Winter Snapper In Melbourne Genuine winter reds Western Port Video

Title: Tackle Tips for Western Port Fishing

Fishing in Western Port often involves dealing with swift currents and encountering large stingrays, sharks, and various other fish species. Therefore, it’s crucial to have the right tackle when targeting fish like snapper. I prefer using a 6 to 10-kilo fishing combo, not because lighter gear is incapable of catching snapper, but for better reliability.

Over the years, I’ve tried numerous rod combos and discovered that investing in quality tackle pays off in the long run, as opposed to purchasing cheap gear that breaks easily and underperforms. My go-to rod combo includes:

• Shimano Saragossa 8000 reel
• Shimano Sentire Stealth Series 691 Pelagic P-6 rod
• 40-pound Daiwa 8x strand braid line

I rig a 2-meter mono leader with an easy clip and a running sinker. For hooks, I prefer the 187 suicide hooks (also known as octopus hooks) during the early season. These hooks are exceptionally sharp and increase my chances of catching a winter or early-season snapper, as demonstrated in the video above.

This tackle setup is also recommended for areas with strong currents or where large stingrays and numerous sharks are present. It allows you to reel in fish more quickly and focus on snapper fishing rather than dealing with unwanted fish species.

Title: Winter Snapper Port Phillip Bay Tackle Recommendations

When fishing in Port Phillip Bay in winter, I use slightly different tackle, especially during the early season when I typically fish in shallow waters and use mono main line. My recommended rod combo for this area is:

• Reel: Shimano Baitrunner 6000D
• Rod: Shimano Revolution 741 Fishing Rod 6-8kg

For the main line, I use 12lb-15lb green mono line. Although I don’t have a particular favorite brand for mono, I often purchase from Berkley.

While fishing for snapper in Port Phillip Bay, I recommend having at least four rods out, as this is the maximum allowed per person in Victoria. In terms of rigs, I usually use a combination of three times snelled hooks and Reedy’s Ultra Rigs in my spread.