The Challenges of Saltwater Sport Fishing

If compared to commercial fishing, saltwater sport fishing falls in the category of hobbies that put very little pressure on the environment: this is an activity that demands nothing for the fun it gives in return. The sheer leisure pursuit, this is the main trait of sport fishing, as it has nothing to do with profit or survival issues.

The most basic of saltwater sport fishing form requires nothing else but lots of hooks, a rod, a line and a reel. Of course, there are other additional devices, called terminal tackle, that people use so as to alter or complete the way the bait attracts fish. Among the terminal tackle items used in both commercial and sport fishing, floats, swivels and weights should be mentioned first. Sometimes, instead of baits fishermen rely on different types of lures, from artificial flies to plastic worms and other hand-crafted items that make fishing a lot more rewarding.

Though a male occupation first and foremost, sport fishing has left room enough for women too. Some hobbyists are disatisfied with the way some issues are dealt with in the fishing circles and the big paradox refers to the lack of apparent purpose for the sport. What’s the point of fishing if you eventually release the catch anyway? And yet, this is the very purpose of sport fishing. Relaxation and fun define a sport that can be easily defined as a catch-release game.Weedless Fishing Hooks

Various practices carry the name of sport fishing. The explanations for this variety were mainlyinvented to set competition standards and move the practice to a more peaceful environment friendly level. Thus, on the average sport fishing types include noodling, big-game fishing, kayak fishing and trout tickling. For example, in the case of kayak fishing people rely on stealthy sea kayaks that allow fishermen to reach areas that are unfishable under regular circumstances. In big-game fishing the main action is carried out in boats, too, and the catch is represented by large open-water fishes such as tuna, marlin or sharks. Anyway, individual fishing contests are run on land while team competitions depend on boats.

As for the beginnings of sport fishing, it is known that it got its initial rudiementary form sometime in the 16th and 17th centuries, but big-game fishing imposed itself as a sport after the motorized boats were invented. In 1898, the marine biologist, Dr. Charles Frederick Holder put the basis for this sport and published a number of books and articles that cover a nice blend of exciting stories and precise scientific details.