Snapper Season

October is almost upon us and with the (somewhat) warmer weather, the Victorian Snapper Season has begun!

There are some great reports coming into the shop, with a lot of anglers saying they are beginning to get the first reds of the season in and around Port Phillip Bay.

CH Smith Marine are proud to announce that we have a number of quality items that will help bag yourself an esky full of Big Reds this year!!

The Platinum Easy Rigs are a favourite for all Snapper anglers as they make it easy to quickly and easily adjust your weight or hook size thanks to their quick snap clips, snap on a Gamakatsu Big Bait Circle Hook , bait it up with a pilly and you'll be on in to time!

The Black Magic Snapper Snatchers will also be an effective tool for some big reds this year.

For those who want to get a little bit more active while chasing their snapper, CH Smith have a range of Soft Plastics and Lures which are ideal for these aggressive fish. The Berkley Hollowbelly Soft Plastics will be deadly on fish this year, they're hollow construction means they collapse the moment a big fish grabs them, increasing the chances of a hookup dramatically. The Berkley Powerbait Jerkshads should also be popular, thanks to their realistic feel and taste. Of course you'll also need some Nitro Saltwater Pro jig heads to get these soft plastics down there!

There are a whole new range of Hard Body lures around too. Expect Lipless Crankbaits such as the Rapala Clack'n Rap and the Cultiva Miravibe to clean up on aggressive reds this year, while the Sebile Spin Shad just may add enough flash and shimmy to catch some of those quieter fish.

Of course, all these lures, rigs and jigs are useless without the right rod and reel! CH Smith Staff have hand picked these combo's to offer versatility and performance. First up is the Quantum Surge Combo , this combo offers performance at a great price, with a saving of 10% if you buy the combo rather than the parts individually. From there we step up to the Fin Nor Ahab Combo . This combo is a real "all-rounder", capable of handling big reds or even Kingfish and smaller Tuna!

We have also recently recieved a number of rods from NS Black Hole . These Korean-Made rods give you a custom built look and feel without the price tag! Samurai have a versatile range of rods that are built to the highest standards, with camo EVA grips, Mitsubishi Graphite blanks and Fuji Hardware, these powerful rods will also be perfect for taming those big reds!

Recently Downrigging has been highlighted as a deadly method for catching a lot of big snapper. Using a Canon Downrigger and trolling a diving lure such as the Daiwa Silverwolf and Rapala XR10 Lures .

In all it promises to be an awesome season on the Snapper this year in both Port Phillip Bay and Western Port, I look forward to seeing you on the water!

Sam Murdoch