Inshore Wreaks

[Dead Eye]

I want to get as much info I can about wreak fishing. I have the charts from the Reef Foundation. So where is not a problem. I'd like to get the how to, what to info. Baits, rigs, any tackle info would be greatly appreciated. Looking for sea bass flounder and maybe tog.
Thanks, John

[Tuna Tyme]

Too me the most important thing is to be ON TOP of the wreck. I get a marker ball and drop it over the second I see the wreck on the scope. From there i setup so i eather drop down onto the fish when there is little tide or drop back to the fish when you have a moving tide. Anyway you always know when your on the fish.

Other then that I use a 2 hook top and bottom rig or a fluke rig with a fish finder on the main line. And if it's deep I use a break away sinker so when you get a snag the sinker will break off. All that is is a small peice of mono from the rig to the sinker so that it breaks not your main line. As far as bait the sky is the limit, you can go with simple squid and minnow, flounder/bluefish belly, fresh cut bait, live spot or small croker. For Tog use a top and bottom with green crab,fiddler crab, or if all else fails get some small blue claws from the local market and pick your way around the wreck. Watch the marker ball so you know when you swing from side to side on the wreck you can hit it right everytime with no guess work as to were it is, Or bounce a bucktail near the wreck. The key thing with a buck tail is to use right size only needed weight to reach the bottom. You dont want it so heavy that it hits the bottom like a sinker and sit there, you want it to flutter in the water. The second you feel it touch the bottom jig it up,let it sink, jig it up let it sink. Most of the strikes will be when it sinks from it 3' jig off the bottom. I watched my friend out fish me 10 to 1 doing this and from that do on I became a better fisherman. A good jiging setup is a Embassador level wind reel on a springy rod spooled with braid line with 5' of mono leader. When you try to jig with a spinning rod you dont have the control over the bucktail. If you hit a drop off using spinning rod and you dont feel the lure touch bottom you press the button and down goes the jig and you still have 100% controll. Try that with a spinning reel and you open the bail letting the line go with no controll. And spending many years fishing with Chris and his jiging rod the amount of fish you miss not controlling your line on the drop is huge. Another great method is the butterfly jig they are amazing in the water. You jig it up 3 feet and let it drop 6, and everytime you let it drop it goes on its side and shoots out a differant way. Do that above the wreck and hold on it drives them crazy. I hope this helps you out good luck Dave B

[captcl]

Scope out the wreck with your bottom machine before you drop the hook.
Ask; what stage is the tide, what is the direction of the current and what appears to be swimming around the wreck? Do you maybe want to drift?
Have a series of wrecks planned out especially if your using the OC reef foundation charts and need to run from wreck to wreck to find some action.
Heavy duty bottom rigs single or double hook, hook size depends on the speices of fish you are after. Use a varity of gulp, fishbites baits but don't ever leave the dock without squid and sand fleas! There is some trial and error personally I lke to drift and move from wreck to wreck. Use that bottom machine! Hope this helps.
_____________________________________________________________

Capt. CL Ludlow
DILLIGAFF SPORTFISHING
Mako 22' Center console
Ocean City Md. captcl@mchsi.com