| 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.
Tuna Fish
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).
Blue Marlin
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.
Muskellunge
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.
Walleye
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.
Small Mouth Bass
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.
Swordfish
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.
Rainbow Trout
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.
Northern Pike
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. Fishing
Facts |
