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How to Catch Inshore Snapper on Lures

By Justin Willmer

When & Where

Snapper are another popular species that are available both inshore and offshore in many parts of Australia. In this article we will focus on targeting inshore snapper in rivers, estuaries and bays.

Like most species your hunt for snapper begins with a hunt for structure and bait. Key snapper holding structure can include wrecks, reef, rubble patches and rock walls, while land based anglers can access snapper from jetties, rock walls and rocky platforms and headlands.

Snapper are available year round in many locations, with most locations encountering a seasonal run of larger numbers and larger fish. Check out your local fishing guides for key seasons when the fish are most prolific, closed seasons, size and possession limits and other regionally relevant information.

The prime time to target snapper is around the low light periods of dawn and dusk, when they feed more actively. If you are targeting deeper structure that is impacted by stronger currents, then the slacker periods of the tide around an hour each side of the high or low tide, is ideal. If you can combine this slack tidal period with dawn or dusk, even better. Another variable that can shut down the snapper bite is boat traffic or boat noise, so move quietly into your location, with electric motors and drifting increasing catches, or anchor as quietly as possible, preferably locating your own patches of structure away from other vessels.

When targeting structure such as rock and reef, pay particular attention to pressure points, where the current first impacts the structure, along with eddies created down current of the structure and any broken or open sections in amongst the structure. When fishing smaller, more isolated patches of structure, cast or drift with the aim of getting your plastic as close as possible to the structure.

Gearing Up

In terms of gearing up with rods, reels, line and leader for targeting snapper, your selection may vary based on the size of the fish being targeted, which may vary based on season or location, along with how nasty the structure is that you are fishing around. If the snapper are generally around just legal size then you can fish them with your 2-4kg and 3-6kg combos, however when it comes to larger fish you will may need to step up to around 5-10kg combos, especially around nasty structure.

In terms of line and leader a lot of quality fish are landed on 10lb Platypus P8 braided line and 20lb Platypus Stealth leader, with a step up to 20-30lb braid and 20-40lb leader when larger fish are more commonly encountered and the structure is more of an issue. At times when the snapper are more finicky, such as glass calm days, you may need to lighten up your line and leaders to get the bite... then you have a battle on your hands!

Good
Okuma Ceymar C-IS-701M 7'0" 1pce 8-17lb Inshore Spin rod and Okuma Ceymar C-40 or C-55 spin reel.

Better
Okuma Cerros CER-S-701M 7'0" 1pce 3-6kg or CER-S-701H 7'0" 1pce 5-12kg spin rod and Okuma Epixor XT EPXT-40 or EPXT-50 spin reel.

Best
Okuma Helios HS-S-701M 7'0" 1pce 3-6kg spin rod and Okuma Helios HSX-40 spin reel.
Okuma Azores Z-S-702M 7'0" 1pce 8-12kg spin rod and Okuma Azores Blue 4000 spin reel.

Lure Selection

When it comes to inshore snapper, lure selection can vary greatly based on the average size of the fish being targeted and also the bait they are feeding on. Commonly you will be fishing smaller lures in rivers and estuaries, and larger lures in larger bays where the fish are often larger, however this is not always the case, with times when larger fish offshore are feeding on smaller bait or the bite is tough and vice versa the bait may be bigger or larger fish may be concentrated at times in the river and estuaries. In short it is worth having a smaller, mid-size and larger lure presentation in your kit, allowing you to mix it up during the session to find what works.

Commonly a river and estuary kit for snapper will contain plastics from around 2.5" - 5", while a kit for larger bays and inshore coastal structure will contain many of the same plastics, along with a few larger models, with plastics ranging from 2.5" - 8".

Jerkbaits - The most popular style of soft plastic for targeting snapper is jerkbait style plastics, as their lack of built in tail action allows them to be cast long and get down to the snapper, even when there is plenty of current. This lack of built in action also allows you to fish lighter jigheads and create a realistic gliding sink of a dying baitfish that is often eaten on the drop (sink).

