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ARTICLE - SNAPPER- Fishing with soft plastics by Scratchie


Scratchie

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31 minutes ago, fragmeister said:

Great write up Jeff,

worthy of submission to a fishing mag I think.

”don,t drive over your drift”

... great piece of advice.

Cheers

 

jim

Actually... that might have been something I forgot on my last trip. 😞 So long between trips I got caught up in the excitement. That and the retrieve... Scratchie had told me... “just wind ever so slow - just enough to keep the slack out of the line. Then, when you drift up over the lure, lift and wind.”. Great article, Jeff... and I’ll have to keep reminding myself!

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36 minutes ago, fragmeister said:

Great write up Jeff,

worthy of submission to a fishing mag I think.

”don,t drive over your drift”

... great piece of advice.

Cheers

 

jim

Thanks Jim! It took some time to put together and maybe 100,000 casts 😂

Just now, Berleyguts said:

Actually... that might have been something I forgot on my last trip. 😞 So long between trips I got caught up in the excitement. That and the retrieve... Scratchie had told me... “just wind ever so slow - just enough to keep the slack out of the line. Then, when you drift up over the lure, lift and wind.”. Great article, Jeff... and I’ll have to keep reminding myself!

Practice makes perfect Baz! It’s a lot harder to explain than actually show someone! 

But NOT driving over your drift is important to be able to work an area. NOT driving over someone else’s drift is just as important! 👍

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Perfect article mate.. Just how you taught/showed me. Fish raider and its followers are blessed to have a bloke like yourself teaching the ways of snapper fishing on soft plastics . A wealth of local knowledge and experience that you would only normally get from a chartered trip

you are the man, now let's smash some pbs in the coming weeks.. hopefully Paul's record fish haha

 

 

Edited by quintrex52
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On 5/27/2019 at 8:36 PM, quintrex52 said:

Perfect article mate.. Just how you taught/showed me. Fish raider and its followers are blessed to have a bloke like yourself teaching the ways of snapper fishing on soft plastics . A wealth of local knowledge and experience that you would only normally get from a chartered trip

you are the man, now let's smash some pbs in the coming weeks.. hopefully Paul's record fish haha

 

 

Thanks Jeremy! 

Well, you’ve been out twice with me chasing snapper! Our first trip saw you land a beauty and your first and the second trip we racked them up! Let’s hope the next trip is a cracker too! 

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  • 3 months later...

Thanks for taking the time to compile this extensive ARTICLE Scratchie. I'm sure that it will improve the catch rates of everybody who makes the effort to follow the very concise instructions which you have detailed. To me, this is what Fishraider is all about...anglers who become proficient in a particular endeavour sharing their expertise with others FOR THE GENERAL GOOD. Top marks! bn 

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13 hours ago, Scratchie said:

My target is snapper! Not jackets. Sorry but we don’t seem to have them in plague proportions up here! 

Cheers scratchie!!! 

Well thats odd, I used to fish Forster alot and they were a disaster some years, and Sydney at times they were worse, antwhere from up against the shore to out on the shelf.  My mate traps them outa south west rocks aswell.. maybe port stephens is a jacket free haven, Lucky you..

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  • 4 weeks later...
On 5/20/2019 at 5:30 PM, Scratchie said:

G'day raiders,

As many of you are aware one of my favourite forms of fishing is chasing snapper on soft plastics. This type of fishing is a very active way to target a species and can be very rewarding. The beauty of this angling is obviously acquiring the target of snapper but with very little by-catch and of course the absence of bait and associated mess that comes with it. Whilst this art of angling has taken me many years to become consistent with catching the said species, hopefully I can explain enough to anyone that is interested getting started.

Setup:

Many people have differing views on what rod and reel to use, but this is the set up that works for me.

Rod:  7ft min 4-7kg

Reel:  4000 sized standard or even 5000 in areas known for big snapper

Braid and Leader:  20lb braid and 20lb flurocarbon leader or 30lb flurocarbon leader depending on terrain.

Jighead: This will depend on the depths and areas you fish, the currents, the structure and terrain. But a quick breakdown for jig size, this is what I use:

1/4 5/0 6-20 meters of water

3/8 5/0: 20-35 meters of water

NOTES: These pairings of rod, reel and braid do not have to be the top of the range or the most expensive set up you can find to achieve results. In fact, I have caught 80cm models on the cheapest shimano combo you can get. The most important thing about your setup is the braid and leader you use. After all, this is what is connecting you to the fish. Without bias or preference I use either Ocea or Power Pro braid and Black Magic leader. Why??? because this works for me and after many different trials, I've found I don't lose as many fish.

What soft plastic do I use?

This is often a difficult one and many people have differing opinions because it is something they have caught fish on in the past or something they may have been recommended by a mate or a tackle store . It is also a critical component in reaching your target and can mean the difference in success and not so successful. The reason I don't say failure is because if your out there having a go, your not failing, your learning.

