Drift fishing is the most effective way to cover fishing grounds and thus increases the anglers' chances of passing over a school of hungry fish. However there are a few pointers for captains to take note to make the drift fishing experience a more enjoyable and fruitful one.
1) Position the boat perpendicular to the direction of the drift.
The boat's drift direction is a resultant of the wind and current. Identify which direction the boat will drift by putting the engine to neutral and observe for a couple of minutes. Once you know the direction, position the boat perpendicular to the drift so that anglers can fish along the full length of the boat.
A golden trevally fights hard by swimming around the boat. If the lines are not spaced apart, the anglers will be in for a hard time untangling the bird nest of lines.
If the boat body is in line with the direction of the drift, all the fishing lines will either be swept to the bow or stern, increasing the chances of line entanglement among the anglers.
2) Drop the lines on the correct side of the boat
After the boat is perpendicular to the drift, remind the anglers to drop their lines on the side where the lines will be swept away from the boat instead of being swept underneath the boat. In most circumstances, it will be on the side facing the wind direction, unless the current is much stronger than the wind, then it will be otherwise.
A diamond trevally initial run is power and fast. If the line goes under the boat, there is a chance that the rod might break if the rod is not handled well.
It is easier to fight a fish when the line is away from the boat, and it also prevents the lines from getting entangled with the fixtures underneath the boat such as propellers and rudders.
3) Choose suitable spots
Though drift fishing can cover more fishing grounds, not all areas are suitable for this type of fishing. For example if you intend to fish over a wreck which is resting on flat sandy seabed. The strike zone is usually around the perimeter of the wreck, and the snag zone is directly on top of the wreck. This means there is only a small window period of less than a minute for your bait to drift within the perimeter of the wreck before reaching the snag zone.
Though drift fishing at wrecks is not easy, they are groupers' favourite hideouts and sometimes still worth a try.
If the angler is not fast enough in adjusting the length of his fishing line to adapt to the profile of the wreck, the line will likely get snag and break. Therefore wrecks are generally not easy to fish while drifting.
Drift fishing is suitable for huge stretch of coral reefs where you can scan the seabed by knocking your sinker or jig on the reefs to lure predators out of their ambush.
An emperor nose snapper caught while drifting over a stretch of reefs
4) Target the correct species
You can catch any species with drift fishing, however certain types of fish can be hooked up easier using drift fishing compared to other methods. As a general guide, drift fishing is more effective for targeting lazy fish such as groupers, that do not swim around a lot to look for food. You have to present your bait or jig in front of them to entice them to open their mouths.
An orange spotted grouper caught by knocking the bait on the reefs using a madai
5) Be aware of the surroundings
As the boat is in constant motion, it might drift into the path of an incoming container ship or come close to shallow waters or rocks. Of course the captain has to be aware of the boat's drifting route, however he can also remind the anglers to help to keep a look out for any ships that might cross paths with the boat. This is especially important during night time when visibility is limited.
A deep sea barramundi caught while drifting in container ships anchored area. Notice all the ships in the background?
Please feel free to share your experiences on drift fishing in the comments below. All the fishing captains will greatly appreciate it. In the next post, I will share some pointers on anchored fishing. Tight lines and fish safe!
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