Top effort geoff.i made the trip up couple weeks ago and couldint believe the condition of the fish.managed one at 10.3 kg and some real nice 5 to 6kg fish.Had dolphins and gannets around us most of the day.What a truly amazing fisherie you have at your back door step.

The Tamure Kid wrote: Great report to read on a shi^^y Saturday afternoon, Geoff. Massive snaps, well done. I have always wondered that about the fishing out west, re the depth. I know guys who've been on charters out of Kawhia and Raglan and they are given massive sinkers to stop tangles and hold the bottom in that depth, doesn't appeal really.Each to their own, as they say. But I know i'd rather be in your little Mac catching donkeys than miles out at sea in 60m.

Thanks TTK, I did that, took another Forum Member out on Mac last weekend! A post is due anytime. Should be a great read!

robdunk wrote: Awesome fish, what would your PB be?

15.7 kg's, caught in 2006 and a few mid 14 kg's over the following years. 

feeder wrote: Great fish Geoff.   Geoff was hoping to fish the Kawhia Snappa Casha comp on Friday /Saturday but despite best efforts could not get a ticket (it sold out some time ago) there was a capacity field of 280 odd anglers, he would have blitzed the winning fish by a good margin and taken second place as well. Bugger.   Cheers

Thanks for the kind words Dennis! Heids may of got 2nd Got to be in to win though. Tried buying tickets a day after they went on sale in Sponsors Shops but all gone Three Boat loads of Kawhia Guys Fished Mokau for it. They stayed below me, I showed them my fish, blew them away, then came all the offers of I'll weigh it in and go ya halfs etc

Love the monster Snapper down there Geoff, they all look like giant pannies, not much colour and no ugly lumps from smashing shellfish.

Great fish Geoff what is the water clarity like where you fish and in along the coast, if it is fairly poor most of the time then this will explain why they are not darker in colour and look more like pannies. My understanding as to why our east coast shallower water snapper are much darker and redder is because the water is generally clearer allowing more light to penetrate deeper (quite possibly the UV light is the issue) and the fish get sun burnt. I know over in Oz when they first started fish farming snapper all the snapper were like what we would call kelpies and of very little value, they had to develop a new way of doing things, I am not sure whether they have shade cloth or have deeper nets, bt they have got it sorted.

Marligator wrote: Great fish Geoff what is the water clarity like where you fish and in along the coast, if it is fairly poor most of the time then this will explain why they are not darker in colour and look more like pannies. My understanding as to why our east coast shallower water snapper are much darker and redder is because the water is generally clearer allowing more light to penetrate deeper (quite possibly the UV light is the issue) and the fish get sun burnt. I know over in Oz when they first started fish farming snapper all the snapper were like what we would call kelpies and of very little value, they had to develop a new way of doing things, I am not sure whether they have shade cloth or have deeper nets, bt they have got it sorted.

Hi Marligator, the water where i fish is 80% of the time a little murky as i'm off two river mouths. When it rains heavy they are brown, pushing it out to sea. So your theory would be spot on! Only Caught a hand full of bigger Snaps over the years here the darker red, and its like spot the odd one out!