Though late summer fishing can be tough, a surefire way to stir up action is to set up a chumline over an artificial reef. Start by setting a block or two of frozen chum over the side, slightly upcurrent from the largest piece of structure indicated by your depth recorder. Give chum at least 30 minutes to draw the attention of the reef's denizens, keeping it flowing steadily.
Once the frenzy starts, most of the fish on the reef will investigate. Bottom dwellers such as mangrove snapper and grouper are attracted not only by the chum but by the smaller fish drawn to it. Barracuda will circle the perimeter, Spanish mackerel will dart in and out, cobia may swim right up to the transom and sharks are inevitable.
By having a variety of rods ready you can capitalize on each type of fish. We usually start by sending down small live baits for mangrove snapper on 15-pound tackle. If we get "rocked up" a few times by larger-than-expected fish such as gag grouper, we send down a live pinfish on a 50-pound rod. By leaving a sardine freelined out the back, you will know when the mackerel arrive, and if barracuda are there they will clip your mackerel in half before you get it to the boat. By hooking the half mackerel onto wire leader and dropping it back you usually can hook the 'cuda.
Tarpon, tripletail, permit and goliath grouper also have been hooked recently on the reefs.
