We left Calheta Marina at 0945 and headed West. The weather was fine and the sea was reasonably calm with a wide 3 meter swell. We reached Ponto Do Pargo and decided to look round the point to see if it was feasible to go round and fish.

The sea at the point is normally quite rough with big waves. Today was no real exception save that if we took a wide course and slowed down as we crossed over the reef I thought we could make it. We proceeded to do this and managed to get round the corner to fishing grounds that are not very often reached. W dropped anchor in about 40 meters of water and let out a long line 75 – 100 meters as the swell here was between 4 & 5 meters every 15 – 18 seconds.

We fished with 4/0 hooks baited with shrimp on 50 lbs braid with 40 lbs hook line and 20 lbs lead line. Almost immediately we started to get good bites and we landed snappers and trigger fish weighing in a 5 – 7 lbs apiece, then Peter though he had got jammed in the rocks until the line started to peel of the reel. This was a bit of a shock to him until he realised that the “Bottom” was indeed swimming hard and he began to fight the fish.

We assisted him by fitting a butt belt on him and he settled in to have a scrap with the fish. Once we saw colour, we recognised this as being a good sized Red Snapper and we prepared the gaff for landing it. The result is the fish in the photo held by one very proud angler.

He was delighted with his morning out and took the catch home to eat and freeze to take back to Holland. He said that every time he eats the fish he will remember the trip and vows to come back again. It is nice when our clients are happy and we try every time to put them on good fish, whether bottom fishing, jigging or trolling.