# Positions of wrecks



## AndyS (Nov 22, 2011)

I'm fairly new to saltwater fishing and have managed to download (thanks to PFF) a whole slew of public spots into my GPS. 

In my few times out this year one problem I have encountered is knowing the position in which the various wrecks lie. All I have is a GPS number which I can only hope indicates the center of the wreck. I can attempt to figure it out by cruising around the site until I get an idea which way it lies so I know how to try to anchor so the wind/current puts me over the wreck ... which often isn't easy and I'm sure all that idling around a site can be annoying to anyone else who might already be anchored there.

For example .... Coal Barges; Russian Freighter; The Mass; Pete Tide, etc. Does the wreck lie East to West; North to South; Southeast to Southwest, etc? I haven't a clue on some of them.

Is there a list anywhere indicating the positions in which the various wrecks lie?





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## sealark (Sep 27, 2007)

You have the numbers just go fish them and you will learn to read a fathometer and tell which direction they lay. When you get a rise on the fathometer its the wreck. put a buoy in and figure the directions. Figuring the currents is an even harder thing that TIME will be the only teacher.


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## amarcafina (Aug 24, 2008)

yep , you'll have to figure that out your self.. Experience is a great learning tool.


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## AndyS (Nov 22, 2011)

Okay ... so long as you guys don't mind me putting all around the wreck for 45 minutes before I anchor while you're trying to fish  Or I could just anchor and dive it to figure it out ... then come back up & reposition. 

I like to watch my bottom machine as much as the next guy, but just thought it'd be nice to have some idea already when I got there to minimize that sort of activity .... why I asked.




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## 2RC's II (Feb 2, 2012)

Don't worry about it we all had to go through the same thing. It gives the rest of us something to watch while we are anchored and not catching fish. We are just saying "what the @#@## is that $#@$$ AH doing? Can't he anchor a dang boat!


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## AndyS (Nov 22, 2011)

2RC's II said:


> Don't worry about it we all had to go through the same thing. It gives the rest of us something to watch while we are anchored and not catching fish. We are just saying "what the @#@## is that $#@$$ AH doing? Can't he anchor a dang boat!


Now you know. 

(and don't blame the not-catching-fish on the divers ... we know you weren't catching 'em before they got there either  )


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## RMS (Dec 9, 2008)

When I visit a new potential fishing site I like to idle around and identify the perimeter of a vessel or "piles" if it is rubble or multiple objects for a few minutes. Then I figure the drift heading for the present day and start drift fishing on varying paths and mark any additional structure found as I stumble across it. I can have as many as a dozen waypoints on a large wreck, outlining its profile.
This process works best anytime it is not snapper season when there are too many folks trying to fish the same spot all at the same time. 

I learned how to fish structure by going on and observing charter boats (professionals). I've hardly ever seen a professional captain anchor on a wreck. They almost always hold/drift. So I have experimented with both, and currently I never anchor on a spot, I always hold/drift. Just my preference. 
IMO, Screwing with an anchor is a waste of fishing time, and why limit myself to only fish that are occupying 25 x 9 feet of ocean. I don't waste much time at a wreck if I don't get bit within 5-10 minutes max.

3 or 4 boats can drift fish a small wreck , and a dozen can fish a large one by establishing a rotation across the wreck. As soon as one boat anchors, it marginalizes everybody else that wants to fish a small wreck, and two or three anchored boats pretty much tie up a large wreck. Dive boats are a different matter. I realize they usually need to anchor as a matter of safety, and I always respect their circumstances.

This is the way I do it and I don't expect everyone else to agree, and for me, life is too short to argue about it.

Good luck, and Peace Out!:drink:


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## inshorecatch (Oct 1, 2007)

get a side imaging machine preferable humminbird and when u make ur first pass u can see how it sits. worked great for me good luck


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## WhackUmStackUm (Jan 31, 2010)

If I remember correctly, both the Mass and the Freighter lie east to west/west to east.


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## AndyS (Nov 22, 2011)

WhackUmStackUm said:


> If I remember correctly, both the Mass and the Freighter lie east to west/west to east.


Thanks, WhackUm. 

I knew the Mass but that will be helpful on the Russian Freighter when I get out there (soon I'm hoping.)


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## WhackUmStackUm (Jan 31, 2010)

AndyS said:


> Thanks, WhackUm.
> 
> I knew the Mass but that will be helpful on the Russian Freighter when I get out there (soon I'm hoping.)


 
The Freighter's boilers are near the stern, towards the eastern end of the wreck.


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## sealark (Sep 27, 2007)

WhackUmStackUm said:


> The Freighter's boilers are near the stern, towards the eastern end of the wreck.


Bryan, the Boilers are in the center of the Freighter:whistling::yes:


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## WhackUmStackUm (Jan 31, 2010)

sealark said:


> Bryan, the Boilers are in the center of the Freighter:whistling::yes:


I guess they are close to the center. Here is my side-scan image of the Freighter.


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## sealark (Sep 27, 2007)

Looks like center to me. Never heard of a steam ship with boilers in the stern. Too much weight in stern. All navy and merchant ships have them centrally locate. At least all the hundrads i dove on.


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