b'SURFCASTING Drag netting in the surf is a great method for catching mullet for fresh snapper baits.Big new or full moon tides exposethey make top baits too.sand banks and shellfish, this is aFishing with shellfish baits will usually key time to fish off beaches. produce trevally (and often snapper), trevally is a top big snapper bait.I cut fresh trevally strips and tie them on with elastic cotton and cast them out as far as I can, they are seldom left alone for long, and I usually catch my best snapper of the day when using trev baits.If you take a drag net along with you, this can be used to catch mullet in the surf and with so many on the west coast, smoke them for beautiful fish for the family to enjoy and fill your freezer for future fishing trips.Be sure to read the story on netting in this issue to help The best time for gathering shellfishdisrupted by the larger tides and pushedyou get the good intel on this popular is low tide when sand banks or rockshigh up onto the beach. method out west.are exposed.Look out for gulls thatWhen we have been driving downSurfcasting in autumn is a top time to will be hanging around such places inthe beach on way to our fishing spotcatch good snapper that are in close and large numbers as they are very goodand have come across large areas offeeding up before winter kicks in.The indicators of where the food is found. fresh shellfish washed up on the tide. water temp is still warm, and the fishing When you also fish around the biggerOften these are large surf clams thatcan often be red hot for anglers looking moon phases, often shellfish beds arelive further out behind the breakers, andto put more fish in their bin.FIGZ16FISHING IN GODZONE MAR/APR 2023'