Jarrod Day deep drops south west Victoria in search of some tasty morsels. He describes how you too can get in on the action.

Most Victorian saltwater anglers are content with floating unweighted pilchards to a school of snapper in 16 m of water or tossing out a fresh calamari ring with a 16 oz bomb sinker intended for a gummy shark, but when asked to drop a bait into 400-plus metres of water with a solid 1 to 2 kg sinker attached, some explicit words are quick to be thrown, especially when manual labour is involved.
Deep dropping isn’t a new technique by any means but rather a technique that has remained unchanged for decades. The only difference now comes in the form of reel technology that has made the technique accessible to more anglers.
Deep dropping isn’t classified as sports fishing but rather a method employed to catch quality table fare. The depths being fished do not facilitate the release of fish due to blown swim bladders once they reach the surface. During any deep dropping session it pays to be mindful of the fish you’re catching and keep in mind you can limit your catch, rather than catch your limit.

Although Blue eye are the main target out in the deep, Tasmanian Trumpeter are also a viable option right around the Vic coastline in 80-100m.

VARYING DEPTHS, VARYING SPECIES
There is no denying the fact that deep dropping is hard work especially when depth and current are involved; however, it doesn’t all have to come down to manual labour. These factors are hard to overcome with manual labour but with electric reels gaining in popularity, dropping into great depths is becoming much easier with the assistance of battery power.
Within 80 to 120 m of water, species such as snapper, queen snapper, knife jaw, nannygai and striped trumpeter are common catches and while these can be caught using manual labour, dropping into the Mesopelagic region somewhere between 200 and 1000 m, manual labour can be thrown out the window. This is the depth of water that really entices anglers to drop into thanks to the likes of gemfish, hapuka, blue-eye and a host of other tasty ooglies with mother-in-law-like appearances.
At these depths you’re at the mercy of the ocean’s currents and while you might reach the bottom on the initial drop, keeping the bait there is a battle in itself.
In these situations, fishing with an electric reel makes it a lot simpler. Electric reels have plenty of functions and with just one push of a button the reel will automatically wind itself back to the surface. This makes things a lot easier and faster given the time it would take to do manually. To some, using electric reels is a cop out; however, I bet that after you give them a reel to wind up from 400-plus metres along with the weight of the sinker and at least one fish on the line and they too will be pleading, almost begging to use the electric for the second drop.

Blue eye Trevalla might not be on everyone’s bucket list, but those that do target them know all too well just how good they are on the table.

THE RIG
Unlike most other fishing styles, deep drop rigs can become quite complex when making them yourself. Of course due to the depth being fished, limited light inhibits visibility and smell takes over, however, the use of flashing underwater strobe lights or illuminated glow sticks aid in attracting fish to the bait.
A deep drop rig is pretty much a standard paternoster style, just built heavier. That aside, there are three major parts a deep drop rig must feature. Firstly, the main line should be a good 1 to 2 m of 400 lb leader and the two dropper arms can be clipped on and off the rig simply by using a shark clip. A 40 cm length of 300 lb leader can be crimped to the shark clip and a hook on the other end. The bottom sinker loop should be crimped to the main line from 100 lb leader.
Hooks are a vital part of the rig as you’ll need the hook to do all the work for you. By that I mean you won’t be able to strike so the chosen hook needs to be super sharp to penetrate itself such as the Mustad 39950BN Demon Offset Circle. This specific hook, being a circle will keep the fish connected during the long wind up but also ensure the fish is hooked initially.
Depending on where you’ll be fishing you’ll need a combination of rigs and hooks so a selection ranging 7/0 to 12/0 will see you covered.
LOCATION LOCATION
Fishing in deep water can be difficult without the right technology and when it comes to deep dropping, finding the right location to drop into will be the difference between a good days’ fishing and a lot of snags and lost tackle.
When looking for a potential blue eye spot, you first need to look for areas that they inhabit. Blue eye, being a benthic species, are associated with rocky ground on continental slopes. This means, when you’re looking for a potential location to drop a bait, you need to find a steep decline along the edge of ‘the shelf’ in depths ranging from 300 to 400 metres. Start working shallower and you’ll begin to stumble across a host of other species, some of which are extremely tasty.
GPS LOCATIONS TO PROSPECT
Steep Bank
S 38.34.974  E 141 11.102
Steep Bank
S 38 41.827  E 141 19.310
Bank drop
S 38 46.168  E 141 35.460
Hooked up
S 38 47.034  E 141 44.123
Seamount
S 38 49.104  E 141 50.667
Cliff 500
S 38 49.027  E 141 44.503
Shoe
S 38 29.534  E 140 51.857
Shallow drop – knifejaw
S 38 25.787  E 140 51.739
Knifejaw
S 38 31.282 E 141 32.895
Various Species
S 38 32.681  E 141 12.114