How to catch saltwater-fish
HOW TO CATCH FISH FROM SAILING YACHTS
Saltwater-fish go with salt water life afloat. Many liveaboard cruising folk say that
they do not catch many fish, but it is generally because they do not target the fish
type and use the correct rigs. Catching your own fish is often a great way to
balance the cruising budget, and nothing quite tastes so good as fresh saltwater-
fish. Simply throwing a line off the stern and hoping for the best is not going to
keep you that well fed. The most common saltwater-fish caught off the stern are
those generally termed as pelagic fish such as the Spanish Mackerel, the School
and Spotted Mackerel, Bonito and Tuna, or sometimes a Dorado (Dolphin Fish).
These are migratory ocean going fish that surface feed on smaller bait fish. Many
top anglers will also tell you that saltwater-fish bite better on the full moon, or the
periods each side of it, so give it a try. This applies to ocean, reef and estuary
fishing, even some clever digital watches will work out optimum fishing periods,
everything helps. I game fishing boat captain friend of mine swears by these
watches, and what's more they are quite cheap to buy. Win Free Fishing Tackle Click here
Which surface saltwater-fish is which?
Don’t know which saltwater-fish it is! well then here is a quick guide. Invest in a
saltwater-fish identification chart and laminate it for quick reference.
Mackerels generally have triangular, sharp teeth and rigid, crescent shaped tails.
Barracuda have long needle looking teeth prominent on the top jaw and a soft tail
similar to bream,
Tuna and bonito have a cigar shaped body with dark blue or green backs and
silver bellies, Bonito generally have horizontal stripes.
The ocean is often a rather barren place for fish, those large trawlers and long-
liners don't help the situation much either, but it can simply be a question of
fishing where the saltwater-fish will be feeding. These areas include the
following, so it pays to keep a close eye on your chart depth contours, sometimes
a minor course deviation can pay culinary dividends.
Reef systems - These are natural locations for saltwater-fish to concentrate
Sub sea mountains, plateaus, and pinnacles - A rise in the seabed of
only 50 feet can produce results on the surface 300 feet above particularly where
currents rise off that feature and cause eddies on the surface
Current lines - Saltwater-fish are often seen foraging along these lines
Temperature occlusions - This is generally on the continental shelf
where deep and colder waters meet inshore warmer shelf waters. A series of
tacks across the line is often very useful
Weed Rafts - The fish often travel with the raft using it as protection, and
as a source of food. (if you are ever unfortunate enough to end up in a life raft,
try and secure yourself to a weed raft if you drift into one, as it has abundant life
saving life).
Visual signs of saltwater-fish - Flocks of seabirds wheeling and diving. Generally
they are feeding on surface schools. Signs of surface saltwater-fish schools jumping as
predators chase them. Often schools are chased by sharks, dolphins and other
larger predatory fish
ABOUT TROLLING FOR FISH
Trolled lures are the general method of fishing for pelagic saltwater-fish. There
are a few basic recommendations to follow. If using lines, braided lines are
generally a lot better as it tends to kink a lot less. My personal choice on my
boat is braided line with at least a 200lb breaking strain leader. Use stainless or
black swivels to join the trace. The cord is attached to the boat using a rubber
toilet pipe sealing ring to cushion the strike shock. If using a reel then one with a
variable clutch is essential. Most saltwater-fish are lost (the ones that get away!)
as they break the line on the initial strike and run. Set the tension so that it pays
out under medium pressure. When a saltwater-fish strikes, round up and take way off the
boat, then just wind in hard, do not tighten up the clutch. Wear the sailing gloves
when you haul them in, as line can cause nasty lacerations when a saltwater-fish does a
run.
The best catches of saltwater-fish are always taken along reef edges and close to deep
passages, around islands. The best boat speeds are around 3-6 knots, with
around 100 feet (30 meters) of line paid out astern. Gaff the fish before lifting
aboard, as many a good saltwater-fish is lost at this stage as the hooks straighten out,
lines break or the traces are severed. You lose a good and expensive lure as
well.
LAND THAT CATCH!
When you land your catch, dispatch the victim between the eyes with something
heavy and blunt, I use a winch handle, and then bleed the fish straight away.
This is done by cutting either under or behind the gills. Stand and have your
picture taken with the fish for the album and then bleed, fillet and put straight on
ice or in the frig. Failure to do this will mean rapid softening and discoloration of
the flesh, which is a waste after all the effort and expense.
