Snapper Jigs

[Chenz]

When in NZ my two Brothers-in-laws, use these Snapper jigs or Hairy Hooks as they call them for Snappper.

I was not convinced until they started pulling in bigger and more consitent fish using them.

On a Paternoster two hook rig with a little slice of squid or fish bait like mullet or 1/2 a pilly and presto - Snapper in the boat.

I had a look and got out the trout fly tying vice and started tying a couple myself and they are dead easy.Here are some of the ones I did and some that I bought off the net.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/05/843.jpg

Belive me they do work. Tied in a couple of different colours as we found green one day and orange the next - don't know why - ask the fish!!!!
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/05/844.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/05/845.jpg
Here is some of the proof

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/05/846.jpg
https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/05/847.jpg

[Bearman]

Nice haul there Chenz, we get snapper here from June to about August. Have to give them a try. What's the orange lizard looking fish in the left of the last photo?

[Chenz]

Gurnard. They have the prettiest pectoral fins I put in a photo of them opened out. Not bad eating either

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2011/05/779.jpg

[UNDEROVER]

Hey Chenz, nice work...

How do you think they fare against the plastics?

God knows how many times I've walked past those things, glanced at them quickly, then kept walking.

I've never seen anyone using them.

Just curoius, as you obviously fly fish. Have you ever tried tying snapper flies and fishing them with a sinking line over shallow reefs?

[Chenz]

Yes but not in Oz in NZ. Not big fish but a whole lot of fun on fly -#9 or #10 weight rod and clouster patterns in different colours are the go.

I will have a go next time I am up the coast near Forster. There are a couple of reefs I want to try close in to Bluey's Beach that look like they could be worth a cast or two on fly

[UNDEROVER]

Even though I don't flyfish, I suspected that over the shallow reefs it was probably a viable method.

Some of the reefs I fish around here will break on a 2 metre swell, with a big portion of what I fish is around the 15m mark.

Let me know how you go.