Drifting for snapper - Port phillip bay

[fitzy90]

Seems to be a bit of interest on the topic so thought I would share my thoughts on the topic.
A few weeks ago we were on our way home from altona after having anchored up for a few hours and did not get a touch, on the way back the sounder lit up and we smashed the school drifting with baits.
Everyone knows anchoring is a pain in the ass so we decided to do a few sessions where we sounded up schools and just turned the motor off and drifted over the top, results have been much better than just sitting around waiting for fish to show up.
Ideal drift winds are around 8 – 12 knots but as long as there is a bit of wind to drift in its fine. Match your sinker weight to the wind speed so the baits are just dragging bottom, if you feel a weight change there will be weed so remove and reset. Best results have been on silver whiting, as it’s a tough bait it will stand up to drifting as well.
Rigs we are using are normally a running sinker rig with around 70cm of leader and a double snell. If the bottom is reefy try a pano rig and keep it just off the bottom. Once you feel a bite let some line loose, wait 10 seconds and strike, we have seen our hook up rate go through the roof! If this keeps up may never need to anchor again!

Pros:
Forces you to find schools of fish and keep moving if you are not getting hits
Have caught more fish using 1 rod drifting than 4 rods at anchor
No burley costs
Not sitting around for hours falling asleep
No Starfish or banjos……yet
Using less bait

Cons:
Use a bit more fuel
It its too windy it wont work


Give it a try next session and im sure you wont be disappointed.

[Lightningx]

Some great advice mate :thumbsup:

[williwonder]

I never see jack on my sounder, I would kill to see that.

[fitzy90]

I never see jack on my sounder, I would kill to see that.

what sounder you got bud, may be able to help

[Lightningx]

I usually never drift for snapper either but it's making me think now... maybe this weekend

[Mattblack]

Thanks Fitzy, great advice & well written....Im going to give this a crack on the weekend (light winds expected)

[williwonder]

I have a Lowrance Elite5 combo, any tips appreciated.

[fitzy90]

I have a Lowrance Elite5 combo, any tips appreciated.

hope it helps

[ChrisAbout]

You wouldnt want to try drifting for snapper in Western Port, or would you?

[fitzy90]

You wouldnt want to try drifting for snapper in Western Port, or would you?

Ive never fished westernport, if you had a strong wind against tide situation to slow the drift down i dont see why it would not work....... i stand to be corrected.