Deep Sea Fishing: The Thrill of It All

You will never know the thrill of deep sea fishing until you experience it first hand, the first time. The choices of fish for your deep sea fishing excursion include but are not limited to swordfish, shark, tuna, marlin, and of course sailfish. The sport does require some specialized equipment.

Your rod and reel are the backbone of your equipment and all need to be balanced in size. Rods for deep sea fishing are much larger, thicker and harder to break. The length of the rod is the main decision and that will depend on whether you want to cast farther or have more power pulling in the fish. The reel itself should hold at least 300 yards of line and they come in many varieties. The line should be a test weight between twelve and thirty pounds. You should look for a hook size between 3.0 up to 6.0 and the leader between 10 and 15 feet long. The leaders should have a test weight between 30 to 50 pounds and double line them.

Some deep sea anglers prefer live ballyhoo as bait for sailfishing. Some other excellent choices for bigger fish would be blue runners, speedos, googleyes, dead bait rigs and lures. By providing bait that is the natural prey for the fish you are after you will do much better. Hermit crabs, shrimp squid and threadfin are good if you are after grouper, kingfish, snapper, wahoo and tuna. Remember not to touch bait with sunscreen on your hands and the less you touch the bait, the better your chances. You can use seabirds to find the areas where bait is plentiful and usually where they are cleaning the catch of the day.

Other gear requirements will depend on where you plan to fish. You could possibly need rain gear and take along some warm clothing. For additional information on gear check with the charter you plan to use.

Using a charter service is one of the best things you can do, especially if you are new to the sport. Before choosing a charter, check them out, do your research and make sure they are reliable and trustworthy. A charter will take you to where the fish are and you will have people to help you learn the tricks of the trade and an enjoyable experience that will keep bringing you back for more. You can’t go wrong with a charter service. Just sit back and enjoy the deep blue water and have fun reeling in that gorgeous fish!

Saltwater Fishing: Fundamentals You Need to Know

So, you’ve decided to try fishing for the day. After all, you figured, why not, right? Fishing is your favorite past time – or soon to be favorite past time. If you’re just starting out, why not try a “sport” that’s been around for centuries that people have been in love with for ages – and that’s climbing the charts in popularity?

If you’re not out for lobster, you’re probably out for one of the following:

- cod
- tarpon
- eels
- sea catfish
- mackerel
- barracuda
- swordfish
- bass
- tuna
- sharks
- and many more.

Your Need As A Fisherman (or woman)

Take a fishing rod that won’t break down. You can go cheap, but then you’ll have to repair or buy a new rod when the old one breaks down—and that’s simply something that you don’t want. If you’re wondering how long it should be, it’s best to do it at eight and a half feet – or at the most, nine feet. Remember, make sure it’s a good, strong rod with excellent quality.

For the reels:

Make sure you go for a rod that is protected from what is called saltwater corrosion. You want one that is made from stainless steel or one that is made from titanium or fiber/resin. You also need something that is good quality. It could cost nearly $100. If you’re freaking out a bit over the price, relax: you should make that much back in what you catch and sell or by saving on your dinner costs! If you’re not one of those people who catch for either of those reasons, your rod will last much longer than the competition, and it won’t wear out.

If you’ve decided that you’re going to try underwater fishing for a day or if you’re a new fan, you’ll want to go with a clear, middle ground line; or you could try a clear sink line. Or, if you want, you could even buy both—you’ll make your money’s worth eventually, right?

If you’re going fishing in the leaders, you’ll need a longer lear line for shy fish.

If you’re going for the toothy you should go with a thick leader.

Make sure that you bring flies along for the trip. Now, most people would say that is crazy—who wants flies along? But yes, you want flies. You can purchase them in a wide variety with lots of different shapes or look around for what the expert anglers/fishermen use. You ask your fishing buddies for tips on what you need.

When you go to cast the rod…

So, you’re an expert on casting trout, right? Then you won’t have a problem with the rest; you know the basics. The basic goal of fishing? Well, there’s only one: go light!

Regardless of the people who say “go big or go home”, you don’t want to ruin or overline your fishing rod by adding extra weight. If you feel this will give you an advantage, think of the advantage you’ll have when your fishing rod doesn’t break open.

There are some fishers who are more than willing to offer you a free lesson, happy to see someone else take on the sport. If you are just now starting out, you should consider taking advantage: everyone needs a place to start, and getting help from the experts is a great place to begin. If you want to catch more fish quicker than anyone else, you’ll want their advice. If you feel like you need more practice or simply want an expert’s opinion, there are many professionals who you can hire to teach you how to fish. If you’re considering fishing as a career, this is the way to go.

So, it’s finally time to hook your fish, right? Well, here’s the first tip: Don’t lift your rod high in the air. You also, contrary to popular belief, do not want to fight the fish. You need to upset the fish instead. (Much better, right?) What you want to do is flip the fish, roll the fish, or do anything you can to get it distracted.

When you’re ready to “land it” – bring it into the boat – keep in mind to keep the rod tip low. If you high stick it, you’re more than likely to raise your rod, and few people want to or are willing to shell out another $100 bucks for your fishing rod.

Things to bring along so you don’t get hurt:

Globes and pliers.

Tips so you don’t get hurt:

Stay away from sharks.

If You Wondered What Bait You Should Use…:

So, you’re finally ready to test out the sea, and you’re wondering what kind of bait to use? Relax. The choice is simple. You can use both live and fake (what is called artificial in saltwater fishing) and you have multiple choices. You are more than welcome to use live and natural products, so you have lots of different fish to choose from. If you’re feeling adventurous, consider shrimp and baitfish.

If you don’t have the money for shrimp or simply don’t want to touch it, you can try something the fish would normally eat in the sea: crayfish, crabs, oysters or something new: crustacean.

The number one tip of the day:

Make sure you don’t overweight it! The size of your hook should be the size of your bait! You don’t want to ruin your chances—and you don’t want to have to buy a new rod!

Now that you’ve read this, you’re ready to enjoy a day fishing in the saltwater. Make sure to bring along some fresh water to drink! You can find most of your equipment and more information for your next trip.