23-YEAR-OLD local fisherman Jack Hammond has reeled in one to remember.

Late last month Jack managed to pull in a Lethrinus nebulosus, also known as a Spangled Emperor or a North-West Snapper; a species quite rare to the Port Stephens area.

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“I was targeting Snapper in the washes around Broughton Island off Port Stephens at mid-afternoon in ten metres of water in an area I knew was renowned for big snapper after previous successes,” Jack said.

The Spangled Emperor is more commonly found in north western Australia and tropical waters of the Indo-Pacific region.

“Fishing is a massive part of my life as I have grown up in a beautiful part of the world in Port Stephens,” Jack said.

“I spent a lot of time on the water as a kid as fishing was brought into my life at the young age of four-years-old by my father.”

Pleased with his latest capture, Jack has his sights set on another trophy fishing achievement.

“I am still on the hunt for the magic metre flathead!

“My current personal best is 96 centimetres but all the trophy fish in between has definitely kept me motivated to chase that metre goal,” Jack said.

When Jack isn’t out catching massive trophy fish, he is working full time as a mechanical mitter on the heavy infrastructure at the Port of Newcastle.

He is also a Simrad ambassador and a part of the Shimano Pro Staff team.

“Over the years I have learnt alot from fishing and have found out it’s definitely not an easy sport to walk into and catch a trophy fish every trip, but the grind and the hard work I put into trying to break my records is definitely what motivates me to continue on my journey as you never know what the next trip will bring,” said Jack.

By Pat JENSEN