Drift or Anchor?

[PileDriver]

Ok my fellow boaters, my question here is whether you prefer to drift or anchor when fishing structure? Without a doubt I prefer to drift. This includes offshore structures as well. My rationale is that it presents the bait in a more natural way, as feeding fish are typically facing up current and waiting to ambush the buffet line when it opens up. Hence, the bait when drift fishing is moving at the same speed and motion as all the other food debris.

A classic example of this occurred this weekend when I was offshore. When running for red snapper I typically fish an area know as the Buccaneer Reef and Rigs. Specifically, I work the northern most reef which is about 30nm offshore. This isn’t some big tip if you are in the area as it is a well marked with a Texas Fish and Wildlife buoy and it is not uncommon to have multiple boats working the reef. However, this weekend when we arrived there was just one other boat that apparently hadn’t had much luck as they headed out just as we arrived. So we stated working the reef. On the first pass Cassie landed a 19” snapper and by the 6 pass she had another 17” snapper (yes I was getting out fished in my own boat!). About that time another boat entered the area and at first was content with drifting around (you could tell they really didn’t know what to do) that is until I made the next drift and hit a 18” snapper myself. The other boat never missed stride and immediately move over the area that I had just caught the snapper on and dropped anchor!

Now knowing that the reef extends along a line from North to South, I was not without a place to fish but as I made my next pass, I did acknowledge this skipper by telling him it was rude to drop anchor over the area where someone is drifting. So as we worked the area just to the North of them (about 50 feet) we kept drifting on by them. This is when the comedy and my justification to profound commitment to drift fishing came to light, as even though their boat (about a 30 foot Trojan) had 7 lines in the water, Cassie and myself out fished them at least 2 to 1 in fish per boat. With us landing all red snapper and they were catching the less desirable trigger fish and Atlantic Spade fish with and occasional small red snapper.

Shortly thereafter we had our last keeper but not before the other boat had determined they need to leave the area. Hence, I am a firm believer of drift fishing.

[OspreyVic]

PileDriver, love your story. We have tried both. What has worked for us one time has not worked the next. Drifting makes more sense to me, but my son tends to disagree.

[Genelie]

Great story, I love drift fishing for all the reasons you mentioned. The only time I anchor, is when I might be outside a kept bed, and I am doing a chum slick.

[Jim Jenkins]

Depends on the fish targeted. I anchor for cobia and tarpon. Have caught cobia and still looking for the first tarpon in NC.

I drift for kings and often use a drift sock to slow drift when the wind is pushing the boat along too fast. Also slow troll (just enough headway to keep baits back where I want then and to cover more area) and troll at 6-7 kts. for what ever is available.

It's all good when there is bait in the water.

[ILLOGICAL GGC]

Hey Jim --here Is My Christmas Present To You 37 07.066n By 076 18.302w Pamlico Sound Any Day After July 1st---happy Hunting For The Silver Kings!!!!
Berto

[Jim Jenkins]

ILLOGICAL

Thank you for the numbers. I have them saved and will try in August.

Worked hard for Tarpon on the Neuse River down stream from Orential. Have read that you will catch 15 sting rays for every Tarpon hook up. We were almost up to our first Tarpon when we moved over to Harker's to fish that area for the balance of the trip.

Hot sweaty work on the Neuse in August but someone must do it.

[tylerderdan]

I think there is a time and a place to do both, but generally I prefer to drift.

[ILLOGICAL GGC]

jim--those numbers are for an area 5 miles south of the gov. scott ferry wreck at the end of brant isl. shoals. they stack up there for a week or 2 before heading up into the pamlico and neuse rivers. you should consider staying on into the night if there in aug. to get a bull red to tug your line!!

[cagrove]

Originally Posted by ILLOGICAL GGC

jim--those numbers are for an area 5 miles south of the gov. scott ferry wreck at the end of brant isl. shoals. they stack up there for a week or 2 before heading up into the pamlico and neuse rivers. you should consider staying on into the night if there in aug. to get a bull red to tug your line!!

Might be interesting to see how many boats show up at that location now that you've "put a spot on a map". I sure hope that wasn't your honeyhole!!!

[ILLOGICAL GGC]

well i did lift it from the guys that have known of this area before me. Around here tarpon fishing is like the opening day of dove season---everybody is out there the first weekend of July and 3 weeks later only the ones that know what "that " tug on the rod is about will be out there