The Snapper Migration and Why I Love Fishing During This Time In this 2018 video, I head out to catch a Snapper that’s in migration mode, which is one of the most exciting and challenging times to fish for them. As I explain in the video, catching Snapper during their migration is a rewarding challenge. These fish are on the move, and while harder to catch, it makes the experience even more thrilling. Watch the video to get a closer look at how I tackle the challenge of catching Snapper in migration mode. I’ll also explain why I love fishing for them during this time of year!

Snapper Migration Patterns in Victoria

Snapper begin their migration into Port Phillip and Westernport in late August. Initially, only a small number of fish enter the bays, which makes early season fishing unpredictable. However, as the season progresses, more Snapper arrive. The bulk of the migration happens in late October and November, when large schools of Snapper enter shallow waters to spawn. By Christmas, some Snapper start to leave the bays, heading back to deeper waters. The migration continues slowly, with fewer fish in the bays as winter sets in. Understanding these patterns is key to planning your fishing trips. Early in the season, fish are scattered, but by late October and November, the Snapper are more concentrated and easier to target.

Fishing Setup for the Day

Fishing out of Mornington, we decided to target an early season Snapper. We began by gathering fresh Squid from the local bait grounds, catching three squid in three casts. With the fresh bait, we headed out wide to find a red Snapper moving across the bay towards Altona and Melbourne. We set up a spread of eight rods, adding a burley pot to attract fish. Patience was key, knowing that it was only a matter of time before one would bite. For this trip, we used Shimano Sienna 4000 reels paired with Shimano Sonic Pro 4-8kg rods, spooled with 14lb monofilament line. Four rods were rigged with pre-tied snelled rigs from Reedy’s Rigz, while the others used our new Ultra Rigs in Scallop and Lumo designs, size 5/0. The Ultra Rigs are five times more luminous than standard flasher rigs, which helps attract Snapper from further distances. We baited the rigs with fresh Squid and set up around 12km from Mount Eliza in the middle of Port Phillip Bay. At 9:30 am, we hooked our first Snapper. There was no tide change at the time, but the barometer was high, which is a good sign. In my experience, Snapper fishing from September through to the moon phase in late October and early November tends to be scattered around the bay, with fish appearing in various locations.

Why I Love Fishing During Migration

Fishing for Snapper during migration is a unique experience. The challenge of trying to catch fish that are constantly on the move makes it particularly exciting. The time between late August and early November, when the migration peaks, is my favorite time to fish. While catching them can be difficult due to their unpredictable movement, it’s this challenge that makes the catch so rewarding. CLICK TO SUBSCRIBE FOR FREE VIDEO’S

Tackle Setup for Targeting Early Season Snapper

Fishing out of Mornington, we decided to target an early season Snapper. We started by gathering some fresh Squid at the local bait grounds near the ramp, catching 3 squid in just 3 casts. With the fresh bait in hand, I knew our best chance was to head wide and look for a red Snapper crossing the bay towards Altona and Melbourne. We set up a spread of 8 rods, including a burley pot on the bottom to attract the fish. Patience was key, and I was confident one would eventually come through. For this session, we used Shimano Sienna 4000 reels paired with Shimano Sonic Pro 4-8kg rods, spooled with 14lb monofilament line. Four rods were rigged with pre-tied snelled rigs from Reedy’s Rigz, while the others featured our new Ultra Rigs in Scallop and Lumo designs, size 5/0. The Ultra Rigs are five times more luminous than standard flasher rigs. We baited the rigs with fresh Squid and set up about 12km out from Mount Eliza, right in the middle of Port Phillip Bay. At approximately 9:30 am, we hooked into our first Snapper. While there was no tide change at this time, the barometer was very high. From my experience, Snapper fishing from September to the moon phase in late October or early November can be scattered around the bay, with fish appearing in various locations. Reedy’s Ultra Rig In The Scallop  The Rod i Caught My Snapper on was a  Shimano Sonic Pro 4- 8kg the Spinning Reel is a Sennia 4000 Spooled with 20lb Berkley Mono Bait Fresh Squid  Catch in  at the Bluff it took 3 cast to catch them.  A bag of frozen pilchards.