Fly Fishing for Shallow Water Snapper

Launched at Hatfield’s beach early in the morning after finding out Wenderholm is not an all-tide ramp.  Made my way to Motuora where I connected with a few kahawai in the same spot as the last time but this time with a rising westerly making my drifts a bit fast.

I moved around into the lee of the island and managed to get a few snapper from the shallow reefy areas including a nice 47cm specimen. Gannets diving in the distance had my attention so I pursued in what was by now 20kt westerlies. I hate following seas. It was tiring with the constant balancing.  
 
It was a bit tough to get to the fish which were initially a bit deeper down with only the odd one breaking the surface. I hooked my first kahawai which busted my knot on a jump. It was a big kahawai but obliviously a poor knot as well. 
 
I struggled a bit after that but found success changing to my super fast sinking DIY lead core shooting head. The second fish inhaled the fly and was hooked and bleeding from the gills so came home for dinner. It was really nice and we used the whole fish, smoked the frame, made raw fish salad island style and some battered fillets as well.
 
My last kahawai came shortly after as I was talking to my wife on the phone. I tried in the shallows again on the way back but had no luck.  Great day all round that ended with a great dinner.
 
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