| Author | Message | ||
| 18cc
New member Username: 18cc Post Number: 3 Registered: 7-2003 |
I am new to the ocean scene, and am not sure what weight is needed to hold bottom for tog, seabass, and flounder. I would be fishing around sight #9, #10, and B Bouy. Thanks in advance for the help! | ||
| Rottncaptn
Junior Member Username: Rottncaptn Post Number: 52 Registered: 10-2002 |
18cc, Your weights should vary throughout the day according to the current. You may find at times a 3oz. will do the trick at slack, but you will need to move up to a 10oz if needed. Always start low and move up from there. You want the least amount of weight to hold bottom. Good luck. Ron | ||
| Gizmo
Senior Member Username: Gizmo Post Number: 485 Registered: 8-2001 |
Ditto what Ron said.  Mark | ||
| Charlietuna
Senior Member Username: Charlietuna Post Number: 1448 Registered: 7-2000 |
One other technique I learned from a friend on a head boat out of Bowers. If you're using light tackle and the drift / current combo is too fierce, try bouncing the bottom then spooling (releasing line) to slow your bait down and keep it on the bottom. It's a lot of work, but the two times with my friend on this boat he kept twice as many fish (flounder and trout) as the next highest number, and had the pool winner once. | ||
| Dick
Senior Member Username: Dick Post Number: 1871 Registered: 5-2001 |
Interesting idea there CT. I'll have to try that. On the same note. What's the best drift speed? I know me and Zenfold used his kicker on a dead tide and that's the only way we hooked up with fish. Do different fish prefer different speeds? | ||
| Kfish
Senior Member Username: Kfish Post Number: 221 Registered: 10-2002 |
Ditto what CT said. I even use that technique sometimes using light weight, when the fish aren't biting, to entice them to bite. | ||
| Gizmo
Senior Member Username: Gizmo Post Number: 487 Registered: 8-2001 |
Dick - whenever the tide is slack or the conditions are such that you are not moving much at all, you start to catch a lot of the garbage fish. Sharks, robins, skates, etc. The 'preferred' fish will start biting again once the tide/current starts to move again. I don't know if there is a preferred speed for different fish. I think that you just need to be moving. Course if you get going too fast and you can't hold bottom, you're in trouble. At that point, we usually try the sock. It is the same thing even if you are anchored on a wreck. When the tide/current slows, so does the bite. | ||
| Bw23
New member Username: Bw23 Post Number: 8 Registered: 10-2002 |
I was at A & B 2 weekends ago and could not hold bottom w/8oz in 10-15 knot winds. I recently purcahased a 30" sea anchor to deploy and slow my drift. I'll let you know how it works. Anyone else using one?? | ||
| Dick
Senior Member Username: Dick Post Number: 1872 Registered: 5-2001 |
I use a 17" on my kayak. It really does help slow a drift down. Giz, I know the no current/drift=skates. Just wondering if anyone has noticed better action at certain drift speeds. | ||
| Gizmo
Senior Member Username: Gizmo Post Number: 488 Registered: 8-2001 |
Dick - oopps! Then just change my response to "I dunno" BW23 - we use one. They work well. Just be careful with where you tie it to your boat, especially if you have a cut-out in the back. If the sea anchor is tied in the wrong spot, you can take on water. We usually use one of the cleats on the side. | ||
| Old_snow
New member Username: Old_snow Post Number: 2 Registered: 1-2003 |
When useing a drift or sea anchor, how mutch line is tied to it. | ||
| Fishingsc3
Senior Member Username: Fishingsc3 Post Number: 419 Registered: 10-2002 |
Old_snow , the drift sock rope that they advertise with the drift sock anchor is 25ft. but i figure(just taken a guess) the amount u need all depends on what kind of boat your on and the conditions of the water. if your on a boat with high sides and choppy conditions u might need more rope but if your on a small boat with low sides u might need less. i`ve bought one 2 years ago but i havent tried it out yet. btw they use poly ropes(the kind that floats) with the drift socks plus they have a little float towards the tie off end just incase if it comes untied. mark | ||
| Rm2
Senior Member Username: Rm2 Post Number: 670 Registered: 2-2003 |
I found that braided line due to its smaller size will hold bottom better with less wieght than mono. | ||
| 18cc
New member Username: 18cc Post Number: 4 Registered: 7-2003 |
Thanks everyone for your help! | ||
| Fedup
New member Username: Fedup Post Number: 2 Registered: 7-2003 |
We have used a sea anchor out in old grounds for a couple years now, it works great to slow drift. I tie to a side cleat towards the stern (if that makes sense) but not because of water, because it positions my boat how I like to drift fish. For lenght of line I use a standard dock line and put it far enough out so I can reel fish (hopefully)in between anchor and boat, probably 10-12ft. A good investment, IMO. Jim | ||
| Frugal_0
Intermediate Member Username: Frugal_0 Post Number: 103 Registered: 2-2002 |
18cc: Ditto on what the others said. We fished the majority of the day out around DB in 70-80 foot of water with four ounces. Everyone was using Power Pro or Spiderwire, which take a lot less weight. Our worst day out there used eight ounces of weight. | ||
| Jay_little
Moderator Username: Jay_little Post Number: 1257 Registered: 10-2002 |
Let me put a spin on the less wt is better method. This may be true when you are concerned about the fish feeling resistance and dropping the bait such as dragging eels over a rip. But with bottom fishing and wreck fishing you must have your bait on the bottom or in the wreck. If your weight is below your hooks then it doesn't matter that much as species like Tog are going to race out and grab it no matter if you have 2 oz.s or a lb. The important thing is to keep the hook(s) between you and fish without the lead in the way and be in the right place. I have heard a few folks say that a heavy lead being dragged across the bottom makes a trail of silt that will attract fish. Thus one would conclude the bigger the weight the larger the trail. I enjoy light tackle fishing and try to use as little weight as possible due to the limitations of the tackle but I don't hesitate to load up if I am bottom fishin and I can't feel the bottom otherwise I am feeding yards and yards of line out to hold the bottom. If you must use lighter wt.s such as jigs cast up current and let the water physics do the work in lieu of heavier jigs. | ||
| Jay_little
Moderator Username: Jay_little Post Number: 1258 Registered: 10-2002 |
Hey Frugal, Are you free Sunday for a Wahine adventure? | ||
| Drsnow
Senior Member Username: Drsnow Post Number: 205 Registered: 10-2002 |
Jay, Good point you brought up about stirring the bottom. If wreck or drift fishing the main thing is to use the minimun amount of weight to hold bottom depending on the current, drift speed, line diameter and other factors.If you noticed at the lure fest , I had a bunch of different style sinker molds . My tackle arsenal even includes others. Usually start out with a bank style for a smooth drag inorder to have better feel for a nibble. If it is slow then I'll change sinker styles. Have some that are more aggressive and possibly stir up some worms etc to attract the attention of the fish. This week I was drifting over some oyster bar lumps in the mouth of the Chester and a flat sinker that has a tendency to glide up was the ticket for the croaker and perch. So the sinker weight and style will have a different effect on bait presentation .Phil | ||
| Bdott33
Senior Member Username: Bdott33 Post Number: 336 Registered: 10-2002 |
Drsnow, great points. Thank you, they are some good things to remember out bottom fishing. |