In much the same way as a tree attracts livestock in a bare paddock, a reef attracts and holds various forms of life in the marine environment. A healthy reef will support the whole food chain, from algae growth and invertebrates to baitfish and eventually top order predators. In short, reefs attract life.
Modern technology makes locating prominent reef systems fairly simple these days. However, you don’t need much structure to attract and hold fish. Some of our best inshore reefs bear the same footprint as a family car, but they consistently yield decent snapper.
Once you invest a bit of time in finding and subsequently fishing some local patches of reef, your results will gradually improve as you learn more about these reefs. Once you figure out what triggers your resident reef fish into feeding, you’ll start to enjoy regular results.
Of course, the type of reef and species available varies greatly depending on your locality, but here in SA we can categorise reef fishing into three different sections: inshore reef, mid-depth reefs and deep reefs. Each returns different species and also require a different approach and varied tackle for best results…
Jamie Crawford
This story was first published in the Fishing World February2013 issue.
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