wreck fishing HELP

ok lads we have planned a few wrecking trips need some advice on best tackle rigs and everything all tips appreciated thnaks
thanks

While I must admit I haven't gone wreck fishing, I have done a good share of deep water reef fishing in the past.I used to use a big Norwegian jigger (Pirk) with luminous 5/0 baited (Mackerel strips) lures on the drift and would say that this usually out fished lads using weights and lures only.
I found also that if you take the treble hook off your pirk and attach a table spoon between pirk and treble ... (cut off handle and drill small holes for split rings) , that this dramaticly improves the effect of the pirk and have caught my best cod/pollack using this method.You can also attach a luminous muppet on the treble.
Braid is best when fishing this method.

As a member of Culdaff SAC we do a fair amount of wreck fishing.

Pollack and Coalies will fall to Gilling rag or Mack belly strip, if you are using a flowing trace with 2 or 3 hooks, then be carefull with your hook choice, I would use a Kamsen Aberdeen size 1/0 when normal reef gilling, but when over wrecks you may want to move to a thicker gauge material, as the bigger fish on the wrecks will straighten out those fine wire hooks, I find the Varivas Aberdeens to be better.

For Ling, its hard to beat a Pirk with a luminous muppet, baited with Mack. Personally I add a booby bead (a rattling bead)above the pirk, and definitely find that this noise attracts the Ling. Perhaps that is why the Pirk with the kitchen spoon as described above works, as you could imagine that rattling and clattering noise that it would make as its bounced over the wreck.

Other resident species should be Pout poor cod Ballan and Cuckoo wrasse, these can be targeted with a standard 3 up rig baited with small strips of Mack or Rag, and Pout love pink!

Be prepared to lose tackle. A lot of tackle. it's a fine line between being brave enough to drop your gear right down into the wreck to hoik out a good fish, and being stupid enough to drop your gear right down into the wreck to lose it to snags.

If the skipper is any cop at all, he's alter the position of the boat every drift so neither side has to fish under the boat all the time. if he doesn't, ask him to. Also, ask him to shout out when the wreck is starting to show on the sounder. You'll need that info to help you gauge your fishing.

Personaly, I reckon one hook on the flowing trace is enough when gilling, and I never bait my pirks. But that's me. Always have a variety of colouts/styles of jellyworms, to you find what combo the fish are switched onto that day.

As regards alternating fishing under the boat - if I'm on the side that'll be fishing under the boat, I'll pirk that drift. Pirking works best if you fish them as close to vertical as possible. Even better if you can flickcast the pirk away from the boat a bit, to let it drop as the boat drifts over. On the next drift, I'll gill it. So, have two rods set up if you're going to try this.

Wrecking is hard work. But also great fun, with the chance of some great fishing.

As regards alternating fishing under the boat - if I'm on the side that'll be fishing under the boat, I'll pirk that drift. Pirking works best if you fish them as close to vertical as possible. Even better if you can flickcast the pirk away from the boat a bit, to let it drop as the boat drifts over. On the next drift, I'll gill it. So, have two rods set up if you're going to try this.
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Interesting point lad, I only really Pirk during slack tide, maybe an hour either side of slack.

hi junior
good question but it depends strongly on what your fishing for and whether it be at anchor or on the drift.if drift fishing over wrecks i would recommend gilling/shadding off a boom with two foot trace minimum, also as stated muppets baited work also for ling cod even conger depending on drift, but as stated above depends where when tide and what fish are actually in the area.at anchor you could try all of the above but i find bait comes into play when at anchor working lures can be quiet while stationery, if at anchor on a wreck expect conger ling cod pollack as the main usually their will be pouting and whiting to but you really never know its always worth a shot with small hooks to because even though not huge you can pick up surprise species that may not necessarily be big but you wont catch on bigger gear.if i was anchoring i would use large muppet trace above a pirk but always remove those horrible trebles off pirks ever try getting a treble out off a large eel also treble are good ways off anchoring your main gear.one thing i would always recommend anyone heading on a long trip offshore always bring enough bait/lures/weights its no fun been 20/50 miles out with out gear bait and knowing fish are there

Having fished a lot of wrecks as a junior angler(a few years ago ) my best advice for you is to make up "1 up "hook traces with a "rotten bottom".

Use old attractors or homemade varieties eg drinking straws , tin foil ,fingers of rubber gloves!Worked wll for me!

Size 4/0to 6/0 hooks baited well.
Bring plenty of weights and if you are drifting get a good idea of depth and try to drop down at the right time.

The reason for using 1 hook is that you can descend at full speed.Less likely to get foul of the wreck.

Easier to haul up 1 fish than a double or treble,quicker to replace and bait and safer to handle on deck.

Make sure your bait is long and narrow, less resistance when sinking!

Remember to set your drag lighter if drifting and if you get a fish try to lift it away from the wreck quickly and steadily.

After you have the fish off the wreck TAKE YOUR TIME to land it , play it and don't force it, I have seen more of my share of lost fish from anglers pumping the hell out of a fish only to see it lost or worse still surface 50 yards away with its swimbladder in it's mouth with the gulls pecking at it!

Enjoy it, let us know how you get on!

I've started to attach my lead with elastic bands when wreck or reef fishing....

I I will Second That . Elastic Bands Are The Way To Go . trebbles can cause a lot hassel . . I Like To use Black Muppet's on Over cast Days
and Orange on Bright Days . . . get a pva Bag . fill it up With The Mack Guts Etc .Tie It On lead . as It dissolves It will release the mackerel and bring fish on the feed .