorocarbon trace to helppull 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 diagramsshowing the knot-tying process. However, much of this fear is due the numbers ofline-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 toembed the process), but is a worthwhile investment: a well-tied Bimini Twist doubleknot means minimal loss of strength in the mainline, and when the resulting doubleof mainline is knotted to a length of leader material, the extra strand adds muchneeded 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 thenumber 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 initialtwists, rather than allowing the tag-end to corkscrew back down along the line-twistgullies (a worthwhile adaptation that creates a ‘bungy’ effect in nylon), this doubleknot is further strengthened.

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

The TraceChoosing the best possible trace for the circumstances will always be a balancingact: we need a material that’s hard to see but also thick and tough enough to helpguard against wear, abrasion and teeth. That’s why uorocarbon rather than nylontrace is the obvious choice.

However, the less exible nature of uorocarbon (relative to nylon) means it doesn’talways tie up easily – especially to your mainline – so make sure you know at leastone 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’sdouble is intact; around ten rotations seems to do the job pretty well, with ve turns goingup and ve 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 Twistdouble because it looks too daunting, try using a Back-to-back Uni Knot instead (althoughthose without a short double in the mainline will still need to double over a 50-60cmsection 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 allcases, give the knot a really hard, steady pull before using it.

Which Leader?

Whatever trace material you settle onthough, it can’t be too thick or you’llinterest fewer sh. But nor can it be too lightor you’ll simply break sh off. Consequently,most anglers rarely go below 7kg breakingstrain – it’s simply too risky and meanshaving to retie the knots too often duringhot sessions (even well-tied knots bite intothemselves when placed under pressure,particularly when anglers lift struggling shinto the boat by hand rather than using anet).

Around 20lb (10kg) is a good option mosttimes, but if the terrain’s rugged and thesh are perhaps a bit bigger than usual, goup to 25lb (11.5kg) – and plenty of anglerswon’t hesitate to use 30lb (15kg). The onlyproblem with these stronger strains is thatyou almost always lose everything if youget snagged and must break off – double,

trace and lure – and have to start againfrom scratch.

As for the length, two to three meters willgenerally do the job – long enough to takeany punishment dished out by sh and theterrain, as well as divorcing it suf cientlyfrom the highly visible mainline, but not solong as to hold the bait up in the watercolumn.

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

It might only be 10kg or so, but a good brand of uorocarboncan 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 lightlyweighted soft-plastic - around a quarter ounce is about right. Such conditions arealso ideal for soft-plastics incorporating internal weights, as their less streamlinedshape causes them to sink more gradually, allowing anglers to retrieve them moreslowly 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 shing in windy conditions, very deep water (over40-50 meters say) or west coast harbour entrances, more than an ounce is rarelyrequired 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 shing. Suitable hooks need to be very sharp and thin enoughin gauge to set easily using comparatively light rods, yet strong enough structurallyto resist the power generated by the sh’s tail – as well as by its crushing jaws! You’llalso nd that, provided that the hook’s gape isn’t overly choked by the soft-plastictail, the smaller hook sizes are set more easily. This is especially true when dealingwith ‘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-upsless likely, whereas bigger sh stay put, providing anglers with solid resistance to haula hook into.

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

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



ATTACHING THE LURE

You will probably be relieved to know a Uni Knot does this quite adequately, althoughthe lure will move more freely if the knot stays open-looped rather than pulled up hardagainst the connection point. Uni-knotters can achieve this by tightening the knot uphard against a nger and thumbnail. However, a decent sh will pull the knot tightagainst the hook or lead-head, so it may need to be opened up again or retied aftereach sh – a hassle. That’s why a Rapala Loop Knot, also known as the Lefty Kreh LoopKnot, is better. This knot is reasonably simple to tie (once you know how), super-strong (noneed for a doubled-over length of line here) and also remains open-looped regardlessof the pressure. The hardest thing to initially master is the size of the loop, which should beas small as possible otherwise a lead-head can occasionally slip through the loop andcatch 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 sh on many occasions, when the snapper aren’treally hungry, a tasty scent can make all the difference. And the shy smell doesn’t

have to be that clever, either. Many packets contain soft-plastic tails simply soakingin sh 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, diminishingtheir effectiveness.

