Bottom fishing
Bottom fishing is about getting bait to the fish that hold on structure near the seafloor. You anchor or drift over reefs, wrecks, ledges, and hard bottom, then drop a rig straight down to where the fish live. It is straightforward and productive, but success comes from finding good structure and keeping your bait right in the zone.
Productive year round where seasons and regulations allow
How it works
- 1Locate structure such as reefs, wrecks, ledges, or hard bottom using a chart and your electronics.
- 2Anchor up current of the spot or set up a controlled drift that carries your baits across the structure.
- 3Use enough weight to hold the bottom in the current, since baits swept off structure catch nothing.
- 4Drop your rig to the bottom, then reel up a crank or two to keep hooks just above snags.
- 5Feel for the tap of a bite, then reel steadily to drive the hook and pull the fish up away from the structure.
- 6Reset and drop again, moving to fresh structure if bites slow down.
Gear
A stout medium heavy to heavy conventional or spinning rod with a high capacity reel handles the depth and the loads. Use a fish finder or high low rig with a bank or bass sinker, plus circle hooks and fresh bait.
Tips
- • Fresh cut bait and live bait out fish frozen offerings for structure dwellers.
- • The first drop on fresh structure often produces the biggest fish before the school gets wary.
- • Bring plenty of rigs. Fishing tight to reefs and wrecks means you will lose tackle to snags.
Knots to know
FAQ
How much weight do I need for bottom fishing?
Enough to hold the bottom in the current and depth you are fishing. In deep water or strong current that can mean several ounces or more. The goal is to keep your bait in the strike zone on the structure, not drifting away.
Why do people use circle hooks for bottom fishing?
Circle hooks tend to catch in the corner of the jaw rather than deep in the gut, which improves survival of released fish. They also hook fish well when you reel steadily instead of setting hard, which suits bottom fishing.