Bush 'n Beach Fishing Magazine Location reports & tips for fishing, boating, camping, kayaking, 4WDing in Queensland and Northern NSW
IT didn’t matter what report you looked at, snapper catches were prolific in June and July this year, prior to the closure. Moreton Bay
And it didn’t matter if you were land-based, on a kayak or kicking back in style – quality snapper were being landed left, right and centre!
Guy nailed a very nice 57cm snapper when fishing in the Scotts Point area. As you can see, he was very impressed with this catch – the smile tells the tale! Well done Guy, we look forward to more great catches in the future. Moreton Bay
Surprisingly, we have seen an increase in the use of local octopus bait – these are producing some of the larger snapper from further out in the bay in water a little deeper.
Though there are a whole host of bait types that will be readily smashed by snapper that you can either gather yourself or buy from your local tackle shop.
Yellowtail pike is always a popular go-to bait – either whole or cut in half – and strip-baited and floated down under a pea sinker is a very effective technique. Pillies, local squid, cuttlefish and large green prawns all have their place on the snapper menu – prior to and after the closure, of course.
We have a few fishos who will take the kids out whiting fishing, keep a couple for the table and convert the rest to snapper bait.
This is a great way to get younger kids interested in wetting a line, while staying safe in sheltered water until they are confident enough to try bigger fish in deeper water. I find that in the past, slimy mackerel have always brought the larger models to the table. Moreton Bay
I was taught to rig them backwards on a two-hook rig and send them down with minimal weight, keeping the current in mind, as they tend to take the bait headfirst.
A large number of people are using jigs such as the Oceans Legacy Contact and the Nomad Gypsea series, with great success either actively working them or simply dead sticking them as they do a drift. Plastics are another great snapper slayer – everything from Z-Man Slim SwimZ, Molix RT Shads, Atomic Plazos Prongs and a variety of curl tails in a mix of colours. Everyone has their own go-to colour, so don’t be afraid to mix your range and try something different – you might find your next favourite lure.