That’s why many anglers prefer to use soft-plastics that incorporate the smell in theirconstruction, so they keep attracting sh 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 theamount of success (or frustration) you experience.

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

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

However, sometimes smaller and slimmer is preferable, enabling the lure to cutthrough the water more ef ciently and get down deeper quickly. No point havingthat monster ‘Nuclear Chicken’ tail if it’s unable to reach the sh!

Also, when given a jiggling motion with the rod, the slimmer pro le tails rise and fallmore quickly in response, creating a more erratic motion that sometimes provesmore 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 morestraightforward jerk or stick bait, such things are often a personal thing and the resultof experience. All can be effective if worked properly.

Some brands of lure prove so tasty the sh keep nibblingaway until there’s nothing left!

A bulky soft-plastic slows down the descent rate – and thiscan 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 watchyour mate catching all the sh 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-plasticrepertoire, which should include the more natural colours as well as the brighter, moreuorescent hues.

Colours are also a personal thing, but if you have a selection that includes brown-tan(‘New Penny’), along with more brightly coloured uorescent 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 uorescent coloursstand out vividly against the surroundings, they offer a big advantage when the luresend 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 dullor dark conditions makes it much more visible, so, the same as uorescence, it’s morelikely 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 readjustthe hook if you don’t get it right rst 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, tomake the process easier and more accurate, you may like to hold the tail alongsidethe 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’scircumference and is threaded up along the body’s length as centrally as possiblethroughout the process (otherwise it can get ‘the wiggles’ – not necessarily acompletely terminal problem, but not a desirable characteristic either, as the lure’saction will be affected to some degree). Upon nearing the point where the hookpoint 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 anddoesn’t choke the hook’s gape too much.

RIGGING SOFT PLASTICS

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

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

B Just prior to hook exit point start anglingupward to accommodate hook curve

Insert hook point into soft-plastic tail’scircumference

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 sh!

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

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

The boat’s role

As we’re dealing with a species of sh that tends to react badly to unusual noises, it paysto be on a water-craft that’s as quiet as possible, with minimal/no engine noise and ahull that produces very little wave-slap. (This explains why kayak shers often do so wellhere.)

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

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

Ideally, the boat is positioned to take advantage of any tide and/or wind present sothe anglers can start or nish a comfortable casting distance away from the targetedarea, or so the boat continues to encounter new opportunities while drifting along thecoastline 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 ofcourse there will always be exceptions, especially if the boat is drifting away fromthe 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 – orwhether to feed out any at all. In very shallow water (less than ve meters, say),it is best to engage the reel right away – especially if you’ve cast a reasonabledistance– wait a few seconds, then perform a two or three short, sharp, rising jiggleswith the rod, before winding the reel handle a couple of times to remove any slackline. Then, either wait for the line to slacken, indicating it has reached the bottom, orimmediately commence your jittering retrieve if con dent the lure is within the strikezone.




In slightly deeper water, try whipping off arod-length or two of slack line initially, beforeengaging your reel, and occasionally(depending on the drift direction) windinga little to tighten the line and slow the lure’sdescent. At all times watch the line keenly,as it will twitch and jerk when sh bite on theway down, or may even race away if thesnapper are particularly hungry. Fish thatbite ‘on the drop’ tend to be the larger,bolder specimens, so the ability to detectbites and then convert them into hook-upsis de nitely worthwhile.

Once the lure reaches the bottom the linewill go slack (wind and strike rst, just in caseit’s a sh – as it often is), signalling it’s time tobegin the twitching, jiggling retrieve, usingyour lifting rod to create the lure movementand with your reel taking in the slack lineas you lower the rod tip again. Repeat asnecessary. Overall you want the lure comingback towards you erratically, but slowlysinking as the depth (often) increases, allthe while ensuring there’s minimal slack line.(Obviously you will need to wind faster if thewind or current is blowing the boat towardsthe lure.) Catching up momentarily on weedand structure occasionally is actually not abad thing – it means you’re down where thesnapper are lurking – but if it happens toooften, the lead-head is too heavy and/oryou are winding too slowly.

