Many anglers are finding that fishing
artificial reefs is a great way to increase the probability of a good catch --
and a better day on the water.
Volusia County, Florida (home to NASCAR, Daytona Beach, and the
famed Mosquito Lagoon) has been pursuing an aggressive artificial
reef program for many years, supported by the Ponce de Leon port
authority.
One of the favorites is at Site 3,
(Loran C: 44458.0 - 61982.0; Lat/Long: 29°12.00'N, 80°44.87'W) The
former USS Mindanao, is the oldest artificial reef ship. She rests
in 85 feet of water, 11 miles northeast of Ponce inlet. She is a 446
ft. World War II, Liberty ship. Her flat main deck is 60 ft. below
the surface and lies in a general N-S direction. The superstructure
was removed before the sinking. The wreck suffered damage during the
1995 winter storms and the bow is now to the NW separated from the
hull. Schools of bait fish, tomtate grunts, mangrove snapper, and a
few anchors are often seen in her open holds. Small clumps of ivory
bush coral and encrusting sponges and tunicates are growing on the
steel hull.
Site 5 (Loran C: 44437.8 -
62020.0; Lat/Long: 29°07.17'N, 80°48.34'W) is the closest site to
Ponce Inlet. Clean material from the old Port Orange bridge and the
New Smyrna Beach bridges were deposited on the site starting in
1990. Grouper, sea bass, flounder, mangrove snapper and variety of
colorful soft corals are on the site. Because the site is only about
6 miles from the inlet, visibility may be 10 feet near low tide.
However in the summer, before and after cold water upwelling or
later in the fall after the hurricanes have passed, visibility is
sometimes much better..
There are many other sites to
visit. A variety of objects and materials have been used to create
the artificial reef sites. Airplanes, ships, old bridge members,
concrete culvert piles, etc. have been placed as new habitat.
Thirteen sites, with loran and Lat/Long
coordinates are listed on the Volusia County site from which
this information was taken. You can see them all, with pictures, at
http://www.volusiareefs.org/reefsiteinfo.htm
