Sailfin Snapper Fishing

Reef fishing holds some of the most unexpected surprises. You never know what you are going to get yourself into, until you are there and the full glory of the moment presents itself. In the Indo/Pacific Oceans, there await some of the fiercest gamefish you can image. Your tackle and your skill will be put to full measure. Many a dalliance will end in dismay. The ones you best will forever live in your memories as full hearted conquests. On the reefs out at the Rowley Shoals, off the west coast of Australia, you better come with the knowledge that derives from the experience of battling powerful fish.

Among the many mysteries that await you when reef fishing deep water atolls are some of the most amazing gamefish you will ever have the pleasure of engaging. The sailfin snapper, also known as the Threadfin Snapper or Bluelined Sea Bream, inhabits the sand substrates that lay between the bommies or coral heads that make up the flats atop the massive atolls that make up the Rowley Shoals. This beautiful fish is damn near invisible, with its perfect reef coloration. They are ghost like, similar to bonefish. Out on the reef they roam in small bands, requiring quick reaction sight casting.

While not a big fish, the sailfin snapper presents serious challenges on ultra light tackle. Their stumpy shape with thick tail and huge caudal fin make the sailfin snapper extreme in power. As quick as they pick up your jig, the line starts peeling off your reel. It is not a matter of whether you will get broken off, it's a matter of how quickly.

I ventured out with Ross Newton and Chris Rushford, from Reel Teaser Fishing Adventures, to explore the reef fishing techniques and tactics they employ to catch this explosive fish. These guys target the badass sailfin snapper on a regular basis. What you will discover in this In The Spread fishing video is a heap of knowledge that will help you put a stack of these fish in your boat. On a side note, the sailfin snapper is excellent in the pan. If the pursuit of fighting prowess and good eats is on your radar, watch and learn a few tricks of the trade from two of the finest fishermen in the eastern Indian Ocean.

Given the power of these fish, you have to use a larger jig, to prevent getting straightened out. At the same time, you are using a small plastic paddle prawn or similar presentation. So, you have a small soft plastic to get the bite on a mismatched souped up jig with a stronger hook to withstand the onslaught. Chris Rushford gives a great breakdown of the size jig head he likes and an assortment of soft plastics that produce fish for him. The angling technique is not complicated. He and Ross give some excellent fishing tips for how the fish likes to eat and the requisite action they give the jig to triggers bites. They will show you the exact jig fishing technique that is the winning formula, for them.

Chris Rushford is very precise is presenting the tackle and rigs used for this sailfin snapper fishing video. Even though this is ultra light weight fishing, your tackle still needs enough strength to stop the fish from getting in the reef and cutting you off. He will talk about the power required from your fishing rod and reel setup. Light weight doesn't mean weak. His outfit is quite sturdy. You will be surprised at the line and leader he and Ross are using to battle these beasts. Your leader needs to be able to handle the pulling power and the reef. With a key component being the jig, Chris will go into a little more detail on how to rig jigs with the small soft plastics. Since he is using a fast sink jig head that is oversized for the bait, you will see what the end product should look like.

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