Also keep in mind that snapper will race uptwo or three meters to grab prey, so don’tstress too much about whether your lure isclose enough to the bottom or not.

Probing the depths (over 20m)The deeper waters often produce excitingaction, especially during the warmer monthswhen the sh are schooling and activelyfeeding.

Cast up ahead or to the side of where the boat is headingon 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 thelure 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 shallowwaters, small freespool and baitcaster type out ts can be even more effective.

Obviously the sea varies a great deal in depth, so much of your success will dependon 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 aheavy one to plummet the soft-plastic lure down so it reaches the sh on the sea oor as

quickly as possible, or use a lighter one to take advantage of the times when the biggersh are up off the bottom, attracted by work-up activity, and which will take the lure inmid descent? Or perhaps a compromise between the two will ultimately prove mosteffective. 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-headedsoft-plastic, the answer is usually ‘yes’ (unless heaps of sh are showing on the sh- nderdirectly under the boat), as although you no longer need to worry much about theeffect of the boat on any wary snapper below, casting or lobbing your soft-plastic lureup ahead, or to the side, of your drift direction allows more time for the soft-plastic lure tosink and then be jiggled back towards the boat. And, if the drift’s not too fast, you mighteven like to trail and twitch it behind the boat for a while before winding in and castingagain. This results in more area being covered and causes the lure to assume a varietyof 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 orslip lightly through your ngertips, as despite slowing the lure’s descent, it also keeps theline slightly tighter and more direct to the lure, again enabling better bite detection anda 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, watchingclosely as it sucks down steadily, before (hopefully) momentarily slowing and producing

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




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

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

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

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 yourboat is relatively small, as attaching it elsewhere can be dangerous. However, if simplydragging soft-plastics behind the boat,you’ll probably need to attach the droguefrom the stern-cleat instead – if conditionsindicate this can be done safely.Casting further ahead can help in thissituation too, as despite the fast drift speed,you’re giving the soft-plastics more time toget down. However, you will need to windin any slack line created or you’ll miss a lotof strikes.

Other small things can help too, including

using the thinnest possible mainline, soit slices downwards with minimal waterresistance; using a heavier lead-head to getdown more quickly; and selecting smallerand/or more streamlined soft-plastic tails,again enabling them to descend morerapidly.

Anglers in more con ned boat cockpitscan also work in with each other to retainmaximum effectiveness, taking turns tocast ahead and then move down alongthe side of the boat, slipping under or overone another as necessary.

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




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

In the rst instance, the only action given to the lure is provided by the sea conditions

and the wind strength at the time. As a xed part of the boat, the rod-holder transfersall the sea’s joggles, jerks and rocks to the rod, which in turn causes the attached lure tolift and drop continually and erratically. Asfor the tidal ow, this determines the trailinglure’s speed. This is remarkably effectivefor attracting bites, but unless the sh is ofgood size and takes con dently at the rightangle, you’re unlikely to hook up. However,reasonable success can still be gained bywatching for nibbles, whipping the out tout quickly when this happens, giving acouple of twitches, and striking if the shbites again.

Otherwise, you have to be the rod holder,staying patient and moving stif y withthe boat’s movements; for some reasonanything we intentionally do tends to beless effective in this situation. When you getas bite, drop the rod tip slightly, twitch itback 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’, asthis angler found out.




The other big advantage of draggingmanually is that you’re able to regularlyadjust the lure’s depth so that it hops andskims along just above the sea oor. Whensuspended like this, the snapper tended tobite much harder and more con dently

– very different to the generally tentativenibbles and chews in icted on soft-plasticsthat slither and plough along the sea oor.

Also, your rod’s health is much safer.Unless placed securely in an appropriatelyangled rod-holder and/or with the current

angling the line far enough back fromthe boat’s stern, a rod and line that’s leftreasonably vertical in a rod holder maybecome point-loaded if a decent shhooks up, and could snap.

