Help needed with SP's in shallows

[Tim_N]

Hi All,
Could someone give me a bit of help with fishing with SP's for Snapper?
I have found my own little patch of ground but am having trouble staying connected. I'm using anywhere from 1/4 to 1/2 oz TT's with 3/0 hooks and while I'm getting the hits, staying connected is a real source of frustration.
Do I go a bigger hook?
I'm fishing 8 lb braid with 9 to 12 lb leaders and fish in around 14 to 22 m of water.
I locate the fish and bait schools and cast back towards them in the direction of the drift. When the jig head hits the bottom, I wind in and start again.
All I seem to be getting up is Yakkas, Whiptails, small cod, small Mouri cod, Moses Perch etc. I dropped a couple of goodies yesterday and ended up bringing nothing home, which isn't a real concern, but 1 for the table would have kept Mum happy.
All help appreciated.
Tim

[Aquarius]

Mate it sounds like you have the technique right.
May i suggest using a heavy wire 2/0 hook and if the run is slow try a 1/8th jighead.
Most times the snapper are higher in the water column so getting on the bottom may take longer but you are more likely to get hit on the way down.
Its been a lean time for snapper the last few weeks in the crystal clear water but i'm sure when the water discolours they will feel more at home and be a little easier to catch.
Cheers Brent

[Pistol_P]

Aquarius is on the money...
The key is to have the lightest jig head possible so it sinks very natural and slow.
I have found most of my hits have been on the drop.

Pete

[alleycat]

Mate i would swap to using the berkley salt water pro heads in 1/6 or 1/8th oz on a 1/0 hook, they are very strong hooks and the snaps will swaffle them easy which is what you want, i cast out and try and not let my jigh head hit bottom, i point my rod at water and give 2 jerks taking the rod to verticle then let it sink for 4 seconds or so then repeat, i have had great success using 4 inch gulp swimming mullet in pumkin seed and atomic 3 inch minnows in pumkinseed halo, both these offer good value as well.

[Tim_N]

Thanks guys, I will drop the weight down and try again.
I'm using Zoom Baby Bass, 3 and 4" Gulps but I intend to try some Snapbacks also.
Maybe it has been a litle tough to get the Snapper with the water so clear so persistance might be the key.
Tim

[plaztix]

Ah Tim, You just spoke the golden words. 'Persistance' IS the key.

Sounds like you're doing almost everything right just experiment a bit with weight, hook size etc. Also dont know if you actually meant it as it sounded but dont just 'wind in', give the rod a few twitches and pauses as alleycat said. The twitch is equally as important as the pause, you will notice a slightly different technique is required for different styles of plaztic. (practice in shallow water where you can see what the lure is doing as you work it)

Snap backs are good, virtually indestructible too, so when the fish are "ON" you can use the same plaztic over and over. Never had one tear, can use the same one for a whole session, where as with other plaztix you might use a whole packet.

Good luck, its a great way to fish.

[Tim_N]

Hi Plaztix,
I cast out and let the lure do its business with the occassional twitch and when it hits the bottom, bounce it around for a while and then retrieve, so I guess I'm doing most things right.
By the time this cast has hit the bottom, I have to motor away to find the bait/fish/structure again so I'm covering a fair bit of water, sometimes with the engine running, sounder always on.
It will all happen for me one day, so I will stick with it.
What sort of braid and leader do you guys use?
Tim

[alleycat]

Tim i use 8lb crystal fireline and nitlon 16lb leader, and try not to keep that motor on or putt around too much, ie if you know your grounds try and get set so you can have a good long drift over it then motor up and then go back to start of drift and repeat if fish are there, BUT dont just fly back over where you just drifted!!!, go back via a big arch, you with me?, yes use your noodle not your doodle.

[plaztix]

I use a variety of different braids for different circumstances but pretty much always yamamoto fluorocarbon leader.

My favourite setup is spooled with 8lb braid and either 10 or 12lb leader depending on what i'm targeting and where.

If your spot requires a lot of motoring to stay where you need to, it might be worth looking into an electric. constantly starting and stopping your petrol motor might be why you arent getting anything of any size??? maybe.

If an electric isn't an option do like alley said, start way up current/ up wind of your spot drift through and well past the area the fish are holding and motor the LLLOOOOOOOONNNNGGGGG way round.

[Just_chips]

As stated previously reduce the weight of your jighead to the minimum that is needed to drop it to the bottom, in that depth of water the fish will more than likely be off the bottom and they will hit on the drop. If you are casting ahead of your drift as you said you should be able to scale it right back to 1/8 or even lighter if your drift is slower. Another thing that you can try if your getting bites but no hookups is reducing your plastic size, the fish may just be grabbing at the tail, if you go from say a 5inch down to a 4inch on the same jighead the point of your hook is now 1inch closer to the tail which could be the difference between hooking a fish or not.

