LIVE BAITING DEEP WATER SNAPPER

If big offshore snapper sounds like your cup-of-tea then Nige Webster explains how drifting with live baits might just turn the scales in your favour!

Holding a snapper back on that first big run can be nerve wracking as they get close to the reef.

During the filming of a recent AFN Snapper Tactics DVD where we primarily targeted QLD and northern NSW fish, I had the chance to fish with a gun live baiting Brisbane angler. Troy ‘Dicko’ Dixon works for Wilsons Fishing and has grown up targeting all manner of Queensland fish; but snapper are one of his particular favourites. Prior to jumping on board with him I discussed the options available and expressed interest in targeting large deep water snapper. Dicko described that his regular focus area when targeting larger fish includes the deeper waters off North Stradbroke Island, and that a very effective method to tempt these fish is to drift live bait for them. I had used live bait when chasing snapper previously, but had done so from a boat at anchor for much of it. The idea of learning some new tricks on deep water snapper on drifted baits was very appealing and Dicko did not disappoint.
Locating Deep Water Fish
Catching a few good snapper always involves finding them first and the most valuable tool you have at your disposal when doing so is your sounder. Locating solid ground structure, bait concentrations and visible signs of sounding fish are paramount to catching a few ‘bumpy headed ones’. If you are new to targeting deeper water fish (50 m plus) it may take a little adjusting when it comes to reading your sounder. Defining the signs of deeper fish is slightly different to that of identifying them in the shallows. For example, where it is easy to distinguish between individual fish in 20 to 30 m water depths, it becomes a lot harder in depths over 60 and 70 metres. Expect deeply holding fish to show up as darker coloured groupings of fish at times. Bait concentrations and snapper schools can look quite similar at times when viewed in the deep water. Take some time to learn the signs of deeper water snapper soundings and you will be experiencing success in no time.
Seasons
Deep water snapper can be caught year-round. The number of fish that are concentrated in deeper water changes with the seasons. It has been my experience that when inshore waters are associated with warmer than average ocean currents during winter, it will often push a lot of fish into deeper waters. It is in my opinion that snapper search for favourable structure, water temperature and possible salinity levels to most effectively spawn. The past few seasons in QLD and NSW have seen higher than average inshore water temperatures; coincidentally the anglers that reported the best snapper fishing were those that ventured into deeper waters (80 m plus). Many of us fishing in our favourite shallower water winter spots at the same time, found the snapper fishing fairly poor. We’ve learnt that snapper are a mobile species and although resident fish will stay put on local reef systems, many fish will gather in groups and move to find the most favourable conditions. The past few years this has resulted in plenty of our good fish coming from deeper water.
Bait
Live baiting for snapper is a method that has been around for a long time. Many of our soft plastic lures do a great job of imitating a live bait source so it is easy to understand why live baits are a great option for catching quality snapper. Talking with commercial line fishermen highlights that many big fish fall for the charms of a well-presented live bait. The rule of thumb is that big live baits often produce the biggest snapper. Many of our shallow reef areas, wrecks and artificial reefs are havens for a variety of bait fish. These make great places to start a day’s fishing by gathering enough live bait to sustain a fishing session. Bait species such as horse mackerel (scad or yakka) and slimy mackerel are some of our more popular snapper live bait options. Other baits worth considering include species of whiting. Bait jigging is a popular method to catch live bait and you must be equipped to keep live baits happily swimming in well-oxygenated water until you require them.
Prime Times
Snapper bite more aggressively during certain parts of the day or night. Low light periods of the day will usually provide some active fish. The few days around the new and full moon will also produce more active fish, as will rising barometers or the period leading up to a significant weather change. One of the most important variables to be aware of is that of the tide. Snapper feed actively around the tide turns (high and low) so ensure you are fishing the hours either side of those important tide turning points.

Overhead reels are favoured by some live bait anglers because of the immediate contact they provide between angler and mainline.

Approach
These days I encounter plenty of anglers that choose to drift as opposed to sitting at anchor. The benefits in drifting include the ability to cover more ground when fishing. Add to this the fact that snapper and baitfish are often actively moving around a patch of reef, and it stands to reason that you as an angler will encounter more fish when on the move. The difficulty with drifting includes issues such as the speed and direction of wind and current; making it harder to produce the subtle presentation required to fool quality fish. The best advice I have been given is ‘to toughen up, learn how to use a drogue and practice getting better at drifting in a range of conditions,’ (my mates aren’t often sympathetic). It is interesting to watch good anglers that are experts at drifting in action; they aren’t the slightest bit phased about drifting baits in 15 knots of wind with current thrown into the equation. Deep water doesn’t appear to be an issue for these anglers either and they catch plenty of fish.
Technique
Drift fishing takes some practice and a few tools will make it easier. A good sounder or GPS unit that shows track lines and a drogue are very important.
Locating fish isn’t always easy and having found what you’re after, you want to be able to continually drift over the fish. A sounder that tracks your course is the easiest way to locate your precise drift patterns. The effects of wind and current will often mean you take a different drift course to one you may have predicted. By watching the direction you drift on a GPS tracking device, you are able to best initiate drift lines that take you directly over the fish again and again.
Now that you have your head around drifting technique, it is time to set about catching a fish. Having commenced a drift towards an area that holds fish, release your live bait over the stern of the boat. Keep the rod tip low to the water and feed line from the reel by letting it run between your thumb and forefinger: this is critical to maintaining precise contact with your bait throughout. Try to estimate the depth of the bait at any given time and around the mid-water depth engage the reel for a short period. This will straighten the belly of line that develops when releasing a bait to give you the best contact with your bait for the remainder of your drift. Having done this, begin to release the bait back towards bottom. By now you should be getting close to the position you located fish; this is where you need to be releasing line under a very watchful eye. Any sign of the line suddenly stopping or rapidly picking up pace should signal a bite. In the event of a bite, engage the reel and retrieve line as fast as possible. Remember that you are fishing deep water and there is plenty of line out there. Do not strike with your rod, but aim to set the hook by turning the reel as fast as possible. In the event that the bait does get to bottom without a bite, retrieve line and lift it back off the reef a few metres. In this position, the bait can be towed through the prime fish holding zone. A bite with the reel engaged will register as a bump followed by the rod loading with weight. Strike exactly as described above.
The weight of the sinker to be used often provides the biggest challenge to an angler on any given day on the water. The correct weight will provide you with plenty of great fishing. A sinker that is too light will drift baits above identified fish while a sinker that is too heavy will snag and present a bait in the poorest possible manner. The goal is to subtly present the bait so that it looks like a fish that is either swimming naturally through the water or naturally trying to make its way back to the bottom. Self respecting snapper will baulk at a bait that appears to be moving at an unnatural speed. The key here is to experiment when first drifting baits until you start to get bites. If you are not getting bites you’re doing it wrong!
Summary
Deep water drifting with live bait is definitely a great technique to notch up some solid snapper catches. At certain times of year the deeper water is often full of big snapper and anglers that find their way to these areas at such times are in for some mind-blowing fishing. The approach and technique does take some practice so do not be disheartened if you don’t succeed on your first efforts. Remember that the anglers that are doing this effectively had to learn the same lessons you will. These anglers are all out there right now, catching some great fish. You might as well be out there with them.