Fisho has just got back from what could well be described as the snapper bite of the century. More than 90 snapper of 10kg+ were caught and released in a crazy two-day session fishing with Ashley Smith of Arno Bay Fishing Adventures in SA’s Spencer Gulf.
The trip was planned to coincide with the end of SA’s month-long snapper closure. The new season opens at 12 noon on December 1. We reached the grounds at about 11am and it was a torturous 1 hour wait until we could drop our plastics down to the waiting schools of hungry monster snapper we could see on the sounder.
The biggest fish on the boat – a 27 pounder – was caught by Shimano’s Joel Tegart on a Squidgy White Lightning Shad. “I don’t know how I’m going to face fishing for reds back in my home waters in Sydney’s south,” Joel said. “It just won’t be the same any more!”
Fisho editor Jim Harnwell caught his personal best red five times – each fish bigger than the last – concluding with a magnificent 26lb beast that munched a curly tailed Slam softie. Jack Harnwell, 14, caught a 22 pound fish on a red snake lolly he threaded onto his 1/2 oz Nitro jig head as a joke! Inspired by that bizarre catch, skipper Ash rigged up a 13mm ring spanner with an assist hook and dropped it down as a jig. It was scoffed by a huge snapper, which in turn was scoffed by a 5m great white shark …
E-TEC’s Riley Tolmay caught numerous massive fish on light tackle, finishing up with several beauties in the mid 20s and multitudes of 15-20lb fish. Riley, who’s fished all around the world, described the trip as “mindblowing”.
Fisho national sales manager Chris Yu scored some cracking snapper on Tropic Angler Shads after being dusted by serious fish which he just couldn’t stop. Fisho’s SA Writer Jamie Crawford, who has caught more big snapper than most other fishos have had hot dinners, boated his best ever red on a plastic, a whopper of about 25lbs, as well as heaps of “average” fish in the 15-22lb class. Jamie’s a big fan of the Squidgy Flick Baits but soon embraced the White Lightning Shad after he saw how effectively it work on the big snapper.
Stay tuned for the March and April issues for more details, pics and images of this incredible snapper action. If you want to experience it for yourself, call Ash Smith now on 0427 282 000.
(Above) Shimano’s Joel Tegart and a cracker Arno Bay red caught on a Squidgy White Lightning Shad. (Right) Fisho’s Jamie Crawford with his PB plastic-caught red.
(Above) Jack and Jim Harnwell with a double.
(Above right) Fisho’s ad manager Chris Yu and a nice red that slugged it out deep. Yu’s previous boasts that “no fish could beat him” proved unfounded on this trip…
(Above) Riley Tolmay hooked up to another one.
(Above right) Charter operator Ash Smith took plenty of video footage of the amazing fishing.
Jack Harnwell displaying a snake lolly he amazingly caught a snapper on.