Cheers

Kev

[snapperbug]

Check out nitro jig heads, some of their models have a longer shank hook than TTs and I reckon the hooks are stronger too. Snapbacks are bloody good, not only are they nearly indestructable but they have a super wiggly action.

[ddobson]

You threw me off by saying shallow water at 14 to 22 mtrs. I have been catching big snapper in only 8 to 10 feet on 10 pound fireline and 12 pound leader and only 1.5 ounce jighead at dawn and dusk with good old faithfull lime tigers at any style and 2 to 5 inch but you need to go back to a day plastic once light has come over 2 inch prawn molt or 3 inch realistix. Cheers and the more plastic fishermen the better.

[Tim_N]

I'm sure once the penny drops, I will wonder why it didn't click, but that's fishing.
Thanks to all for the help and I feel sure the big one is not too far away.
Tim

[Seahorse]

tim
to solve ur problem, go bait. lol
sorry mate just had to throw that in from one who cannot get anything on sp and thats not through lack of trying

cheers
greg

[Tim_N]

I'm hearing you on this one Greg,
But I have gone this far and the thrill of the chase has got to me. By the time I have worked it out, the Snapper will have gone and the Mackerel will have turned up probably. Anyway, you can't stop learning and it is good clean fun.
Tim

[robsue]

if you are drifting too fast, try a sea anchor to slow your drift, they cost about $60 or so from bcf

[robsue]

oops, meant to be $80 or so

[slyman]

Hi Tim, to pick up hits from fish high in the water, I'll cast as long and hard as i can but keeping the line horizontal instead of a big arc which will catch the wind and create a big arc on the water when it lands. I try to watch the flight of the placcy and I'll close the bail arm right before it hits the water, drop the rod tip to the water and quickly take up the slack line. The long low cast produces less slack line on the water than higher arcing casts and is therefore quicker to bring up to tension. At the moment I'm trying to get better at using my left hand only to cast while using my right to flick the bail arm then grab the handle right away. I figure the quicker I can get ready the better. Give a lighter weight ago, maybe 1/12 or 1/16 for a slower drop still, one time, the biggest fish we caught was on the lightest weight of the day, a 1/12 TT, but that was also around high tide.

When bringing the lure back in, I hop it all the way back to the boat, so that when it comes out of the water, I've brought it up from right under the boat, instead of being able to see it coming in through the water from several meters away, the more time spent in the zone the better. Another thing, have a go in water only a few meters deep. In the last 8 months practically all of our fish have come out of water 2-10 meters. Everyone has given some pretty helpful advice here, hopefully we'll see a pic of your results!! Good Luck.

Simon

[alleycat]

Hey tim another little tip for you that will see you catch more fish by not wasting time when the fish are about, you will find that your lure will get taken in first 30% of retrieve or not at all, so instead of wasting time jigging all the way back to the boat just bounce it for the first say 10-15 mteres and then retrieve and cast to new water.

[Chas & Clarry]

Ausfish just amazes me, this site is soooooo helpful, and I think this thread has been one of the best. Thanks Tim_N for starting it, and thanks everyone for the great advice.

[tunaticer]

G'day Tim,

I would be persevering with the 3/0 jigs but maybe as suggested drop your weight to the minimum you need to reach the bottom. In 22m of water I would be thinking that would take a good minute or two at the very least.

I find the deeper the water the shorter I cast and the more i feed out line to reduce belly and water drag on the line.

You need to moderate the speed of your drift if you are fishing deep waters. I use a bowmount lecky but I have also used sea anchors with good effect as well. Overcoming the wind effect opposing the tidal movement is the biggest problem you will have. Unless you can match the water movement you will not attain a natural drop nearer the bottom.

I work the water all the way from the touchdown to almost directly under the boat and I like to give the fish AMPLE time to take an interest in the lure. Don't be getting impatient and working it too quickly.

If your grounds vary in depth from as you say 8m to 22m I would be working over the 8m zones a lot more thoroughly at dawn / dusk and the deeper waters during the brighter parts of the day.

I scored a nice 50cm fork length squire this morning in 8 feet of water off Scarby reef on a 1/8oz 3/0 TT head and a 4" powerbait minnow. Every other boat was fishing waters 12 feet to 18 feet deep. I saw three other guys hook up in two hours. I hooked up twice and landed one of them not the best of mornings out there.

Jack.

[Tim_N]

Thanks Jack,
I'm off to the shops today to get some more jig heads in the 1/8 range, more flurocarbon leader, more plastics and whatever else takes my fancy.
The best part of this style of fishing is it is hands on the whole time and my wife loves it. It's better than soaking a bait, it's more like hunting, very active and thought provoking.
Yes Ausfish is a great place when the more experienced people can help out the learners, the wealth of knowledge is unbelievable.
I think this thread has not only helped me, but anyone else who has followed it.
I will keep you posted on the results and if you see a little guy with a big grin holding a snapper, well that will be me.
Tim