CHOOSE YOUR FISHING LURES
For every saltwater-fish there are several lures. There are many brands of lures, some prefer spoons and similar or more lifelike
lures that imitate saltwater-fish movement and colors. The best lures to use varies, I use
squid types, with lots of color and bubble creation, also I use either as a leader or
as the lure, a flying fish. The flying fish skips across the water like the real prey that many tropical pelagic saltwater-fish subsist on, as a leader I place one about
6-8 feet up from another smaller different lure. The fish are attracted to the
skipping flying fish, and then hone in on the smaller lure. The flying fish is also
successful on it’s own.
FISHING SAFETY
Making the most of your time - Fishing Safety rules everyone should know - Author: Rebecca Blain of http://www.discount-hunting-supplies-and-tips.com
When you are going fishing, whether nearby your home or on a long distance trip, there are many fishing safety rules that you
need to keep in mind.
These rules can help prevent injury to yourself and others while shore and boat fishing.
There are several different areas of fishing safety that you should be aware of. These include the following:
- Equipment Safety
- Pier Fishing Safety
- Offshore Fishing Safety
- Shore Fishing Safety and
Noodling
- Ice Fishing Safety
Equipment Safety
Before you go fishing, you need to make certain that all of your equipment is in safe working
order. This should be done before you even consider going out to any waterfront. You need to check several things while looking
over your various pieces of equipment.
First, you need to check your fishing rod and reel. Both of these pieces should be in top condition, with the rod having no
cracks or breaks. If your rod separates, you need to make certain that it is very secure when it is built together. The reel itself should operate smoothly, with the line coiling without tangles. If the line is tangling quite a bit within the reel, you will need to unbind the line and replace it with new. If this behavior continues, you should consider a new reel.
The type of line that you use should be a consideration as well. Dependent on the conditions you are going to be fishing in, you will want to use different line. With rocky bottoms, where your line is going to get caught easier, you will want to use a lower line rating. If you are fishing for larger fish, the test on the line should be increased to match what you are planning on
catching.
The final fishing safety check that you should make is on your tackle, sinkers and lures. If any of these are rusted, you
should replace them with new ones, as rusted equipment can change a mild injury into tetnis or a worse illness.
Pier Fishing Safety
One type of fishing that many people enjoy is pier fishing. When you go fishing off of a pier,
there are several fishing safety rules that you should keep in mind. First, you should only place your feet into the water if
you know that there are not vicious fish, such as Muskie, in the water. Muskie, as well as other types of vicious fish, are
renown for biting off the toes of unsuspecting fishers off of piers. For this reason, you should avoid doing this. In addition to this, you should never run on the piers, especially if you are carrying any sharp equipment. The most important thing to keep in mind when pier fishing is to use your common sense.
Falling from the pier, especially taller ones, can be life threatening. Leaning over the pier edge, as well as being careless, can put yourself and others in danger.
Offshore Fishing Safety
When you go on a boat for a session of offshore fishing, you need to be extra careful. Out
of all of the forms of fishing, this is the most dangerous. You need to be aware of the weather and potential weather changes at
all times. In addition to this, you need to make certain that you are always wearing a life preserver. While these may be
uncomfortable, or ugly to wear, they can make the difference between life and death. You should always make certain that you
know you do not hit anyone with your hook when you are casting. This is the most dangerous aspect of offshore fishing, as you
are most likely fishing in close quarters, which requires a higher level of skill when you are casting. Hooking yourself or
a companion is a real likely hood in this style of fishing, unless you are extremely careful.
Shore Fishing and Noodling
Shore fishing is the style of fishing that most people participate. During fishing seasons,
hundreds of people gather around oceans and rivers and ponds to take their hand at trying to catch the largest fish possible.
Lures are constantly flying through the air, and lines get tangled more often than not. When you are shore fishing, you need to make certain you are aware of all of the people around you, and that they are aware of you. Taking children to crowded beaches for fishing can be extremely dangerous, as they can get hooked while running and playing. Injuries sustained in this manner can be severe. As long as you are careful, and you do not run or dart across the path of someone casting, shore fishing can be the safest of all types of fishing.
There is one form of shore fishing, however, that is extremely dangerous. This is called "Noodling". Noodling, or another term
for "Idiot", is the practice of wading out to waist or chest level and bending down to search holes, logs and other hiding
holes for catfish. Then you wiggle your fingers. If there is a catfish - or another type of creature in residence - they will
attack your bare hand. Then the fight begins, and the Noodler needs to bring the fish to shore. Many lose their lives yearly
to this extreme sport, and it should be avoided, as it is not safe.
Ice Fishing Safety
When you are going ice fishing,
there are a lot of safety rules that you need to follow at all
times. Unlike the other forms of standard fishing, ice fishing
presents a lot of health risks. First, you should never go ice
fishing without a well built shack. The shacks provide you
shelter while you are ice fishing. Without this shelter, you
will be susceptible to hypothermia and other health related
problems.
