While smaller black drum can be caught on fiddler crabs, larger specimens prefer more generous offerings of blue crabs or clams. Photo by Charlie Coates.

In any poll asking saltwater anglers along the southern Atlantic coast to name their favorite month for fishing, August probably wouldn’t fare too well. The weather’s hot and humid, some of the more popular game fish are resting up for fall, and the ones that remain in play often tend to be sluggish and uncooperative.

However, for anglers who enjoy probing the depths of the brine for a multitude of sporting and tasty bottom species, late-summer life along the coast can be sweet. From diminutive spot to brawling black drum, no other fishing method provides the variety and quality of bottom-fishing.

It’s not unusual to catch a half-dozen or more species in one trip, and one of the thrills of bottom-fishing is not knowing what will be taking your bait next. The standard fare of croaker, spot, flounder, bluefish, sheepshead and trout is available in most coastal inshore waters, and occasional larger visitors keep anglers on their toes.

BOTTOM BASICS
Bottom-fishing in its simplest form is as easy as fishing gets. Find some fish-holding structure, such as oyster bars, channel edges, bridge pilings or reefs, and you’re in business. Productive structure can be found by studying a map or chart of the area for general locations, then using your depthfinder to pinpoint the actual structure. When fish are thick, you’ll be able to see them on your depthfinder. Of the most common species targeted by bottom-fishing anglers, spot will generally be found in shallower water than croaker and trout, and flounder will likely hang out along a dropoff. Larger fish will usually inhabit the deepest water.

Small pieces of bloodworm, crab or clam are the most commonly used baits for spot, while bloodworms, crab, shrimp, squid and cut fish will all work on croaker, trout and bluefish. Strips of squid or cut bait in combination with live minnows are effective for flounder. Fiddler crabs are the bait of choice for sheepshead, and will also work on small black drum, both of which can be found around the same hard structure (such as bridges, jetties and piers). Drum will be hugging the bottom, while sheepshead will usually be just a crank of the reel off the bottom. Larger drum prefer more generous offerings, such as blue crabs or clams.

Standard double-hook rigs or fish-finder rigs should be used with just enough weight to hold bottom. No. 2 through 2/0 beak-style hooks will handle most situations, although larger hooks can be used when targeting bigger fish. Smaller No. 4 or 6 hooks will do for spot.

Bottom-fishing can be done either anchored up or drifting, depending on conditions and species sought. Many anglers will start out drifting until they locate a school of fish, and then anchor over the school. When you find a school while drifting, immediately toss out a marker buoy so you can return to the area and either drift it again or drop anchor over it. One advantage to drifting is a constantly moving bait, which is more enticing and noticeable to species such as flounder and trout. Even when at anchor, you should move your bait with a slight jigging action.

Bottom-fishing is most productive on a moving tide, with the best action at the beginning and end of the tide. Catch the right tide around dusk and you should be in for some good fishing.