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the year to hook big snapper, so a lot of large, old fish are kept when
probably they should be released.
Most of us get a thrill catching a big snapper, but bigger fish are
not great eating and are probably better off back in the water where
they can make small snapper.
Big snapper are more difficult to successfully release, too. I’ve
written about it before, but if they are caught in water 15m deep
or deeper, releasing them can be problematic. They will definitely
be affected by decompression, which can make it difficult for them
to swim back to a safe depth when released, and the longer they
are at the surface the worse the problem becomes. So if you want
photographs, don’t waste any time.
In spring some of the best snapper fishing is in relatively deep
water – up to 50m – where release is not really feasible, so anglers
need to limit their take and stick to bag limits. Throwing back
excess or unwanted fish is not really an option.
Usually by December in the north, and a bit later further south,
the easy fishing is over. On the plus side, snapper spread out,
moving into coastal shallows, estuaries and harbours. This makes
them available to shore fishers as well as small boat anglers, though
they are seldom as easy to catch as they are during spring when
schools are concentrated into relatively small areas.ABOVE Fishing can still be very
rewarding, even in areas that see
a lot of boat traffic, but it pays to
get away from the crowds.
BELOW The number of
recreational watercraft, including
noisy PWCS, peaks during the
summer holiday period.