2014 - a bit of lean year for some, bit of a good year for others...

[acronin]

Well I won't be the first (nor the last) to suggest that this year has been a bit of a struggle out the bay for snapper. Then again, there are those of us who have smashed it this year, particularly those who fish further North in the bay. A bit of a theory on that one btw - I think the warmer April to June meant the snapper swam into the bay from above Moreton Island and Bribie, met a big unexpected wall of warm water, and held back going any further. Thus the better catches at Scarby, Redcliffe, Clontarf etc . This doesn't explain why it didn't pick up everywhere else in July/Aug when things got cold though so maybe I'm wrong.

Anyway this year has been a bit lean. Last few trips have netted the following:

- most recent trip (17 Dec) - one 45cm squire, one legal bluey, moses and grassy
- previous trip - three legal moses, one 73 cm jewie (damn those 2 cm! :-) see attached)
- trip before (Oct) - three squire to 45 cm
- all other trips dating back to Feb - a sum total of 4 squire , the biggest going maybe 40 cm.

Pretty lean, but still a bad days fishing beats a good days just-about-anything I guess. Looking forward to a good 2015 - anytime on the water is a good time on the water. Merry Christmas and Happy 2015 to all fellow ausfishers.

Having some problems posting photos, so will try to add when I work out whats wrong

[tunaticer]

I think it has more to do with the regeneration of habitat after two yrs of heavy flushes.
Pre-floods there was a lot of wireweed off Redcliffe, was removed with the floods.
The past 8 months or so has seen some sporadic snagging in the wire weed again off scarby and margate.
Where the habitat is good they will hang. I suspect a lot of the bottom between the northern end of the bay and mud island is still heavily silted with flood muck and slowly getting buried under the sands. Gotta leave an unpleasant pong in the water though.

[Peter4]

You shoulda been out there this morning - the snapper were going nuts.

We 'bagged out' in less than 45 minutes and caught 12 snapper with the biggest going 52 cm and only one undersize...

Location was in southern Moreton Bay.

All fished released for another day. Merry Xmas...

[acronin]

Sounds like it was going off. Thinking about heading out tomorrow or sat if I get a leave pass. Plastics or bait?

[Peter4]

Sounds like it was going off. Thinking about heading out tomorrow or sat if I get a leave pass. Plastics or bait?

Neither - shallow running hardbodies in less than 3m of water...

Stealth was a key factor so it won't work on the weekend - too many noisy knobheads out there over the holidays.

[acronin]

That's gold. Snapper go hard in shallow water. More so on hard bodies. trolling or casting? No trolling for me unfortunately I've got a noisy 2 stroke. Maybe make it a New Years Reso to upgrade to a a 4 stroke or buy an electric? :-)

Noisy neighbours out the bay - yep, there are few things more frustrating then when you've set up a decent burley trail for the last hour, miles away from the flotilla of boats to have someone tear over making more noise than a heavy metal concert, fish for ten minutes then tear off again. But that's fishing out the bay on holidays I guess.

[Peter4]

That's gold. Snapper go hard in shallow water. More so on hard bodies. trolling or casting?

All caught casting while drifting or spot-locked.

Got a 48cm snapper on a surface pencil in 1m of water...

[marchrx7]

Just like Peter4 I have been absolutely smashing the snapper in the bay over the past 2-3 months (probably in a similiar area ;-).. last trip was saturday.. end result of atleast 25-30 snaps between 45-65cm..a few bigger ones that found the reef.. I rely so heavily on my electric that I wouldnt bother going out without it.