Saltwater Drift-Fishing
(Bays, Coves, Inlets, Estuaries, Spits, and Tributaries)

Timothy Kusherets

While currents are still used, drift fishing in saltwater and the Great Lakes is very different from that of freshwater rivers and smaller lakes. Most of the time, currents found in estuaries, bays, coves, and inlets are far too slow for shore fishing using the drifting methods. Even if you fish bobber-jig rigs getting the offering to stay away from the shoreline is nearly impossible. So, out into the water we go by any boating means necessary. If it floats, can hold a man, and you can fight fish from it, this fishing technique is for you.
Find a seam of water and fish the slow side of it. Jetties are perfect for finding seams you can see, but if you want to find as many of them as possible consult a nautical chart to find Vertical Eddies (Where there is an eddy there is a seam).
Regardless of the offering you choose to use, always cast in the direction of water current, even if the wind blows against it. Your boat will move with the wind, no matter how strong the water current is because two-thirds of it is exposed to the wind and not the other way around. So long as your presentation moves with the current of the water it will look natural and fish will pick it up. If the wind and water are moving in the same direction it makes fishing pretty easy, but if there’s a cross-current, you’re going to have to think about it, but it’s really no that hard.
Never anchor off when drift-fishing. Being immobile makes the entire effort moot, more than that. By deploying and weighing anchor you create noise that put fish off the bite, and they stay that way for hours on end. If you’ve fished long enough you know that fish off the bite means the foreboding of a terrible day.
Carpet on the deck is the single best way to ensure no sound. Prearrange all your gear to ensure minimal movement; this doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t talk or carry on to have fun; rather, it simply means be cautious with your feet.