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.
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. |