You can then retrieve them with a hopping or erratic twitching retrieve that attracts the attention of the fish and triggers strikes. Cast and allow your lure to sink to the desired depth, then flick the rod tip up and then up again, in a double hop, followed by a pause to allow the plastic to fall naturally back to the desired depth, while retrieving any slack line. Anglers will vary the speed, aggressiveness and number of hops and the length of the pause until they find what the fish want on the day. Hits often occur as the plastic sinks or as soon as you go to recommence the hops, so be ready to strike.

Another reason jerkbait style profiles are so popular is that they come in a wide range of sizes in the ZMan range to match the bait that the snapper are feeding on, ranging from a 3.75" StreakZ, to a 4", 5" and 7" Scented Jerk ShadZ, along with a 5" StreakZ and 8" StreakZ XL. Generally the 3.75", 4" and 5" are ideal for river and estuary fishing, with the 7" and 8" added to the kit for those fishing larger bays and off the coast. When matching plastics with the correct jighead, make sure you check out the 'Rigging Guides' section of the Tackle Tactics website - http://tackletactics.com.au/Rigging-Guides

Curl Tails - Another favourite for snapper is curl tail plastics as they have loads of tail action both on the drop (sink) and on the retrieve. Curl tails are ideal for prospecting areas as their tail action sends out plenty of vibration that attracts fish to the lure. Again these can be rigged for a slow fall or weighted more heavily to get them down to structure, bait and schooled fish. Favourites in the ZMan range include the 2.5", 3.5" and 9" GrubZ, along with the 4" and 5" StreakZ Curly TailZ.

Paddle Tails - A versatile profile that can be fished in almost any application and is especially effective when fish are feeding on baitfish. Paddle tails can be cast and slow rolled (slow wind) around shallower reef and rubble patches, or weighted more heavily to fish deep. Popular smaller paddle tails include ZMan 2.5" and 3" Slim SwimZ, stepping up to 3" MinnowZ, 4" DieZel MinnowZ and 4" and 6" SwimmerZ.

Crustaceans - At times prawns will be the main meal on the menu for snapper and a crustacean profile, such as the ZMan 3.5" EZ ShrimpZ or 3" Scented ShrimpZ will be eaten before it gets anywhere near the bottom. Again this style of plastic can be rigged for a slow gliding sink that gives the snapper plenty of time to see it falling and zone in on it. Alternatively in heavy current it can be weighted more heavily to quickly get it down around the structure, bait and schooled fish.

Lure Colour

When it comes to targeting snapper it can be more important to be on the water at the best stages of the tide for the area you're fishing, fishing around the peak low light bite times of dawn and dusk, and targeting structure and bait away from heavy boat traffic, than it can be selecting a particular colour lure. However, ask a snapper fisho if they have a favourite colour and there's no doubt that there will be a few go-to colours in their kit.

Any colour will work on a given day, however let's have a look at a few favourites across light/natural colours, darker silhouette colours and fluoro colours.

Light / Natural - Pearl, Bad Shad, Smokey Shad, Shiner and Coconut Ice Glow.
Darker / Silhouette - New Penny, Redbone and Nuked Pilchard Glow.
Fluoro - Nuked Chicken Glow, Electric Chicken, Bubble Gum and Pink Glow.

Jigheads

TT Lures HeadlockZ HD jigheads - Snapper have powerful jaws that require a heavy duty jighead, with the TT Lures HeadlockZ HD jighead being the most popular option, thanks to its head design, brutally strong Mustad black nickel chemically sharpened hook that provides the balance required between needle like penetration and heavy duty strength. Its unique 'head lock' keeper locks your soft plastic in place and is ideal for the 10X Tough, super-soft and flexible ZMan soft plastics.

HeadlockZ HD are available in a comprehensive range of sizes, covering the lightest finesse presentations for shallow water snapper, through to deeper bay fishing in currents.

