Drift Fishing: it Guides the Catch

Drift fishing can be one of the most effective ways to fish for a variety of Southern California saltwater species, from bottom-dwelling halibut and rockfish to mid-water denizens like white seabass, to “surface” species like yellowtail and bonito. The best private boat anglers, however, know there is much more to it than simply shutting down the boat and drifting randomly.

When drift fishing, think of your boat as an extension of your rod, reel and terminal tackle. It affects the location, speed and direction of your bait or lure, and is therefore an important part of your presentation.

The first step to fine-tuning this presentation is understanding the characteristics of your boat. Every vessel behaves differently, based on a variety of factors such as length, beam, windage and weight distribution. It would be ideal if every vessel drifted sideways to the wind, allowing you to move over ground more slowly and providing the best “spread” for multiple lines. The reality is, some boats drift bow first, some tend to drift beam-to, and many are somewhere in between.

It’s also important to learn how fast your boat drifts under certain conditions. The most accurate way to measure your drift speed is with your GPS, because it provides a true measurement of speed over ground.

Once you analyze how your boat drifts, what can you do to alter the drifting characteristics of your vessel to make them more favorable for angling? Begin with the basics. You can reduce your vessel’s windage by removing canvas enclosures. Depending on the conditions, you may also be able to improve your drift angle by turning your outboard motor or I/O lower unit, swinging the bow around to port or starboard.

If the wind and/or current are not too strong, this may be all that’s needed. The surest way, however, to correct your drift angle is to deploy a nylon “drift sock” or sea anchor. These devices, which operate like an underwater parachute, are standard equipment for anglers who drift for a living, such as shark fishermen and commercial halibut anglers.

How a drift sock will affect your vessel depends on where it’s placed. If you’re drifting stern to the wind, you would deploy the sea anchor off the bow quarter to partially turn the boat. Even if your boat drifts ideally, a sea anchor placed amidships can be very useful to slow down the drift speed. This can make angling possible in otherwise impossible conditions of howling winds or strong wind/current pulling in the same direction.

Once you have a feeling for how your boat behaves and how to adjust it, you’ll be better prepared to set up for drifts over wrecks, reefs and other structure. Take both wind and current into account. Many people make the mistake of “overshooting” their target. To put your baits or lures in the “strike zone,” you need to plan for both the movement of the boat and the time it takes for the offering to reach bottom.



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