The second thing you need to keep in mind at all times is the
condition of the ice and the weather predictions. Falling
through the ice while ice fishing, especially alone, is a death
sentence. Being trapped on the open ice during a blizzard is
also extremely dangerous, even with the shelter of an ice shack
available. When you are stocking your ice shack, you need to
make certain that you have enough wood for the wood stove, or
heating device within the shack. This device should also be
cared for and watched over at all times, so the ice beneath the
shack remains stable or that the shack does not burn.
If you keep these fishing safety tips and rules in mind, you
should be able to have an enjoyable time fishing without high
risk of injury to yourself or others, no matter which form of
fishing you choose to participate in.
About the author:
Rebecca Blain is a professional and hobbyist writer who enjoys
educating people about fishing supplies which can be read about
here: http://www.discount-hunting-supplies-and-t
ips.com/discount-fishing-supplies.html
CLICK HERE FOR GREAT RECIPES FOR EATING SALTWATER-FISH. GET A COPY OF THE GREAT CRUISING COOKBOOK. GREAT INFORMATION AND GREAT IDEAS FOR FOOD AND RECIPES
Not all saltwater-fish are catch and eat. Now I don't mean to scare you all, but ciguatera
poisoning must be considered in
some places. This normally non-fatal but debilitating poisoning occurs from
eating some reef saltwater-fish in tropical areas. Two to three percent of severe
cases are fatal and caused by respiratory system paralysis and failure. The
problem is caused by fish feeding on others that have consumed an organism
called dino-flagellates that grow on specific algae, notably blue-green. There are
approximately 300 saltwater-fish species suspected of causing poisoning. These
include the surgeon fish, coral trout, red snapper, mackerel, queen fish, red
emperor, sweet lip, barracuda and grouper. Current research shows that fish
above 5lb (2.5kg) are worst as the toxins concentrate and are stronger the larger
the fish becomes. Any area where major reef disturbances have or are occurring
there is a significantly increased risk of poisoning. This is after cyclones and
hurricanes, pollution and any major natural reef disturbance. The list of areas
where it is endemic include Southern Florida, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Marshall
Islands, French Polynesia, American Samoa, Papua new Guinea, Virgin Islands,
Bahamas and Australia Other research I have found is that certain crabs in Asia
are also susceptible to poisoning.
The symptoms usually appear in anything from one to 12 hours. The first stage
lasts around 40 hours and is characterized by tiredness and profuse perspiration.
Usually this may be accompanied by vomiting, diarrhea and stomach cramps.
Longer lasting effects include blurred vision and sore eyes, tight chest pains, lack
of muscular coordination and blood in the urine. There are long term effects that
may last years that include tingling or numbness of the lips, hands and feet,
aching joints, severe headaches and aching teeth. Also there is a strange effect
of temperature sensory reversal, which means hot feels cold and vice versa. I
had an email once from a lady called Marianne, who informs me she has
suffered and still suffers from the results of the neurotoxin involved. She advised
that she was in hospital for 5 days and cost $8000 in medical bills. In her
message she advises that one doesn’t necessarily have to be in an area of reef
disturbance to pick up the toxin in fish. The toxin is 1,000 times more toxic than
arsenic by volume, scary isn’t it?
One method I have been told of by a charter skipper called Gail, is that you
should rub the saltwater-fish liver on the lip and tongue, as this is where toxins
accumulate
the most. If the lip goes numb or tingling, the fish is suspect. It does work so don't
be squeamish. A clever chap called Tim Lee advised me that the common fish
liver to the lips detection test, the only one many of us know, may only indicate
fish with high levels of toxin so therefore not a foolproof and reliable test. He
pointed out that low toxin levels also can cause illness, and toxin accumulation.
The toxin is a fat soluble compound that takes a week to flush out of the body.
Evidently there are cases where a pound a day of fish of low level toxin can
cause quite serious poisoning by weeks end as accumulation rises to a
significant level. The point made is that for safety the use of fish liver sampling is
inherently flawed and unsafe, and this we all understand. He advises that the
Cigua-Check detection test kit developed by Dr Yoshitsugi Hokami of University
of Hawaii School of Medicine, has over 10000 tests in the field and a verified
sensitivity for ciguatoxin of over 92%. This kit is the only one to verify toxin in fish
flesh, and available worldwide in tackle shops, marine shops etc. I have done
some checks and the price is typically around $30 and the test time is around 45
minutes. I love to fish, and to eat a few of the catch, so the more I can get on this
the better, believe me you don’t want to suffer the results.
Now that you have got the perfect saltwater-fish, and you know it's safe, so let's go and
enjoy it!
