Red season again...

[Jarrah Jack]

Not the reds that you blokes are always on about but for southerners snapper are well up there.

We are into a new season and the numbers are much the same as last year. Hard to believe how hard the fish get hit by all manner of people. Its not uncommon to read reports of 20 plus fish in a session being released after the bag of three per person is reached.

BTW not all trips are successful either.

I took a snapper virgin out on friday and there is nothing like the child like joy of someone getting their first fish. I enjoy taking out people who have never caught such a good fish before. Simply being on the water at dawn is a great experience.

I've included a few pics of the trip and sadly a pic of what I found in the bin at the local carwash. There may be an innocent explanation but if there isn't then someone is very sick.

[Fish_gutz]

Nice haul there jarrah jack , not sure what goes on with the fish in the bin ? somethings a bit fooked up.!

[OODIES]

Well done Jarrah, The pic of the bin makes me sick, what a waste of good fish.

Cheers
Bingo

[charleville]

Nice catch, JJ.

Those are lovely looking fish in the bin. Someone must have got spooked when they saw someone coming who looked like they might be official.

It is a dreadful waste.




.

[matt fraser]

Well done JJ, good catch! Snapper fishing in Victoria seems to be improving every year. It can't just be the bag limits can it? Can you fill us in on the fishery?

Well done putting a newby onto a fish. Great to see!

Cheers,

Matt

[Jarrah Jack]

Well done JJ, good catch! Snapper fishing in Victoria seems to be improving every year. It can't just be the bag limits can it? Can you fill us in on the fishery?

Well done putting a newby onto a fish. Great to see!

Cheers,

Matt

Hi Matt.........The snapper fishery here is probably the best fishery on the doorstep of a 3 mil plus city anywhere in the world, especially now with so many people owning boats.

Not unusual for people to C&R 20 plus in a session.( As I mentioned earlier ) I don't, I just get my bag then go and catch some squid if I can. Mortality rate of released snapper can be high in deep water and there are always floaters around this time of year.

The season starts in Sept and runs through to about May. 20lb fish are becoming rare with most catches similiar to the one in this thread. The fishery is enjoying a boom period because of the good spawning runs of the mid to late 90's. Before that the fish were hard to come by and there is an expectation that things will revert to that in the future. Spawning success in the last few seasons has been non existent, so the research boys say.

Way too many people are taking the fishery for granted and plundering it for all it is worth. Thankfully a lot are now being caught with a few boats being confiscated.