Fishing for Knowledge

Welcome back to the fifth edition of The Importance of Fishing. There have been some very good questions asked over the last few weeks, and I would like to answer some of those. I will also discuss what those questions have made me relearn about fishing. The questions that my readers asked, have made me go back into my mental warehouse of fishing knowledge and revisit some of the more basic importance's to myself and other fisherman.

First I would like to list some of the questions asked, and answer them as best I can.

Question 1: What are some tips that you would give on deep water fishing?

Answer 1: The most important tip I would give about deep water fishing, is to ALWAYS have the proper safety equipment on-board the boat. Examples include: life jackets, long range radio, flares, fresh water, food, and any equipment needed for large fish.

Question 2: What is the most important thing to consider while fishing in deep water?

Answer 2: This one is an easy one and relates to Question 1. SAFETY! There is nothing else more important than safety while doing any style of fishing, especially in deep water.

Question 3:  Do you prefer fresh water or salt water fishing? 

Answer 3: I most definitely prefer salt water over fresh. The reason is simple. You will typically get a lot more action from a larger spectrum of fish while in salt water. Basically, in salt water, you never know what you might catch. For instance, while fishing for Sea Trout (about 20 inches long and maybe a pound), I hooked in to a 75lbs Tarpon.

  

 Final Question: Does fishing in competitions require years of practice or could you start as a beginner?

Final Answer: There are fishing competitions that range in difficulty from beginner to pro all over the world, but I would definitely try to learn a bit about the fish and location before you spend that money on the gas and entry fees. Most pro tournaments won't let you enter unless you have spent time on the amateur circuit with a good record.

These are all really good questions, and made me remember a lot about my passion that I had taken for granted after all these years. I have since checked all my safety gear to insure its working condition. Some of the equipment was in need of replacement, so thanks to those reminders I will have the proper gear next time I head out to fish. I also was unsure of the current Pro Circuit entry rules, so I took a look at some of those as well. I will not begin to list them all, but any fisherman wishing to participate on the Pro Circuit must spend time in the Amateur Circuit first. However, if you are a decent fisherman and have lots of money to spend on your fishing toys, it shouldn't take you very long to get on the pro tours.

That's it for this edition. Be sure to check out my next installment for some funny fish tales, and to learn about a very close and humorous family, fisherman can be.

Represent the Fish

Welcome back to this weeks fishing blog. In this post I would like to talk a little about a big issue that seriously impacts fisherman and that is conservation. As a sportsman I know that conservation is a huge priority. We want to make sure that the fish are not only there for our future generations, but the fish need to be healthy and safe for consumption. Three of the the most credible pioneers for conservation in this region are Bass Pro, Georgia DNR, and Florida Sportsman. All three have a long standing commitment and understanding to the importance of conserving our natural outdoor wonders.

Bass Pro Shops is one of the Nation's leading retailers in all things outdoors. They have experts employed that can advise on any topic involving the outdoors that you can possibly think of. As an organization they are regularly involved in teaching the youth about safe practices in nature, conservation of our natural resources, and how to just have fun and maximize your adventure.

Florida Sportsman

Florida Sportsman has been around since 1969 and they lead the charge in not just Florida but in the Nation's capitol when it comes to conserving our fishing waters. FS provides a voice for anglers to tell the government what's really going on in our waters. FS fights for fair fish size limits, bag limits, and season open and closure dates. FS also helps fund research that helps determine these limits. They take all this information, find out what the government is going to do about it, and then educate the fisherman so that we know what we can and can't do.

 

Most of us have heard of the GA DNR, but if you have not, it is a government organization that monitors and controls hunting and fishing activities in the state of Georgia. Each state has their own DNR, charged with distributing rules, regulations, and licenses to the public. These rules, regulations, and licenses go a long way towards furthering conservation. It helps to prevent poaching and other illegal activities that might harm our outdoors. The DNR maintains parks throughout the state, and provides information to visitors about our natural resources and why they are so important to protect.  

With the help of organizations like these, we stand a better chance of protecting our natural resources. It is important that we protect our world, so that future generations can enjoy the same outdoor activities we enjoy today.

In my next post, we will look at a few questions from my readers, and explore some of the concerns that fisherman face. 

Fish Tales

In this weeks post I would like to share a true "Fish Tale" of a story with my followers, and answer some very good questions that I have received regarding fishing. As I discussed in my previous post, there are several different styles of fishing. My personal favorite falls under the saltwater fishing category. For simplicity the two most popular styles of saltwater fishing are coastal and deep sea. They mean exactly that. Coastal means you are fishing within just a few miles of the coast and in relatively shallow water. Deep sea fishing you will find yourself in much deeper water, but it can still be within a few miles of the coast. This particular story occurred in deep water approximately twenty miles out in the Gulf of Mexico.

From the time I was a child and well into my teen years, I spent at least three months out of the year at my family's beach house in Alligator Point, Florida. It was there that I learned most if not all of my saltwater fishing skills. One summer, when I was ten or eleven, my neighbor, my dad, and myself went on a deep sea fishing trip about twenty miles out to the O Tower. It was well over one hundred feet out that far. We came upon a spot that showed lots and lots of fish on the radar equipment, so we stopped and dropped anchor. We quickly began catching a lot of large Red Grouper.

  

So fast were the fishing biting, that many times the bait did not even reach the bottom before a fish was on. Suddenly the "bite" just stopped. We couldn't even get a nibble or anything. We were not too bummed because we had caught so many already, but it was still early in the day. We figured we would wait it out a bit and see if the fish started biting again. During this lull in the action we decided to eat lunch, but we still had our poles in the holders and our baits in the water. Suddenly my rod bent completely over for just a heart beat and then went completely slack. I reeled in the line to find that my line had been cut. I re-rigged the hook and line with a steel leader and sent my bait back down to the bottom. Suddenly my pole bent over again, but this time with the steel leader in place it didn't go slack. I immediately went to grab for the pole. I vaguely remember my Dad yelling no, but I was to eager to fight this fish. When I grabbed the rod and pulled it free of the holder I quickly realized my mistake. At that time I was a scrawny little kid and probably only weighed sixty or seventy pounds. This huge fish on the other end began to pull me overboard, and I refused to let go of the rod. If not for my father's speed in reaching me I would have been drug overboard. He quickly grabbed hold of me and guided me to a special chair designed for a fisherman to sit in and fight large fish. After about two hours of fighting this fish we finally go it alongside the boat. It was a seven foot Nurse Shark.

 

This was my first real lesson in safety while fishing. Many more would follow, but this mistake could have cost me my life. It was from this point on that I began to seriously learn about the equipment involved in fishing and how it can aid and keep you safe. Has anyone else had an accident while fishing? If you have, did you have the proper equipment to handle the situation? I know that is one mistake I will never make again. When fishing, especially in saltwater, always expect the unexpected. 
       Finally I will address a couple of questions asked by a few of my readers.
  
Question 1: What is the most important thing to know about fishing?

I chose this question because it directly relates to the point of my story. The most important thing about fishing is safety, so the most important thing to know about fishing is what equipment you will need to bring for whatever style of fishing you are doing. Had I waited until my dad put the safety harness on me before grabing the rod, I would not have nearly been yanked overboard.

Question 2: What's the most difficult part about fishing?

The most difficult part about fishing is having patience. Most fishing trips will not start like the one in my story where the fish are biting like crazy at any bait you offer. You have to have patience to keep trying different techniques and baits if the fish are not biting. Eventually you will find the right combo and the fish will let you know.

Well that's it for now. In my next post I will answer more questions and introduce several huge organizations that every fisherman should be familiar with.