PB Snapper at Mud Saturday

[SURLY]

Hi Guys,

Well what can i say after setting a pretty high standard a year or so back when my third ever fish on plastics was a 81 cm 5.25 kilo snapper I have finally managed to beat it.

I am an avid reader of this web site and love reading the reports from the plastic brigade particularly fishing around mud. I am fortunate to have a few mates who have boats and are just as enthusiastic about soft plastic fishing as I am. In fact we always seem to catch a few legals, although some times we have put in a large amount of hours. Anyway when a mate from work siad that he had acquired some 'javalons' and was keen to try them, you didnt have to ask me twice. (especially after seeing foggy's success on these plastics)

We headed out from whyte island around 4.30am to be greeted with just a slight sea breeze as we left the river mouth. There was not a lot of boats out today, it might have had something to do with the few showers that came our way. We visited our regular haunts around the north eastern side of mud and we were kept entertained by the abundant small squire,grinners, sweetlip,cod, whiptails etc. For your information we would have caught 10 or so squire around the 34 cm mark. We did manage to catch a 36 and 38 cm squire but we released both to fight another day.

Around 11 we headed to spot XYZ which we had tried first thing in the morning but as the wind had died down to virtually nothing we gave it another go. Mark switched to a Pumpkinseed Shaky Shad around 3 inches and was almost instantly rewarded with a 44 cm specimen which was promptly put in the esky. We continued to drift around this area and I soon hooked onto something really solid. All lines in and we gave chase only to eventually loose the fish when it snagged the line on the bottom. I could feel the fish on the other end but also could feel it rubbing along the rock and eventually it gave way. I dont know about anybody else but many days you only get one shot at what i thought was a big snapper, so I was cursing what could have been but luckily not for long.

By now it was around 1pm and we decided to do one more drift around our spot. I decided to try the pumkinseed shaky shad as well on a jighead that i had never had much luck with before ( not the standard jighead with the weight half way down the hook). Almost instantly I was on. As line was streaming off Mark bought all the lines in and started the motor and gave chase. After what seemed like ages mark netted a very fat 90cm snapper. (to see the big flash of silver and red down deep defintely gets the heart going). I have no idea of the weight but it was a very fat fish. I would like to tell you that I caught it on my new Daiwa rod with a Fleuger reel loaded with 10 lb braid but no i didn't. Instead it was caught on cheap 2 piece rod that i have had for 5 years and a NZD$70 shimano reel which was loaded with 8lb nylon although i did have 15lb leader.

I have probably already gone on too much, but it was truly a memorable day. No luck on the javalons today but definitely impressed with their action. I have been using a Mann's hard nose 6" worm over the last few months and have lost some big fish on them as I did today. They seem to be more durable than the Gulp minnow worms and the scent seems to last a lot longer. The majoirty of our smaller fish today were taken on the 3inch gulps.

Finally a big thank you to Mark, for not only inviting me fishing but also for your assistance in catching this fish. I am sure next time i will be the one doing the driving whilst you do battle with the big snapper.

I will be getting my mate nathan to put the photos up tomorrow.

Cheers

craig

[Adamy]

Seems as though big snaps were on the menu at Mud today... You and Dale 2 90cms plus in one day - shoulda been at Mud!! good on you!! Cant wait to see the pics!


Adam

[Seaduction]

Craig,

Nice one! Looking Forward to seeing the pics for this one.

Jim.

[Poodroo]

Mate that is outstanding. A good read and I will be waiting in anticipation for the photos.

Poodroo

[Great_White]

I too can't wait to see the photos, well done Me thinks I should have been out at mud today

Peter

[Scalem]

Feast or famine at Mud,

but put in the time like you have, and up come the rewards. You are giving me the inspiration to hit the water again and try better my PB, which this fish definitely would have if I caught it. Well done.

Scalem

[Lager]

Picture 1 of Craig's PB snapper

[Lager]

Picture 2

[ele-phrez]

massive snapper

[foggy]

Good snap guys.


Foggy

[Adamy]

That Snap was a visitor.. from outside - not a resident Bay Snap - notice the prominent knob developed from head butting the reef... maybe he was visiting Dales Snap

Nice pics!

Adam

[Hsvjones]

Hi Craig,

You had to do it didn't you. You could not let me have the glory for more than a month.

Anyway, ever since you got me onto this SP fishing I have not had this much fun. That is a monster fish and I wish I was out there when it happened. If you had the feeling that I had out there then you will be right for the next month. Well done again and I hope I can get you back next month.

Chris

[Pitsta]

Congrat's top fish !!!

MARK

[Steven78]

Well done surly i know how it feels to get a big one and you will not forget it.

[marty+jojo]

nice one well done