TT Lures RevlockZ jigheads - RevlockZ are an underspin style jighead, which means they have a blade mounted on the underside of the jighead, attached by a swivel that allows the blade to spin, creating flash and vibration. The original TT Lures Rev Head and the newer RevlockZ have long been a go-to for anglers chasing reef and pelagic species, and a secret weapon for gun snapper anglers. Built on the same brutally strong hooks that have made the HeadlockZ HD jighead so effective, and featuring the same 'head lock' keeper to lock your plastics in place, RevlockZ also feature a tapered head design that shifts the weight lower on the jighead to control the torque of the blade and ensure your plastic runs upright. If you are looking for a jighead that has the potential to unlock jaws on a tough bite, check these out.

Snapper Favourites

Here's a few snapper favourites that consistently produce fish in a selection of environments and a very general guide to help you get started. Remember that increased current may require a heavier jighead, while little to no current may allow little weight.

Shallow 1-3m, generally structure in close proximity to deeper water -
ZMan 2.5" GrubZ / TT Lures 1/8oz - 1/4oz 1 HeadlockZ HD jighead
ZMan 2.5" Slim SwimZ / TT Lures 1/8oz - 1/4oz 1/0 HeadlockZ HD jighead
ZMan 3.75" StreakZ / TT Lures 1/8oz 1/4oz 2/0 HeadlockZ HD jighead
ZMan 3.5" EZ ShrimpZ / TT Lures 1/8oz - 1/4oz 3/0 HeadlockZ HD jighead

Deeper 3-6m, deeper rubble, reef, wrecks and other structure -
ZMan 3" Slim SwimZ / TT Lures 1/4oz - 3/8oz 2/0 HeadlockZ HD jighead
ZMan 3" MinnowZ / TT Lures 1/4oz - 3/8oz 3/0 HeadlockZ HD jighead
ZMan 4" StreakZ Curly TailZ / TT Lures 1/4oz - 3/8oz 3/0 HeadlockZ HD jighead
ZMan 4" Scented Jerk ShadZ / TT Lures 1/4oz - 3/8oz 4/0 HeadlockZ HD jighead
ZMan 3.5" EZ ShrimpZ / TT Lures 1/4oz - 3/8oz 3/0 HeadlockZ HD jighead

Deep 6-10m, deep rubble, reef, wrecks and other structure -
ZMan 5" Scented Jerk ShadZ / TT Lures 3/8oz - 1/2oz 5/0 HeadlockZ HD jighead
ZMan 5" StreakZ Curly TailZ / TT Lures 3/8oz - 1/2oz 5/0 HeadlockZ HD jighead

Retrieves

Holding Position - When it comes to snapper, the cast is often more important than the retrieve. If anchoring or holding position on an electric motor, position yourself down current from the structure or bait / fish and cast past them, allowing your lure to sink down so that it enters the strike zone. From here you can work it over the structure or through the bait / fish with a hopping retrieve, slow roll, burn and kill (wind and pause) or mix it up until you trigger a strike. If the fish are actively feeding they will often rise and intercept the plastic as it sinks, so if you feel a bite, the line speeds up or prematurely stops sinking, strike as a snapper or other species may have eaten your lure.

Drifting - When drifting for snapper you need to give the plastic time to get down to where the structure bait and fish are, rather than being dragged along the surface by the tide or drift. If the drift is moving faster than the tide you can cast ahead of the drift, allow the plastic to sink on a slack line, while still maintaining contact to feel any bites, and then work the lure back through the strike zone. If the tide is running faster than you are drifting, which can occur for a variety of reasons including the wind slowing your drift, then you need to cast back up current, again allowing the plastic to sink on a slack line, while still maintaining contact to feel any bites, and then work the lure back through the strike zone.

Vertical - Another deadly technique for targeting snapper is to fish your lure vertically around structure, bait and schooled fish. The trick when fishing vertically is to stay directly above your lure , allowing you to stay in touch with it, drive it effectively, detect bites and set hooks. This technique can be especially effective when you are slowly drifting over a large area of fish holding structure, such as rubble or reef, or when using the electric motor to hold directly above the structure, bait or fish.