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

Ideally, dragging is done with 5/8-1oz leadheads, but depth and wind strength maymean heavier is required. So attach aCyclops Deep Water rig (or similar) instead.Despite looking as subtle as a st betweenthe eyes and the heavy weight deadeningthe jiggling uplifts, this rig’s a killer. After all,there are times when just getting down tothe bottom quickly and then staying there

is often more important than anything else.Although virtually any tail will work whenshed with this rig, curly ‘grub’ tail or paddletails are recommended, as they createstrong movement when descending orbeing retrieved, which attracts and excitespredatory sh.

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

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

The Reward



KNOTS

A Sit down with mainlinebehind both kneesand at least a metre ofmainline tag-end in righthand.

B Rotate tag-endaround mainline 10-12times.

C Open knees slowly soline twists tighten, aided

by hands moving furtherapart at other end.

D Hands must staynear top of twists andat similar angles fromone another throughout(if not, inch backcloser to twist junction,maintaining pressureas you do so). Stopincreasing pressurewhen twists are as tightas possible withoutdeforming.

Work left hand down until placed over lower juncture of three piecesof line. Hold rmly.

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

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 ofmainline loop only. Pull up rmly.

A Start as if aboutto half-hitch aroundboth mainline legs, butproceed with three orfour more internal spiralsheading towards half-hitches.

B Pull tag-end up slowly

with left hand, whilesimultaneously strokingdownwards over turnswith left-hand thumb andfore nger in oppositedirection. This keeps themin order as knot tightens.

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

Finished Bimini Twist, shown withtag-end cut off and 2mm-4mm leftprotruding 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 tonylon and uorocarbon traces. However, it does require the mainline double to becomplete (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 atbase of mainline double

A Rotate leader material up

towards Bimini Twist double knotaround both double’s strands – 10rotations are usually necessary.(Alternatively, rotate ve times upand ve times down.)

B Curve back in oppositedirection.

C Exit base of double loop fromopposite side entered.

D Hold both trace strands in onehand and mainline double inother, before slowly pulling on

trace only.

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

Pull hard to test for slippageonce more, then cut tag-end offclosely.

Insert index nger to securethe 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 resultingknot might not be particularly pretty to look at or exceptionally strong, but it’s not toobad either. When I’m having trouble joining trace to braid, I often resort to this knotas it’s so dependable.

Lay trace end and doubled-overmainline so they overlap by around30cm.

A Rotate ve (nylon) to seven (braid) times around bothlines inside loop.B Hold all three strands protruding from the right-hand endof loop with right hand, and with left slowly pull up spirals tillsnug but not really tight.

Holding just doubled mainline with right hand and justtrace 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 strandsbefore returning back in to form loop.B Start rotating back around both lines in original direction.

Repeat procedure with thicker trace line in oppositedirection, although ve 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 thisknot - 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 toretain maximum movement - and it’s very strong, too.

A Form a small overhand loop in thetrace.B Thread the tag-end through thelead-head’s eyelet.C Feed the tag-end through theoverhand loop, making sure the tag-end enters from the same side theoverhand 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 andslowly pulling the knot up with your hands. You may need to again pull on the tag-end with your teeth while pushing down onthe knot with your ngertips to make it snug down properly and be more compact. It takes a bit of practice to get the loopnice and small.

STEP 1

Thread the tag-end through thenearest part of the initial overhandloop. This is made easy by pressingthe nearest part of the loop downwith your thumb, opening the twist.

STEP 3

If the loop remains positioned toofar up the trace, a very big loopwill result, so use your thumb andfore nger to push and ‘roll’ theloop along the trace so it’s closer tothe lead-head, before rotating thetag-end around the trace-line threetimes, producing six twists.

STEP 2

STEP 4

A

C

B


http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/snapper-secrets 71/9371SNAPPER SECRETS: ROCK FISHING

ROCK FISHING

Many budding snapper shermen begin their ‘careers’ shing from the rocks and thencontinue 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 weare 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 shing from the rocks is that the sh 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


http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/snapper-secrets 72/932 SNAPPER SECRETS: ROCK FISHING

TACKLE

Use 10-15kg tackle when shing rocky, weedy places, as lighter lines are too easilydragged into gnarly places and snagged or broken. Losing lots of gear/ sh isn’t goodfor either party.