From my experience, the color of soft plastics change with the seasons. During the winter months, the bait that is present determines the colors that I use. Once you start to see cuttlefish husks in the water in numbers it is time to start using whiter and lighter colors. During the summer months with the abundance of bait fish such as gars, yakka and slimies, I generally go for the more nature tones.

As a rule, I always start out using a 7 inch soft plastic until the sun appears high in the sky and then drop this down to a 5 inch.

Why??

As the saying goes, you can catch a big fish on a small hook but can't catch a small fish on a big hook. The same goes for soft plastics. The bigger fish are usually dominant in the early morning and late arvo's but remember your target is snapper and can be caught anytime of the day!

Some of my favourite types of plastics, once again without bias,

Z-man: coconut ice, pilchard, pearl

Gulp: yakka, camo pearl, garlicker

Knots and Drag settings:

I use an improved Albright (12 turns up 6 down and 3 through the loop) and my leader length is the tip of the rod until the first guide closest to the reel. 

The reason for the knot, it’s easy to tie, I can do it well and I’ve never had an issue with losing fish to it. I can also recommend the PR or FG but they take some practise. 

Leader: I’ve been working on this length for some time now and have settled with this summation as it’s not too long or too short and gets results! The beauty of this length is that you can retrieve your lure until 6 inches of the knot, lift and cast again without it passing through the guides! And because your knot doesn’t pass through the guides your cast is longer! 

As for drag settings, I have not measured this in kilos or poundage but a very firm tight drag is required for this method of fishing. This is because you need to turn the snappers head ASAP and control the fight. Once you have achieved this, DO NOT touch your drag. You have already set the tone for the battle so play it out. 

 

What area do I look to target snapper?

This is a very simple response, structure, structure and structure. Snapper are prolific on the east coast of NSW and you are able to fish for them year round. Whilst they are more commonly a winter target, some of my better catches have been around the spring and autumn months. 

The structure that I look for is a good reef system that is surrounded by a weedy or sandy bottom. When this reef/structure has a predominant drop in it's face or is the only pinnacle structure in the area, then you'll find snapper.

The presence of bait is also another major factor. You hear the saying "find the bait, find the fish". This is the absolute truth when fishing for snapper. Snapper are an opportunistic species and will often prey on the reminence of schools of bait being hammered by other pelagics. They can also be a very dominant species. So, your sft plastic wafting down the water column is a perfect meal once it's travelled through either the bait school above or the surrounding school they are following.

Once again, refer to the depths that you are targeting this species.

When you have your intended area:

Drifting is the only real way to target snapper whilst using soft plastics. The ideal way to approach your intended target is to pull up 200m or so from it and record your drift. Your drift is the most important part of achieving your goal of catching a snapper on sps. Once you have indentified your drift and intened area. Start your drift approximately 50m before it and begin to cast ahead of the boat as far as you can. 

Now, this is another very key component to this type of fishing. Long casts and allow the soft plastic to WAFT down the water column. By this I mean you don't need to impart very little action into the lure. All you need to do is maintain contact with the jig by slowly winding in the slack line so you don't have a spaghetti affect on the line. This is so you can feel any touch that you might have. Once you feel that you have reached the bottom of the ocean, lift the rod and perform big long loops back towards the boat. This is because snapper inhibit all parts of the water column and will nearly always take the sp on the drop. Don't be surprised if you get a hit in the first 3m as that's where the big ones are generally stalking. Once you have cast and played out your sp and its nearing the boat, wind up fast and repeated the process. why??? This is because I have had many of by-catch including kings, bonito, sampsonfish etc following the lure and all they need is some action. Not only that, if you cast again quicker, your back in the game.

The second part to drifting which is paramount...….NEVER DRIVE OVER YOUR DRIFT!!!

Snapper spook very easy and once you have driven over the area, you will very rarely catch something on that same drift. Instead, complete your drift, take a big circle around the area you are working and approach your next intended drift 20-30m away from your last one. This will allow you to work a small or productive area for some time. 

The other thing to mention is when you do get a bite! 

As soon as you feel a take on your line, strike for the fish and strike hard. Sometimes fishing with soft plastics you may have to try and set the hook hard up to 3 times! Often the fish may pick up the lure and swim towards you! At this stage, you need to wind and strike hard. They have solid mouths and take a fair bit to set the hook. Although, the bigger fish will generally hook themselves and take you for a ride! Just always maintain a bend in the rod and take your time. There is no rush to success! 

Overview:

Choose the right setup, indentify your target area, big long casts, allow the sp to waft, work it back to the boat! Repeat the process!!!

And as my motto goes "JUST KEEP CASTING" Now that is the key to snapper fishing with soft plastics.

 Cheers scratchie!!!

 

 

 

Great artcile mate.

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Bit late in getting to read this article and a relative newbie to Fishraider but awesome write up @Scratchie

The question I have is would these techniques still apply to fishing from a Kayak? Im guessing the length of the rod would need to be shorter for manageability but no less in grunt and power? The other big issue is fishing on the drift from a yak I find your paddling more than fishing to hold your position which is a problem...namely cause it’s called fishing not paddling 😉 a drogue would slow this down a bit but a hassle to reset.

