Don’t Overfish a Wreck

“Take care not to disturb the environment of a wreck,” says Delph. Many boat operators make the mistake of revving their engines or throwing a clunky anchor and chain overboard, disturbing the harmony of the environment. Many wrecks get fished every day, and the fish can sense if something is not right, often shutting the bite down. Unless there is extreme current, Delph prefers quietly holding the boat idling in reverse, into the current, or shutting the engines down entirely and “sweep-drifting” the area around the wreck. He approaches the wrecks up-current and starts fishing as far as 100 to 200 yards from the wreck, depending on the speed of the current. “Mutton snapper are always moving, as are grouper at times, so don’t be misled that the fish are only on or inside the wreck,” says Delph. The fish can be prowling yards away from wrecks. Make your drifts well outside the perimeter first; moving closer on your consecutive drifts is a good strategy. Take a few fish and move on to another wreck, leaving some for future trips, says Delph.