The Mysteries of Snapper Fishing Revealed

I have determined that the majority of useful information had never been truly identified to enable it's publication. I previously considered snapper fishing to be reserved for large boats well off shore over wrecks and reefs, but I found that need not be the case at all.

The situation is that those who have had snapper fishing success have gotten enough peices of the puzzle right to catch snapper. Unfortunately, since the unknown criterior has coincided only sometimes, all manner of mysterious explanations have arisen, such as, "If the snapper are in a particular spot, they may only bite for one hour in twenty four, and then perhaps only on a particular bait, and at a particular stage of the tide." (ref: www.pir.sa.gov.au) Then there's moon phase, wind direction, and the list goes on.

The difficult part is correctly understanding the questions. Only then can you uncover the real answers. It is a legacy of the way most anglers, both past and present, tend to arrive at all sorts of conclusions rather than looking at their own techniques when they don't understand why they struggle to get results.

The snapper is just a simple fish. It knows not from where it’s next meal is coming. It simply cannot afford to fast for twenty three hours a day or be fussy about it’s diet. Neither can it afford to ignore a potential meal and return, possibly hours later, when the stage of the tide is supposedly ‘Right’, to see if it is still there. Sorry, but there is no way known that is possible.

The fact is there are numerous factors impacting our ability to catch snapper. Historically we have failed, until now, to even identify them. Desired snapper fishing results have accordingly not been easily forthcoming. Excuses have been formulated, published and generally accepted without challenge. They have then been recycled and taught to others. It is time the cycle is broken.

We all accept that snapper feed at night, so we realize that is going to be the best time to fish for them. Also accepted is snapper’s obvious association with structures, so of course that is where we go, right? ... Wrong!

I will draw a parallel with another nocturnal creature, the owl. It will be out hunting all night and roosts in a loft during the day. If we want to catch an owl, are we going to wander the wide open spaces for it, or go to the loft? Obviously we naturally go to the loft. But is there any point in us going to the loft at night?

Definitely not; it's out hunting somewhere.

The parallel situation applies to the snapper. Roosting around some structure during the day to avoid the pressure of tides and avoid attack from sharks. If you know where the loft is, you will be able to catch them during the daytime. However, just before dusk they leave their ‘Loft’ and go off for a night’s feeding where they consider they have the best chance of finding a meal. And while they out, how many snapper fishermen are sitting hopeful at the loft, assuming there's some mysterious reason they are not biting? ... Right place, wrong time!

Or, ‘Right time, wrong place.’

Yes, a few snapper will always still be caught at the loft during the night time. Snapper may be passing from one feeding ground to another. Some 'Lofts' (Private, artificial ones particularly) will exist not far offshore, close to preferred feeding grounds and if other factors coincide, snapper fishermen may also get snapper if they are still at the loft come first light when the snapper are starting to arrive back at the ‘Loft.’

Depending on where you are, most of what the snapper feed upon; crabs, scallop beds, dead razor fish inhabitants, small squid and fish, etc., are mostly inshore. We need not go way offshore because during the cover of darkness they venture inshore to us. We just need to know how to make sure they find us instead.