When we first started fishing artificial reefs quite a few years ago we thought that as long as we were within a couple of hundred feet of the structure we would catch fish. We quickly learned as the distance between our boat and the structure decreased our chances of catching fish increased at an exponential rate. Sure there are many fish that roam the outskirts of the reef; however the greatest populations are definitely on top of the structure. Remember along our barren coast the reefs are typically the only refuge for smaller fish, and therefore these fish typically hang close to this protection for fear of being eaten. An example of a fish that really uses the reef as a refuge is the Atlantic Spadefish. I have been anchored 50 feet off the structure and had large schools of Spades hanging out on top of this structure that were not willing to come to the chum balls that were no more than 20 feet away. The purpose of this article is to point out a few basic techniques that will help to get right on top of the structure and in the thick of the fish.
ยท Locating the reef - This is a task that has become much easier with the technology of GPS; however, sometimes numbers are not provided to the full decimal place so they do not always put you exactly on top of the structure. Once I get within about a tenth of a mile I start looking at the depth recorder and use it in conjunction with the GPS to locate the structure. Keep a sharp eye out on the recorder for changes in the relief, a typical indication of structure. Many of the structures on our reefs have less 8 feet of relief and a structure may go unnoticed if you are not paying close attention. Also look out for fish on the recorder and when you start marking a lot of fish you know you are getting close. I usually develop a small search pattern for a reef so that I do not waste time continually riding over the same area. My search pattern varies according to wind and current conditions as well as to the size of the structure; however, I almost always use a box