If possible simply sink the lure to the desired depth and fish it with a short, sharp, upward lift and pause as the lure sinks back to the desired depth. You can vary the aggressiveness and length of the lift, or even number of hops, along with the duration of the pause, until you find what the fish want. Being in direct contact with the lure, the hits can be brutal!

If the drift is slowly dragging the lure away from the vertical, cast ahead of the drift, allow the lure to sink until you can work it vertically and then work it vertically as it comes back to the boat and just past the boat. You can then allow additional line out so that you can continue to work it vertically in the strike zone until it is too far away from the boat to work it effectively, then retrieve and repeat the cast and vertical retrieve technique.

Switchblades

The TT Lures Switchblade, metal vibration lure, is another popular option for snapper, thanks to its flash and vibration that draws the snapper to the lure, along with its weight that provides excellent casting distance and a rapid sink rate, especially in current, making it an excellent lure for covering water or fishing vertically.

Both the 3/8oz and 1/2oz Switchblade are popular options, with a profile size that appeals to snapper and the weight required to fish deeper water rubble patches and wrecks that hold snapper. When you move from inshore to deeper offshore waters you can then step up to the Switchblade HD in 1oz, 1.5oz and 2oz weights. For inshore though, the 3/8oz and 1/2oz have accounted for plenty of snapper, along with the mulloway, trevally, flathead and other species that are often encountered around the same structure.

When retrieving the Switchblade for snapper you can effectively fish it using the techniques described above, casting and working it back with the drift or current, or alternatively it is a deadly presentation fished vertically for snapper, mulloway, trevally, flathead and a stack of other aggressive predatory species.

Scent

Snapper will often eat a plastic 'on the drop' (as it sinks), so anything that can help to attract them and get them to hold on longer once they eat the plastic, allowing you more time to set the hook, is important. We always scent our plastics when targeting snapper and Pro-Cure Super Gel is super-sticky, so it stays on longer, masking foreign scents such as fuel and sunscreen, while also attracting fish and triggering strikes, thanks to its combination of powerful amino acids, bite stimulants, UV enhancement and real ground bait.

When it comes to snapper fishing, a few favourite flavours in the Pro-Cure range include Bloody Tuna, Squid, Mullet and Inshore Saltwater. Being super-sticky it is better to apply a little scent more often, every 30 or so casts and after each fish caught, rather than smother your plastic at the start of the session and then forget about it. Simply apply the scent to the head section of the plastic and then smear it down the length of the plastic to the tip of the tail.

Land Based Tips

Snapper are accessible to land based anglers in a variety of locations, including jetties in close proximity to deeper water and structure, rock walls and rocky platforms, and headlands. Trophy size fish can be landed during snapper season in some regions, with larger fish venturing closer to land after foul weather and wave action has stirred up the environment and dislodged plenty of food from its home.

The key when targeting land based snapper is to target structure, which may be right at your feet when fishing rock walls or rocky headlands, or within casting distance when targeting rubble, reef, broken weed beds and drop offs. Foamy water can also offer cover for predators, so keep an eye out for sections on the rocky platform or headland where foamy water is concentrated, such as breaks in the headland or areas where foam builds between the headland and separate rocky structure out from the headland.

Landing & Handling

Snapper are powerful fish, armed with a healthy set of spikes and sharp gill plates, and should be handled accordingly. A larger 'snapper' size landing net is ideal, especially if you intend to regularly target snapper and it will make landing and handling fish much simpler and safer for both the fish and the angler. When fishing from a kayak a large net may not be an option, so you may have to make do with a folding landing net. A gaff is also another option, including lip gaffing the fish if you intend to release them.

Once in the boat a wet cloth can make handling them easier, along with a set of lip grips if you are wishing to hold them for photos or dispatch them into an ice slurry, if keeping them for a feed.

Snapper are an iconic species that grow large, fight hard, look great in photos and love eating lures. Hit the water early, target structure and bait, along with fish that are visible on your sounder, mix it up between a lightly weighted plastic gliding down and a more heavily weighted plastic getting right in amongst the patrolling snapper... and hang on!

All the best with the fishing.