I have also read there are good snapper grounds off Long Reef that I would love to try if they are close enough to paddle so any tips and advice would be appreciated. Have fished for snapper off Waiheke island (Auckland) from a yak and the 50ish models gave me a good fight. Can’t imagine what your beasts would be like to handle.

cheers mate look forward to more stories and reports.

 

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10 hours ago, frankandfish said:

The question I have is would these techniques still apply to fishing from a Kayak? Im guessing the length of the rod would need to be shorter for manageability but no less in grunt and power? The other big issue is fishing on the drift from a yak I find your paddling more than fishing to hold your position which is a problem...namely cause it’s called fishing not paddling 😉 a drogue would slow this down a bit but a hassle to reset.

 

Yes I would still use the same technique from a yak. I would probably use the same rod set up or a 6.6ft rod. 
The kayak would certainly limit your options, needing to fish closer to shore but I would still use the same technique once you have worked out your drift! The stealth then of a kayak would have an advantage. 
I know a few guys that target snapper up here around Fingal headland in the right conditions with great success. 
Hope that helps 

cheers scratchie!!! 

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  • 4 months later...

Seriously great article Scratchie, one of the best I've read anywhere on the net. Just one question.. do you target different depths of water at different times of year/time of day? Deeper in winter/ shallow in low light conditions etc or do you find it doesn't make any difference?

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6 hours ago, Bolts1 said:

Seriously great article Scratchie, one of the best I've read anywhere on the net. Just one question.. do you target different depths of water at different times of year/time of day? Deeper in winter/ shallow in low light conditions etc or do you find it doesn't make any difference?

Thanks bolts! 
No mate. I target the same reef areas regardless of the season or time of day. The key is to look for the structure that the bait is holding in based on the currents. If you find the bait sitting on one side of the structure, that’s where you’ll usually find your fish! 
 

cheers scratchie!!! 

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Thanks Scratchie,

I don't suppose you have the technical capability to take a screenshot of you sounder showing what you are looking for on the bottom? No worries if you can't, I wouldn't have the first idea of how to go about doing it :)

Bolts

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1 hour ago, Bolts1 said:

Thanks Scratchie,

I don't suppose you have the technical capability to take a screenshot of you sounder showing what you are looking for on the bottom? No worries if you can't, I wouldn't have the first idea of how to go about doing it :)

Bolts

Haha! You just have to be out there having a go! 💪

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  • 1 month later...
  • 1 month later...

@Scratchie wanted to pick your brain I’m heading up for a long weekend coming up and staying in salamander bay. Will be on the yak and depending on the conditions will head out around tomaree heads and fish the bombies for snapper etc. if the weather and swell isn’t the best though will stick to the bays. Do you know how the wreck has been fishing of late and do snapper hang around that structure? Have read reports Wanda heads is ok also would that be a good spot to drift?

Any advice would be appreciated mainly using soft plastics and hard bodies.

Cheers hopefully looking to land a few feeds this time around 👍

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Hi Scratchie, A big thank you for your article on snapper vs SP's. I needed an upgrade on my reel for a 10kg stick so read the articles hereabouts regarding best ones. Ended up with a Daiwa Kix 5000 with 20lb braid and headed out on Saturday to put your words of wisdom into practice.  Christened the outfit with an 85cm 8kg model. Thanks again. Hoods.

IMG_6391[1].JPG

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16 hours ago, Hoods said:

Hi Scratchie, A big thank you for your article on snapper vs SP's. I needed an upgrade on my reel for a 10kg stick so read the articles hereabouts regarding best ones. Ended up with a Daiwa Kix 5000 with 20lb braid and headed out on Saturday to put your words of wisdom into practice.  Christened the outfit with an 85cm 8kg model. Thanks again. Hoods.

IMG_6391[1].JPG

I have no other words than.........

That is just awesome! 👏👏👏👏

Can you give us a report on that stonker? 

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5 hours ago, frankandfish said:

@Scratchie wanted to pick your brain I’m heading up for a long weekend coming up and staying in salamander bay. Will be on the yak and depending on the conditions will head out around tomaree heads and fish the bombies for snapper etc. if the weather and swell isn’t the best though will stick to the bays. Do you know how the wreck has been fishing of late and do snapper hang around that structure? Have read reports Wanda heads is ok also would that be a good spot to drift?

Any advice would be appreciated mainly using soft plastics and hard bodies.

Cheers hopefully looking to land a few feeds this time around 👍

The bay does hold snapper but not generally a specific area you can target them. They are usually a bycatch from people chasing Jew or just drifting around with bait. 
I haven’t done much fishing in the bay of late as the open ocean always seems to draw me to it! But I’ve had good reports of Jew around middle island one hour either side of the high tide change. The snapper out the front are really hard work atm due to a lack of current. Really early mornings or late arvo are best. Fingal and the reefs surrounding are producing during these times. 
Hope that helps! 
 

cheers scratchie!!! 

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