Rods should be at least two-metres long, preferably 2.5m to 3m, as this enables goodcasts with lightly weighted baits to be made, and keeps the line angle more elevatedwhile ghting snapper, reducing the chances of the line coming into contact with weedand rocks. Longer rods also allow anglers to stand further back when shing in marginalconditions, yet still keep their line clear of the rocks and weed in front. In fact, someanglers 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-liningbaits. A freespool reel can be kept out of gear after casting, enabling the angler to let

more line out or ick it back in manually, as the situation demands. This sees the baitwashing around quite naturally with the surges, yet enables the angler to remain in goodcontact with the terminal tackle and bait, reducing the chances of snags. Better still, asthe reel stays in freespool, sh can run off with the bait, but not feel any pressure until it’stoo 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 shing – 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 muchcurrent present, enabling the bait to look as natural as possible. (See the stray-liningsection in the boat- shing section for rig details.)

The size of the hooks is mostly determined by the size of baits you plan to use, which inturn are selected according to the size of sh you’re likely to encounter. Consequentlyhooks in sizes from 5/0 to 10/0 are usual, although many keen rock shers nd 8/0 usuallydoes the job. Again, try re-curve hook designs when rock shing, as they snag up less inthe foul conditions.

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

Both hooks are best knotted in place, but the smaller leading hook can also be left slidingon the trace so it can accommodate different length baits and then have the tracewound around its shank a few times to hold it in place. The only disadvantages are thatthis is not IGFA legal, so any potential records will be ineligible, and as re-curve hooksrequire steady, direct pressure to set them, a sliding role doesn’t suit them very well.If your hooks are to be rmly 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 hookthrough the head of a bait sh and then position the larger trailing hook further back inthe 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 theother 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 trailinghook scooped well down and reasonably deeply into the bait’s thicker base area, whilethe smaller leading hook is scooped just far enough down the bait to still allow the slidingsinker (if used) to be trapped in place on top of the hook by two or three half-hitchesheading progressively away towards the bait’s tip. The half-hitches not only prevent thesinker possibly tangling up the line-to-trace connection, they also absorb the castingpressure better than just the hook can, and make it harder for sh to remove the baitwithout hooking up.

Should a little lead be needed to get down (perhaps there is a steep drop-off in front ofyour rock or you must get past ravenous kahawai nearer the surface), a free-sliding ballsinker of a quarter to half an ounce is placed so it is directly above the hook(s). Don’tworry about the snapper feeling the lead; they live on a diet of crabs, kina and shell sh,

so lots of things feel hard to them. At the end of a good session, there will often be deepteeth imprints all over your sinker.

The trace length is best kept short no more than 25-30cm as this means it won’t extendtoo 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-backUni knot will do, too), as this provides a subtle and strong connection, but the smallestswivel able to take the pressure will also do. (See the stray-lining section in the boat-shing section for knot process details.)

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



POTENTIAL SPOTS AND SAFETY

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

It’s also advisable to sh in pairs or small groups, so someone’s always likely to be watchingthe 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 slimand 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’tappear to warrant it. This can be a hassle when traipsing up and down, but one dayyou’ll be glad you did.

Next, set your burley trail. A heavy-duty lidded bucket drilled with holes works well asa 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 bottleto the burley sack (onion sack) to stop it sinking and getting caught up, then tetherit to the rocks with a rope as above.

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



POTENTIAL SPOTS AND SAFETY

If you don’t have premade burley, throwall your sh scraps, excess/substandardbait etc into a bucket, mush it all up, addsome water, and dole this ‘soup’ out atregular intervals. Just chopping up mushypilchards and skipjack tuna into smallpieces and throwing small handfuls outevery couple of minutes can be surprisinglyeffective, too.

Whatever you do though, try to keepyour burley trail constant throughout theday; you never know when it will start topay dividends.

