Snapper during a tailor hunt...

[Peter4]

The forecast was a bit iffy but I decided that I needed a fishing fix, so I geared up and headed for the Ormiston weedbeds to chase tailor on a solo run in the pre-dawn of Sunday morning. Conditions were a bit breezy to begin, with a stiff sou’westerly making it impossible to find bait schools so I relied on fan casting around the areas that had scored us good fish in recent weeks. I was encouraged by a good hit but no hook up on my very first cast…

About three hours and ten drifts later I was still fishless, other than a couple of nuisance pike. No bait, no more hits and no sign of tailor. Time to change it up! I stowed the gear and headed for the reef edge on the south west side of Green Island with the intention of spot-locking and peppering the shallows at low tide for bream and tailor. Unfortunately the wind picked up making this strategy impossible. My only option was the sheltered northern side of Green until the wind dropped…

I played around with surface and sub-surface lures in the shallows and finally I managed a small grassy emperor on a flutterstick. It only took me just under four hours to get my first fish! By now the sun was high and the boat traffic was constant and I decided to fish another 15 minutes or so before packing it in for the day.

Suddenly a big school of hardiheads surrounded my boat with the odd surface explosion around the edges as predators hit them from below. Full of renewed energy I threw my flutterstick to the edge where it got monstered. A long ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ followed by an even longer ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ and I knew I was in trouble on my 4ld string and 15lb leader. Another couple of powerful runs with strong headshakes before the inevitable ‘ping’ as the beast headed directly to St Helena and earned its freedom. My leader was abraded about halfway along its length, probably on a coral bombie.

Not exactly sure what I hooked, I quickly retied and threw another flutterstick to the edge of the bait school. Again an immediate hook-up but to a smaller fish that turned out to be a 32cm snapper. I repeated the process and was rewarded by a 45cm snapper on the next cast, then a small moses perch, four more undersize snapper and two tailor on the following casts. I missed about a dozen hits as well. Clearly my initial hook-up and bust off was to a good size (perhaps PB) snapper.

Soon after the bait dispersed and my fishing day was over. A terrible start but a strong finish saw me grinning from ear to ear as I headed home…I just love Moreton Bay!

Cheers

Pete

[Blackfish]

Great read Pete, perservience certainly paid of.

[Didley]

Love your reports Pete, keep them coming.

[Bazil Brush]

Top report Pete, it shows that if you keep at it you will win in the end.

[Apollo]

Nice comeback Pete.

[gunna]

Great persistence. Shows the value of having the patience to wait for "bite time".

[ActiveAngler]

Nice ending to the trip Pete. Dids. You should try this ?

[Didley]

Nice ending to the trip Pete. Dids. You should try this ?

Yes I will Mr Chew, every time he reports I plan on giving it a go.

[kingcray]

good going Pete.. does sound like you hooked up to a decent snapper, bad luck. I also lost a decent snap on Monday.

[robersl]

Hey Pete a few mackerel around in the bay I got snipped twice at the river wall Monday then landed a small one, and a few good ones around bribie at the moment as well well done on the snap