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Sport Fishing
You and your
buddies pack all of your fishing gear into your boat, hitch it to the
back of your pickup truck. Along the way there's a lot of joshing and
wisecracks. You're all excited and having a bit of fun before your reach
your destination. This is going to be a great trip. You're off to take
part in a weekend of sport fishing.
Sport fishing is recreational fishing in which anglers spend a
day or a weekend competing for a trophy or prize that is based on the
weight of fish that are caught within a certain time frame. Sport
fishing competitions take place in locations world wide and cover a
large range of fish species. It can be based on either still or fly
fishing, shore fishing or boat fishing. Scores are given to anglers,
either individuals (shore fishing) or teams (boat fishing) for each fish
that is caught within the specified time frame, depending on species and
weight. These are divided by the line weight (pound-test). If an angler
catches a large fish on a light line his score is greater than an angler
who catches a fish of the same weight and size on a heavier line. When
anglers participate in a competition where they land, tag and release
their catch, they receive a 'flat score' for each fish caught. The 'flat
score' is then divided by line weight (pound-test).
There are several forms of sport fishing. They include bass fishing,
shore fishing, fly fishing, big game fishing, rock fishing, troll
fishing, ice fishing and lure fishing tournaments. Methods of sport
fishing vary greatly, depending on the targeted species, the area
where the tournament is taking place and the strategy of anglers.
Methods can range from simple fishing contests for families to
specialized tournaments. Bass and fly fishing competitions are common
among experienced anglers, but more elaborate sports fishing methods
include fishing for tuna, shark, marlin and other deep sea species.
Sports fishing species include bass, pickerel, muskellunge, salmon, tuna
species, walleye, northern pike, marlin, swordfish, sailfish, trevally,
coral trout, freshwater trout, wahoo, fingermark bream and shark.
The equipment necessary to compete in a sports fishing tournament
depends largely on the fish species that is targeted. However, most
sports fishing competitions mandate that you use a rod, reel and
tackle instead of using fishing nets, fish finders and other aids. Some
tournaments do allow electronic equipment. Be sure to check the
tournament rules carefully.
Learn how to make your own fishing lures for only a few cents
each. Click
here to read more.
Fishing line
used in tournaments and competitions is often lighter than the force
that the fish applies to it. This presents more of a challenge. Because
of this, special reels must be used that have very high tech drag
mechanisms, which allow the line to be let out when a fish runs with it
and still keep the correct tension on the line. When the fish isn't
running, the angler can take the opportunity to reel in some of the
excess line. If the fish tires before breaking the line, it can be
landed. This is not an easy feat. Getting a heavy, wet, slippery and
writhing fish into a boat is a challenge in itself. However, if the
tournament is catch, tag and release, it is not necessary to take the
fish into the boat.
Different methods are used to fight hooked fish in sports fishing.
The first is with the use of a 'game chair', which is placed in the
stern of the boat. The fisherman sits in the game chair and places the
butt of his rod in a gimbaled mount. This requires a very long rod and
the rod butt must be bent to an angle to fit properly into the mount.
Fighting fish from a game chair is not an easy task and can only be
accomplished by a highly skilled sport fishing angler. The stand-up
method of fighting fish has the seat mount replaced by a harness. This
method of landing a large fish takes a lot of muscle, strength,
endurance and body mass.
The cost of sport fishing is high. You need, in most cases, a
boat, rod, reel, lures, line and electronic fishing equipment. All of
this and the skyrocketing price of gasoline make sport fishing very
expensive. Sport fishing basics, such as rods, reels and tackle can cost
as much as $25,000 US. Many anglers who take up sports fishing as a
hobby use charter services where the boat and all of the fishing
equipment and tackle are included in one large price.
Sport fishing bait can be as simple as nightcrawlers, lures,
spinners, streamers, spoons, crustaceans, prepared bait, wet and dry
flies, shrimp and oysters, or range to more complicated baits such as
live fish species and live bait systems. Sport fishing baits
depend largely on the targeted species and the area in which the
tournament is taking place. Frozen baits such as mackerel, sardines,
herring, squid and octopus can be purchased as can manufactured baits.
If you are interested in taking up sport fishing as a hobby, seek the
advice of a sports fishing expert. Many chartered sport fishing
expeditions include all of the necessary equipment and tackle as well as
a certified guide.
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