Drifting.....help!
Submitted by billy chase on Tue, 2007-07-03 17:48
Just wondering if some of you guys can help me?
Im a bit unsure of what to do when drifting. I thought you use enough lead to keep the bait down on the bottom, but not too heavy to hold the ground. Last time I went fishing we decided to drift and i was told to put more lead on to hold the bottom.
It might sound like a silly question, but doesnt this defeat the purpose of drifting? I thought you would want your bait covering more area whilst drifting? Could anyone tell me the advantages to having enough wait to hold the bottom while drifting?
thanks Heaps.
Plugga.
Im a bit unsure of what to do when drifting. I thought you use enough lead to keep the bait down on the bottom, but not too heavy to hold the ground. Last time I went fishing we decided to drift and i was told to put more lead on to hold the bottom.
It might sound like a silly question, but doesnt this defeat the purpose of drifting? I thought you would want your bait covering more area whilst drifting? Could anyone tell me the advantages to having enough wait to hold the bottom while drifting?
thanks Heaps.
Plugga.
SPESS
Posts: 3356
Date Joined: 29/12/06
That depends whether you are
That depends whether you are drift baiting or bottom bashing on the drift! If that makes sense. You do however need to hold bottom if your drifting over a spot say with a pastanoster rig. If drift baiting you need to let your offering drift down through the current until it hits the bottom, then crank it back up a few turns and let it drift down again. Or just let it stay on the bottom if theres no major snagges around. Usally the fish will smash it on the way down. Bottom bouncing on the drift though....make sure its bouncing along the bootom. Ryan will explain it better hes the drift king!lol.
Keep it tight, reeeeeeel tight!
Ryan Thipthorp (not verified)
Posts: 16
Date Joined: 01/01/70
IMO!
I always use alot heavier sinker than required ie most would use a 16-20oz I'll use a 24 oz and I like to stay very close to the ocean floor. Drag your baits around the holes to entice a fish to come out as many fish aren't out and about. The heavier sinker helps slow the rig down also and keeps it in their face for longer!
For me, no wind 16oz, bit of wind 20-24oz, wind 24oz and 32 oz for deep water ie 100m plus....sea anchor is a must for windy conditions also!
Driftbaiting is a completely different scenario and the techniques are such the opposite, my Western Angler June/July Feature article covers this in detail!
Above info works for me
** Oceanside = Strudwick,Daiwa,Van Staal,Jigmaster Rods, Shimano,Penn etc...** Owner/Operator Oceanside Tackle and Marine 364 South Street, O'Connor, Perth WA Ph# 9337 5682 Fishing/Boating/Dive/Marine ** OPEN 7 DAYS **
billy chase
Posts: 46
Date Joined: 02/03/07
Thanks
Cheers for your insight fella's, heaps of help. I will try a few different things next trip out (hopefully next wkend!).
I just bought the Wangler and noticed your article in it Ryan, so I will read up on it.
Thanks again.
Regards
Plugga
Andy Mac
Posts: 4778
Date Joined: 03/02/06
Bottom Bouncing
My sinker choice is according to drift speed and like Ryan prefer to have the bait as close to the bottom as possible.
Cheers
Cheers
Andy Mac (Fishwrecked Reeltime Editor & Forum Moderator)
Youngest member of the Fishwrecked Old Farts Club
ROCKPOM
Posts: 629
Date Joined: 23/04/07
Was going to give chain a go
Was going to give chain a go as a weight due to the amount
of fish we see when we dive the deep water(35+) around the anchor
and chain.
As the chain moves across the bottom it stirs the bottom up
as you said in your last post Andy.
We have tried it while diving by throwing hand fulls of sand
and rock up off the bottom and the fish are attracted by the
noise and sight!
synthos
Posts: 522
Date Joined: 23/06/07
Sortof in this area
Hi guys,
This is a little related to drifting just the other side :) I was wondering if u could advise me a little, if at a depth of say 40m the area your sonar covers is about 140m2 how do u target the structure correctly ? WHAT YOU SEE ON TH SONAR IS ROUGHTLY WHATS PASSING UNDERNEATH AS U GO i TRIED THIS a few times AND NO LUCK OR MAYBE So the question is how to spot on target the structure or is it just a bit of pot luck ? Opps sorry bout caps lock
Andy Mac
Posts: 4778
Date Joined: 03/02/06
Sounder tweeking time
Perhaps take a pic of your sounder and post it up and see if any of the guys can help decipher it for you.
I like to crank my sounder up with about +3 gain and a combination of 1x and 4x split screen so I can see bottom hardness and more detail at the business end. Keep playing with your sounder and read your handbook several times so you are getting the most out of it you can. Even the black & white ones work good if you are prepared to put the time into understanding them a little more.
Good luck.
Cheers
Cheers
Andy Mac (Fishwrecked Reeltime Editor & Forum Moderator)
Youngest member of the Fishwrecked Old Farts Club
synthos
Posts: 522
Date Joined: 23/06/07
Thanks Andy
Thanks Andy,
Yeah Dual mode sounder I splurged and got teh Humminbird 787c2 only to find out the manual dont help much :) I will read it again and then one more time and next time I dare to head out will go for some shots of the screen if I get completly baffled.
Thanks !
(Soon the grasshopper will be ready for the next nor sor comp)