When the Snapper Bite Truly Turned On | A Softbaiting Day at Mayor Island, New Zealand

Welcome to the very first episode of The Great Escape — our family’s journey to live slower, live gratefully, and explore the best of New Zealand fishing and adventure.

For this mission we headed out to Mayor Island (Tūhua) with my good mate Donny. The original plan was to drop kingfish livebaits, but everything changed when a huge pod of dolphins greeted us on the way out. Not long after, the snapper fishing turned on and the softbaiting went absolutely wild.

In this video you’ll see a full New Zealand-style mission:
– Dolphins riding the bow
– How we approach softbait fishing NZ style
– Donny’s tips for softbaiting snapper in deeper water
– Action-packed snapper fishing NZ moments
– A quick crayfish dive with underwater footage
– Real NZ fishing conditions around Mayor Island
– A look into why we’re starting this adventure channel as a family

If you love softbaiting, snapper fishing, cray diving, exploring offshore islands, or just real Kiwi missions, this is the perfect place to be. And if you’re new to fishing, Donny’s softbait tips are incredibly helpful — especially for fishing around reefs and drop-offs like Mayor Island.

Thank you so much for watching our very first episode. Drop a comment and tell us about your best day softbaiting, or something you learned from Donny’s advice.

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