Thought Id ask some opinions encase there's something im doing obviously wrong. I got into drone fishing a few months back and have exclusively been fishing off the main beach at Mt Maunganui a few kms down to avoid surfers. Out of the first 4 trips I made, I've caught lots of snapper, with the 4th trip getting 6 good size ones about 600+ m from shore.

Today I went for a 6am early trip, same routine, but got nothing, and virtually no bites. 

Started by casting 500+ m out, it looked like there fish tugging on my rods (I have 2 at once) but then nothing on the end when I pulled it in.

Bait was salted pichards and squid + a single whole piper, 60lb braid, I usually leave them out 20- 30 min. I have 8 hooks usually per line.

I find it weird that out of the 4 trips ive made with 3-4casts each trip so far there's usually always been at least 1 snapped on the line..... Then suddenly today I cast 6 times, with nothing.

I wondered if: (things I may have done differently)

 - I used to much bait elastic, so it wasn't striking properly?

 - I needed to go further today like 700m

 - Just needed to be more patient , although I've always found 20min plenty of time

 

Also, are there any full proof techniques? For example:

 - Im going to add dissolvable burley bags on my line next time

 - I reaslise Im casting out over very little structure, so I guess that could be improved but again, Ive had such good lcuk so far in the same place, so its a bit weird.

Finally:

 - I retrospectively cheked the bite times calendar, and it suggested it wasn't that good of a fishing morning, but Im not sure how much weight they have.

I realise drone fishing may be more luck than say a boat and fish finder, but I feel like I should be able to almost gurantee a fish or 2 with a 3hour fishing trip like this..

Thoughts?