Favorite Plastics & Techniques For Snapper

[NAGG]

Hey all

Over the Christmas break I'm going to be spending some time in the Port Stephens area & aside from chasing the usual suspects in the estuaries ........ When conditions allow I'm going to have a serious crack at some reds around the islands off the front
Now while most hereabouts might not know PS ..... it is a snapper mecca (along with other great fish) ........ & I'm planning to make my assault with plastics - So with plastics being well regarded in SE Qld for snapper ..... I'm after a little advice from you guys........ what do you use & how do you fish them ????

Any help will be greatly appreciated

Cheers

Chris

[tunaticer]

Any 4 or 5" jerkbait in watermelon colour is the go for me. techniques is something you will have to work out for yourself as each location each day is different.

[Leighton]

Zoom Superflukes in Babay Bass 4 and 5", WZoom Watermelon Red, again its a natural Green colour, 5" Camo Gulps are also worth throwing in

[NAGG]

Any 4 or 5" jerkbait in watermelon colour is the go for me. techniques is something you will have to work out for yourself as each location each day is different.

Thanks Jack

Are you looking for a bite on the drop ........ or more on a twitch retrieve ??

Chris

[jaredluke]

Squidgies, 145mm in the princess, pilly and yakka colours (flickbaits). Fish these on relatively light rods 8kg would be enough but I find using a 4-7kg rod is better. The Technique that is commonly used here in Sth east QLD is to drop your plastic to the bottom, and what the snapper tend to do is to take the plastic on the drop, if the plastic has not been taken on the drop give it a few twitches whilst retrieving the plastic to about mid water. Then open the bail arm open and let the plastic flutter back down. The fish should take it on the drop. Repeat this proccess untill a fish takes it or you have drifted over the plastic and in that case you will have to retrieve and start over.

[bayfisher]

Thanks Jack

Are you looking for a bite on the drop ........ or more on a twitch retrieve ??

Chris

It's rarely a bite, snaps usually slam the placcie and keep going. In all honesty there is not many plastics that wont catch snaps, grubs, shads, swimbaits, worms etc etc all work, though the staple for most fisherman seems to be a jerkshad around the 5 inch mark. As for action well usually the lift and drop (gently sweeping the rod up then dropping the tip down to create slack line so the plastic drops down again) technique will find one if there around, but placing a rod with a placcie on in the rod holder seems to almost work just as well.

Cheers Chris

[NAGG]

Much appreciated info guys .......

This should be a bit of fun ......... & i'm really looking forward to giving it a try (Finally)

Chris

[Apollo]

Nagg

As guarantee way to get a snapper with plastic is to go to a fish coop and hand over your mastercard. Snapper on plastic - easy!

Sorry, someone had to do it!

[NAGG]

Nagg

As guarantee way to get a snapper with plastic is to go to a fish coop and hand over your mastercard. Snapper on plastic - easy!

Sorry, someone had to do it!

I found my plastics have maxed out ....... so I need other ideas

[Tim_N]

Chris,
Stickbaits from 5 to 7", 16 lb flurocarbon leader, a lightish threadline with a good drag (a 2500 hyper custom will do nicely) and match it to a Bear S4 and you're away.
It depends on what depth you fish, but considering wind and tidal influences, don't go too light on the jighead. And make sure you have big hooks.
In 15 to 20m, start with 5" baits and 1/2oz 5 /0 or 6/0 jigheads and go up from there.
And as Chris said, you will know when you have had a bite, wham!
SP colours are generally user specific and I like nuc/elec chook, bright reds, fluro greens and when all else fails, plain old white.
Tim

[slyman]

I've only ever fished plastics for snapper within Moreton Bay, but I'll have to agree that jerkshad/stickbaits in the 4-5 inch range are very effective snapper lures. I mainly use gulps in both natural and the fluoro colours, nuke chook, lime tiger, blue pepper neon, watermelon neon, bonejack, sardine, smelt, camo, pumpkinseed. I've also used zooms, saltwater assassins, gamblers in both natural and bright colours.

There has been a few good articles in recent issues of Modern Fishing about snapper on plastics, Scott Amon wrote a really good one a while back. Theres also one in the latest issue taking about using larger lures for larger fish, recommending 6 inch plus plastics offshore.

Have a look at this link...

http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/sho...d.php?t=142424

Ausfish member Bigash posted these vids from SA waters and talks about depths fished and gear used.


This link from Ausfish member Willo, shows some great footage of two rods, one being worked by hand the other in the holder. He also gives out some info on gear used.

http://www.ausfish.com.au/vforum/sho...d.php?t=135583


I also found this page pretty handy from the Egrell website about rigging jerkshads.

http://www.egrell.com.au/gpage9.html

[NAGG]

I had a bit of a look today at the various jerkshads / flickbaits....... a fair old range is available .......... The princess squidgy Flickbait looks OK , along with the atomics
& yums ......... but i'll keep listening to your advice before I narrow the selection down

Thanks guys

Chris

[Tim_N]

Chris,
In 5" I like the Snapback Terminators, in 6" Atomic Guzzlers and 7", Gulp Jerkshads.
Some days you can throw the lot for bugger all and others, well you could put on anything and they will nail it.
The above is what works for me though.
Tim

[NAGG]

Chris,
Stickbaits from 5 to 7", 16 lb flurocarbon leader, a lightish threadline with a good drag (a 2500 hyper custom will do nicely) and match it to a Bear S4 and you're away.
It depends on what depth you fish, but considering wind and tidal influences, don't go too light on the jighead. And make sure you have big hooks.
In 15 to 20m, start with 5" baits and 1/2oz 5 /0 or 6/0 jigheads and go up from there.
And as Chris said, you will know when you have had a bite, wham!
SP colours are generally user specific and I like nuc/elec chook, bright reds, fluro greens and when all else fails, plain old white.
Tim

thanks tim

I should be OK for gear ......... I've got a heavy Certate 3000 (20lb braid) & 6-10kg Pflueger President...... + a lighter 2500 Caldia (6kg Braid) Shimano T Curve 2-5kg stick - which will be my preferred outfit.
The waters I'll be fishing will be Island washes down to around 20M ....... so a light wafting presentation could be the go .
Got plenty of redundant barra jig heads ...... 5-6/O ....... so will be sweet there!
25lb ROCK FC leader

Chris

[bayfisher]

The 20lb combo will usually be overkill. In Moreton bay the two outfits i commonly use are 2-5kg bream sticks (one of them a tcurve as yours) with 2500 reels loaded with 6lb braid and 12lb leader, I rarely lose a fish fishing this light. They become a whole lot more fun to catch on this gear and generally Snapper are not the terrors most make them out to be, they usually have one good run in them then they come to the boat pretty easy. The only time i would go heavier is if fishing over wrecks or heavy structure when you want a bit more abrasion resistance for that first run. You might also want to consider adding the Mann's hardnose 6inch jerkshad in baby bass colour to your collection, its one of my all time favorites

Cheers Chris