b'They love beingSalt fly fishing has a real appeal to Evana and is a challenge to in around rocksyour angling skills.or structure with strong currents, so casting softbaits into the rocks along the coastline is a sure way to catch great sized fish."Wash fishing using softbaits is my favourite way to fish softbaits now.Although snapper can be found in all areas, from deep water, sandy bottomed terrain, to hiding in weeds and along reef lines or sunning themselves and sleeping (yes, really!) in shallower water.They love being in around rocks or structure with strong currents, so casting softbaits into the rocks along the coastline is a sure way to catch great sized fish.Just be careful not to get snagged and broken off on the rocks!Something I have discovered and enjoy more recently and is also growing in popularity especially here in Auckland where we are surrounded by water, is salt fly fishing.Snapper are a prime target for this type of fishing which is a challenge.Targeting snapper on salt fly from the rocks is similar to softbaiting on conventional saltwater fishing gear. Casting your fly into fishy looking places, with a slight current and hoping that it grabs the attention of a hungry or intrigued snapper who comes up to the surface for a bite.Snapper juveniles eat crustaceans which they find just above the sand floor; you may notice when you pull smaller snapper into the boat that they spit these out and a good indication of how hard they are swimming on theThe orange Daiwa Kogha is a bottom. The bigger they get, the widerfavourite sliding lure for the writer when snapper fishing.range of invertebrates are consumed, including crabs, worms, and shellfish. Large snapper have big strong molars, soand Ive just upgraded to the Daiwadinner, they can be cooked in a variety can crunch paua, mussels, limpets, andCertate 19 which is super smooth, andof ways. Some popular dishes being sea urchins (therefore, dont go puttingyou can really feel the difference whenpan fried in butter and capers, battered, your hand in their mouths!) switching to anything else. I have itor crumbed and deep fried, baked So, snapper fishing with lures? Keep inmatched to the light Daiwa TD Zero rod. whole with seasoning and vegetables mind what size and colour might workRemember, as per Ministry of Fisheriesor marinated raw (with lemon juice or when targeting them, based on theregulations, any snapper caught undervinegar and coconut cream). above.When it comes to rod and reels;size (check the website www.mpi.govt. Make sure that you try and utilize as as we all know, there is a huge variancenz), must be released. My preference formuch of the fish as possible to avoid of lower end gear to high end gear andeating size is average pan sized snapper,wastage and if you have heads and Ive fished low, high and everything inso anything smaller or much bigger, getsframes leftover, these can be donated via between.My preference is spin reelsreleased. If you keep your snapper forwww.freefishheads.co.nz FIGZ /FISHINGINGODZONE33'