If sharks are becoming a nuisance,use shell sh burley instead, as it’s lessattractive to sharks but still brings in thesnapper (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 lled with frozen burley and allowed to washaround on the end of a rope works very well



WHERE TO CAST

Next, look at the area in front of you. Are there some small clearings amongst the weedthat might allow accessible exposure and minimal snags to your baited hooks? Is therean obvious drop-off into deeper water within casting distance? Is there a nearby reefcoming 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 thoroughinvestigation. Otherwise, just explore all the area around your area, and be sure to varythe 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 yourdrifting 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 asrequired (that’s where that freespool reel comes in again!). In short, holding your out tat all times and constantly responding to what’s required will see you snag up less andcatch more snapper.

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

Anglers who hold their out ts, 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 thewater’s edge, it’s usually best to have

someone with a long-handled gaff secureit for you. If not though, don’t panic.Instead, look around for a suitable placeto slide the sh out, wait for a surge, and asit comes up onto the rocks, smoothly bringyour sh up with it, keeping the tensionsteadily on as it recedes so your sh is lefthigh 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


http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/snapper-secrets 81/9381SNAPPER SECRETS: SURFCASTING FOR SNAPPER

SURFCASTING FOR SNAPPER

No wonder surfcasting’s one of the most popular forms of shing in New Zealand: it’srelatively cheap to get into (a modest out t costs around $200-$300) and we have amassive coastline waiting to be shed.

Surfcasting is a great way to spend some downtime, perhaps sitting in a deckchairwatching the waves crashing and a warm breeze in your hair and often there’s a feedof fresh sh to be taken home at day’s end - although it may well be something otherthan snapper!

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



RODS

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

Although the rod’s tip and mid-section largely determine the sinker weights (up to 4 or5 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 thosewith no idea, most rods have this information printed on the rod, generally above theforegrip and before the rst (butt) guide. To make things a little tricky, various companiesoften have different ideas about the sinker and line weights for similar types of rods, butusing a line weight that’s in the mid to lower end of the manufacturer’s recommendedrange 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 willcause accuracy troubles (as you tend to drag the rod around), while too short will crampyou up and reduce leverage, resulting in shorter casts. Measure a rod butt for suitabilityby putting the butt in your armpit and reaching up the rod; your ngers should reach thecentre of the reel seat.

Avoid sharp-ended ‘spuds’ at the butt; a wider, rounded butt can be lodged comfortablyon your upper thigh when ghting sh.

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

Butt-section length has a big in uence on your casting capabilities


http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/snapper-secrets 84/934 SNAPPER SECRETS: SURFCASTING FOR SNAPPER

REELS

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

A decent spool circumference means fewer coils of line coming off it throughout thecast, which in turn means the line level remains higher, resulting in less friction as the nylonor 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 andreduces the line-level loss still further.

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

Surfcasting tackle suitable for snapper shing can take many forms, but those incorporating spinning reels are by far the mostpopular



FISHING WITH BRAIDED LINES

The introduction of braided and fused ‘superlines’ has really changed the face ofsurfcasting. 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 asnylon of comparable strength to as little as a third. The results are longer casts and lesswater resistance problems, yet more power at the angler’s disposal when ghting sh.However, there are disadvantages – especially its lack of stretch. Unfortunately, whena big swell crashes down on it, despite its relatively ef cient water-cutting capabilities,its minimal elasticity means much of the pressure is transferred to the break-out sinker’sgrapnel, ripping it free of the sand whenever the swells are of reasonable size. Braid istherefore 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-tting wetsuit when swells are big and boisterous. Waders obviously have limitations, andif 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 tting wetsuit for keeping warm and safer



TERMINAL TACKLE AND RIGS

A 4WD or quad-bike will help you nd thebeach’s best-looking spots in a quick,relatively safe manner – but don’t disregardgood-looking water at the car park, as‘further’ isn’t always best. Look for anychanges in the lines of swells, indicatingholes and channels places where thewaves regularly stop breaking beforehitting the shoreline as these are usuallyprime snapper feeding spots. If possible,check for potential spots from an elevatedposition such as atop a sand dune.

Look for washed-up shells on the beach,too this signals a shell sh bed out in frontand is often where the snapper will befeeding.

