Just because we hook a few fishes from time to time does not mean that fishes feed over clean sandy ground in codling and whiting. This is a misconception. Swimming enables the fishes to move to areas for food supplies. Clean sand does not have food and hence fishes caught over clean sand are mostly in transit from one source of food to another. These are mostly reef ground.

The reed offers protection to the fishes. During summer months, the growth of the weed in these areas gives protection from the tidal flow. The weed growth spreads and the reef offers enough protection to the fishes. But during the winters, the weed dies. Only the heavy type weed can survive the reef structure. So the protection level falls during winters. This is the time for reef fishing as the population of the fishes are on the reef and they are not protected.

Reef fishing is also called as “Bottom Bouncing”. In this the anglers use weighty 60-100lb hand line methods so that they can catch prized eating fishes such as sweet lip, coral trout, and red emperor.

The main angling targets used during reef fishing is cod and ling. Angling has an important affect on the environment too as it is eco friendly. During reef fishing, angling needs a lot of patience as well.

In shallow areas, the weed growth will be little. Look for the rough bottom gutters that are a feature of the shallow reef marks. Fishes swim in the gutter and low edges where they find water borne food. They do not swim in the shallow reef as they do during summers.

Tides have a great effect on reef fishing. During flood tides cod on shallow reefs are better. The floods in the water makes the fishes work towards the gutters which hold food. In deep water reeds, the tide will see whiting feeding on the clean ground. As the tide increases, the fishes will work over rougher ground towards the edge of the reef.

The size of the tide will have a bearing on the catch of the fishes. Cod over shallow reef will always have the maximum catch during the big tide. Fishing is the best here.

In deep reef, fishing is difficult on big tides. But this is the time for the biggest catch. No matter whether the ground is rough, untiding will give the best results for reef fishing. If the water is shallow, then discover the gullies where it is the feeding areas of the fishes.

Deep reef fishing should be done on the drift. In winters you can try baited feathers which should be true cod feathers. They need to be tied on with lugworm. White feathers are excellent for fishing.