Long reef snapper suggestions

[anthman]

Hello all, with the current forecast looking great for this weekend, I am planning my first trip out to Long Reef. @DerekD will be sharing some much appreciated guidance and will have kingfish covered, so that just leaves snapper to be determined.

Can anyone who has experience (and hopefully success stories) in catching snapper at Long Reef provide some suggestions around:

* Rigs to use (bait - types, sinkers, sps, paternoster etc.. )

* Locations (names of places, edge of reef/on-top of reef).

* What good looks like on the sounder when sounding for snapper (usually don't fish deeper than 20m, so will be new for me - for eg.. using bottom lock to get a better view of the bottom, is one tio I've picked up for the deeper waters).

* Technique -( e.g. drift along ridge line, drift over reef etc ..)

* What size and quantity of snapper to expect for the area

* Any other advice that might be useful

 

Thanking in advance - any advice would be helpful in making it a successful day!

 

Cheers!

Edited May 21, 2019 by anthman

[PaddyT]

Find gravel on the sounder, anchor up , get a cube trail going, fish un or very lightly weighted half pillies back down the trail. Tuna strips are even better some days. Start in 20 m of water before sun up and then go deeper as the sun gets higher in the sky. Fish can be of any size - make sure you have the back of your boat facing down current, when wind is agianst current its hard work to fish

[Captain Spanner]

2 hours ago, PaddyT said:

 make sure you have the back of your boat facing down current, when wind is agianst current its hard work to fish

If you use a bridle setup on your anchor then you will swing less and have alot more control over the direction you boat is facing. This goes for anytime you are anchored. Keep in mind that the safest direction to anchor is bow into the sea/swell. Do not bridle your boat so that the swell is coming onto the side or transom, this is very dangerous, one wave over the back and everyone will have wet ugg boots.

[PaddyT]

Yep good way to go, in low swell with just a bit of breeze i just drop a sea anchor out the back 

[Plethora]

[kingie chaser]

5 hours ago, Plethora said:

???

[kingie chaser]

6 hours ago, PaddyT said:

Yep good way to go, in low swell with just a bit of breeze i just drop a sea anchor out the back 

I love my sea anchor but Ive never used at sea because its on a 13ft tinny & I just fish the bays

Still does a pretty good job but Im using a 20ft rated model, I recon if I used what was rated for 13ft it would have minimal effect.

Edited May 21, 2019 by kingie chaser

[PaddyT]

i just use the sea anchor to hold the boat into the current, works a treat

[frankS]

A 10 ltr bucket is great with a 13 ' tinnie, But I sometimes forget it is out there and start to motor off for another drift, soon remember it's out.

Frank

[anthman]

All good advice . Will pack the sea anchor.

Any other tips for targetting snapper out there? Keen to go 1/2oz jig head with 4"/5" sp minnow and curly tail, and to leave bait behind. Or a pillie cubes the go?

[Scratchie]

I just write this, maybe it will help you.....

 

[anthman]

2 hours ago, Scratchie said:

I just write this, maybe it will help you.....

 

Thanks scratchie, a very useful read - has confirmed alot of my setup (fortunately) so will make sure to find the structure and drop offs . How do you tell what weed looks like vs no weed on the sounder at 40m deep?

[Scratchie]

1 hour ago, anthman said:

Thanks scratchie, a very useful read - has confirmed alot of my setup (fortunately) so will make sure to find the structure and drop offs . How do you tell what weed looks like vs no weed on the sounder at 40m deep?

All Sounders are set up differently but usually a green blob on top of broken ground. 

[mrsswordfisherman]

Do a search here on snapper there are many posts and articles