Common sense wreck fishing
It’s best to plan well in advance if you want to make the most of a day offshore
Back in the mid-seventies when the wreck fishing boom took off, it was common to see massive catches on a regular basis. These days, with increasing commercial pressures, some prized species of fish are not as plentiful, and anglers adjust their expectations accordingly.
Gone are those distant days when a wrecking trip was regarded as a means of filling the freezer, and maybe even having enough fish left to make yourself a few quid on the side.
Today, anglers tend to favour conservation and are happy to enjoy the fine sport the fish provide, while having the opportunity to take only a few fish for the table.
Though the Bristol Channel is probably not the ideal venue for a wrecking trip, due to strong tides and relatively coloured water, pick a dead neap tide and a wreck out to the Western Approaches, and you would be surprised at what is available.
Twenty years ago, wrecking was a hit-andmiss affair at best, and only the most skilful of skippers produced consistent results. Now, even though the fish are not as widespread as they were, we have technology on our side. It means we can still enjoy a cracking day’s sport from a wrecking trip.
The complicated and skilful job of drifting and anchoring a wreck accurately has now become a simple way of life thanks to modern technology. Skippers can follow tracks set by their plotters, knowing full well that, if necessary, it will trace a previous drift with precision.
THINK AHEAD
Before booking a wrecking trip on a charter boat, you need to know exactly what you would hope to achieve before contacting your chosen skipper. Do you want to fish for pollack, cod and coalfish, or would the thought of a ton-up conger or a hefty ling or two be more up your street?
Be aware that the best tides get booked far in advance on the top boats too. Some angling crews will plan their trips up to a year in advance to secure a top slot.
Simple stuff, I know, but it will help your skipper, and ultimately avoid disappointment on your part if you make clear your requirements before the event.
If you’re unsure, or simply don’t mind, asking your skipper his advice will usually help you to make a decision, as he will know what is most likely to be productive for you.
Don’t leave it until you are on the boat to start asking reams of important questions. Your skipper will have enough on his mind as he tries to decide his strategy for the day based on the conditions. As a skipper (my boat is AlyKat, out of Minehead, Somerset), I can tell you there is nothing worse than a crowd of anglers in the wheelhouse all queuing up to ask the same questions when you’re trying to set up a drift or work out the final position to set the anchor.
You must sort out your tackle requirements with your skipper when you book your trip
because there will be variations depending on where you are fishing. You will need either a light-to-medium boat rod, or even an uptider, again depending on where you are fishing. Some charter boats provide hire tackle.
Try to keep your gear to a minimum. You don’t need boxes full of different gear for all eventualities. You’d be surprised at the difference that unnecessary gear carried by a party of anglers can make to the speed of the boat. It’s a point worth thinking about, and your skipper will appreciate your consideration when steaming sixty miles or more to your wreck.
DRIFTING
If your skipper has decided that you are going to be drifting the wreck, you should take notice of his instructions. He is the nerve centre of the operation and knows exactly what is going on beneath the waves. He will position the boat uptide of the wreck so that the effect of the tide and wind will take the boat back over the target, presenting your bait to the fish.
Then he will advise you when the boat is approaching the wreck so that you can act accordingly, retrieving your lures up and over the metalwork to avoid tackle losses. Don’t complain if you lose tackle because this is all part and parcel of trying to fish over tons of scrap on the seabed.
When the boat has drifted past the wreck, the skipper will ask you to retrieve your rig. Do it immediately. It’s frustrating if you happen to be halfway down, when your instinct tells you “I’ll just sneak in another retrieve” but don’t do it. Not only will you probably be wasting your own time, you will also be holding up the rest of your crew who have retrieved their tackle and are waiting for another drift, and, more importantly, you’ll upset the skipper.
Once you’ve had a couple of drifts it will soon become obvious what is going on, you can concentrate on catching that monster fish you’ve been looking for.
As a general rule, if you are drifting for pollack and cod, then a simple Portland rig or flying-collar will take some beating. This is the use of a French boom or plastic version of some sort, which is attached to the mainline to present the hooklength. It also avoids tangles by keeping the trace away from the mainline when it is going down. Artificial lures will undoubtedly be the order of the day unless you have made arrangements to get live sandeels.
ANCHORING
If your wrecking trip is to be an anchoring session in the hope of catching congers and ling, then most of the skill will be down to the skipper. He will have to position the boat so that the tide takes your end gear down to the seabed in close proximity to the wreck. All you have to do is get your bait down there and get on with it.
Anchoring requires a good hefty boat rod, and possibly braided line. Once your skipper has positioned the boat correctly, it is only fair to
him that you maximise your opportunities by catching the fish that he has presented to you. Don’t mess around with ultra-light gear. Playing a big conger for an hour will do nothing towards winning friends, especially when it will be intent on tangling everyone else’s gear on its way up.
A heavy nylon trace usually suffices when attached to a good sharp hook. Baits can be virtually anything fishy. Mackerel fillet or flapper, squid, cuttlefish, herring or Bluey all take fish when presented hard on the seabed. To do this, a running leger of 150lb mono of around 3-4ft long is ideal. Use an adequate amount of lead weight for the amount of tide run. It is no good going too light because your gear may run too far back and become entangled in the wreckage. ■