how should I fish wrecks

[eded60]

How do I fish the wrecks and reefs offshore? Drifting or anchored over it?
Is there a chance of losing your anchoring in the wreck?

[Randy Stinchcomb]

I will normaly make a drift first, find the fish or fishes, as sometimes they dont always "hold" right on the wreck site. after locating some fish, I'll check wind and drift, anchor-up. mark my GPS and start a chum slick, sit and wait, which usally isn't long

[Bohica]

If you anchor on a wreck, there's a good chance you'll lose your anchor. You can make a wreck anchor out of rebar for cheap. Me, I just find the wreck, and keep making drifts over it. Drift until the bite stops, repeat.

[TOO EZ]

You need to be good. It's tough!

Once your plug in your Lat/Long you need to find the wreck. Once you find the wreck STOP.
Look where you are in the drift. You are going to move no matter how big or small your boat is. Look where the wind takes you Vs. the current.

Look at your compass. USE your COMPASS and Finder all the time. But you'll need to scan the Loran to see how close or far you are.

If you are heading N and the wind is taking you West then you need to know this for when you turn the boat around and try it again. You want to shoot PAST it - So, if you are over the wrech and the boat is facing NORTH and the wind is taking you WEST then you want to go EAST and drift over the wreck.

Once you are over the wreck you throw down your wreck anchor. Leave it slack and then slow pulls. Don't Jerk it... Let is drag. You will know when you are hooked.

Pull up SLOW on the anchor and tie it off.

Look at your finder - Hopefully you will see some of the wreck.

Drop your line down and feel around the bottom. You may be on the edge and will have to either fish somewhere else on the boat OR pull the anchor and start over again.

It's VERY VERY TRICKY but, once you tie up on the wreck you will have great fishing.


I'm not sure about the reefs. I never tied up to a reef. I did not think you were allowed to be honest w/ you.


Good luck
Ryan

[TOO EZ]

OH Forgot

Make sure you have enough chain on your anchor. This is a big help.

[Randy Stinchcomb]

do either one of you use a Sea Anchor while drifting over the wreck sites I tried it once, seemed to help me stay on the fish longer

[TOO EZ]

Randy,
I never used a sea anchor when fishing over a wreck. We always tied up onto the wreck using a wreck anchor.

I fished NJ my entire life until coming down here. In NJ - if they come close to the wreck they are happy and use a reg. anchor. I've learned in DE - we don't mess around... The boat has to be on TOP of the wreck or it's unacceptable.

If I remember correctly- we used a sea anchor a time or two during striper season in the DE bay when it was ripping!

[fish-aholic]

We use a sea anchor all the time when we're out fishing.......We almost NEVER anchor. Why bother dropping an anchor and keeping your bait in one spot. I'm a firm believe in drifting, and when that drift is too fast, dropping out a sea anchor. If you have a GPS once you find that wreck, you should always be able to get back to it.

[TOO EZ]

Jeff

You would be Amazed at the amount of fish that are all around a wreck Vs. the amount of fish Off a wreck.

Tog Love going into the nooks and holes.

Last wreck we fished on - I fished a few of my buddies went diving. I wish I knew how to dive. They not olny came up w/ some nice fish but saw an aweful lot. One of the guys came up w/ a Lobster! It was a Get out of Jail card for being 3 hrs late.

Try it.. you'll never go back.

[fish-aholic]

oh I know what kind of fish are on a wreck.......I just prefer drifting instead of anchoring. Its always seemed to provide more fish

[Randy Stinchcomb]

I also preferr to anchor-up around or on a wreck/reef. problem I have is most of the people that fish wth me are prone to sea-sickness and anchoring makes it worse, so then we drift