A new Fishcare Snapper PB?

At a recent event at Mornington Pier, Fishcare volunteer extraordinaire Alan Girling caught this brilliant big Snapper – 71cm long, & I estimate between 3.5kg & 4kg (based on my records of 10 similar length fish caught).

This Snapper took off on a rod resting against the pier bollards just as I was doing an intro to our 2nd Junior Rangers clinic for the day – Alan managed to get it under control just before it spooled him, and then patiently & expertly handled 15 or 20 reel-screaming runs over the next 5 to 8 minutes before it was netted … extra-patiently, because it was on a kids-sized rod, with size1 circle hook & with 12lb main line & 10lb leader!!!

The poor little Shimano reel was smoking.

A small crowd gathered on the upper landing above us, watching (and videoing!) and then cheered when I finally netted it.

It was the only Snapper we’ve caught of any size over the past 2 session-days at Mornington, but I think it’s more than made up for the lack of numbers.

Bait was a small strip of fresh Australian Salmon caught at Beaumaris on Saturday; Paternoster rig (hand-tied dropper loop); and homemade burley pellets were generously deployed beforehand