Also, watch out for stirred-up sand, whichcould indicate a school of snapper feedingon shell sh 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.

Shell sh beds often equal snapper nearby; one angler ghtshis sh 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 toohard up against the break-out sinker, assnapper can be shy biters and will detecta ‘hard tip’.

If the conditions are particularly boisterous,it may be necessary to wind a strand ofbait-elastic around the sinker’s wire tinesat their ‘elbows’, locking them in placeand making it harder for them to releaseprematurely.

However, don’t get bogged down withusing break-out sinkers if the currents andswell don’t require them, as a style ofsinker that moves with the beach’s tidalmovement and swell can allow you to covermore ground (you simply walk parallel tothe trundling rig from the beach), making itmore likely your bait will encounter sh.

HooksFor most situations sharp recurve-style hooksin 4/0-6/0 sizes work really well, achievingoptimal hooking-up capabilities when yourrod is set in a long, rmly set rod-stand withthe drag set modestly (just enough to let abig sh run off without dragging your rod-stand over). The reel’s drag will set the hookfor you.

‘Bling’ and other rig accessoriesThe addition of items such as luminous/uorescent oats, beads and ‘plasticoctopus’ add colour, movement andimproved visibility, especially when thewater’s murky or at times of low light. It isparticularly important to incorporate lumobeads/tubing on your rigs after dark, andglow them up with a torch or headlampbefore casting out.

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

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




If paddle crabs or sea lice are strippingyour baits, add a small oat to the trace so

your bait’s lifted off the bottom.

Be preparedSometimes a hot snapper bite doesn’tlast long, so the more freshly rigged baitsyou have on hand to replace those leftin caught sh, or which are damaged,the better. It therefore pays to make up anumber of clip-on traces, complete withbait-elastic-wrapped baits, and placethem separately in zip-lock plastic bags.

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

Pickers such as small snapper, crabs andspotties can be a problem at times, so usetough baits like fresh kahawai, trevally,

mullet and octopus. (However, softerbaits - i.e. tuatua, pilchards and skipjacktuna - can be toughened by salting andrefrigerating for a few hours or even days.)In all cases though, binding all baits ontoyour hooks with bait-elastic or similar (cottonworks, too) will help your bait withstand therigours of casting (and retrieving), as well asall the chomps and nibbles afterwards, andhelps to ensure your hooks remain nicelypositioned to bite home. (Pic 14: The useof bait-elastic will help your baits withstandcasting and bites much better.)

Larger sized baits offer increased defenseagainst bait-stealing crabs (but will cutdown your casting distance); try a wholemackerel or mullet, or heads of kahawai ortrevally.

The addition of brightly coloured oats lifts baits off thebottom and helps make baits more visible

Smaller baits enable longer casts, especially when held bya 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, ifcrabs stop picking at your baits, get fresh baits back into the water quickly, as they onlystop 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 tomove out of the shallows as the sun comes

up and back in again as light levels falltowards the end of the day. Therefore,early mornings and late afternoons/earlyevenings are the times to target snapperfrom the beach. (However, the shing canalso be very good on overcast days or inthe rain. At such times snapper may feedall day in close.)

Night is another great time to targetsnapper from the beach, especially thebigger ones. If you do this, try Cellotapingan activated Lunker Light between yourtop line guide and the tip so you can easilysee any bites without continually having toshine a torch on your rods.

In all cases it pays to sh with two surfcasters,with one set further out and one cast short(after all, many large snapper have beencaught just behind the shoreline breakers).

Try using different rigs and baits on the tworods and keep changing till you nd thebest bait, rig and distance for the day.The changing tides constantly createdifferent scenarios for surfcasters, so ifthe shing slows, look elsewhere for newopportunities.

Finally, some spectacular snapper shingcan occur as the water starts to clear aday or two after a decent storm. At suchtimes snapper come in close to feed onshell sh and other food items killed, injured,uncovered or dislodged by the rough seas.

The change-of-light period around sunrise and sunset areprime times to target snapper from the beach. Photo: BruceBasher

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

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Snapper Secrets

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