Fishing is not only just a means of catching something to eat. Fishing has become a hobby enjoyed by a large bunch of people. It can be a fun experience to try with friends or family. But it is also great if you want to go solo. Just imagine the calm body of water, yourself, and fish. No wonder that fishing is still holding up even after thousands of years.
Although fishing seems simple, there are some things that you should keep in mind. There is nothing worse than the walk of shame with an empty catch. If you want to avoid this and have a nice fresh meal and enjoy the fishing experience, here are some useful tips and tricks.
1. Organize properly
People think that fishing is just about showing up to a river, a lake, or sea and waiting. By waiting, the fish will just magically appear to them. This scenario is not a real representation of what fishing is. Proper organization is the key when it comes to fishing. Always think ahead about where you want to fish and when you want to fish. Do not forget to check if the weather will be suitable.
The right place
The first thing you should ask yourself is where you want to fish? Do you want to go saltwater fishing? Maybe surf fishing? Or ice fishing? Let’s say you want to go surf fishing, appreciate the view, the right places to go, according to www.fishmasters.com, would be the Oregon Inlet, Fort Myers Beach in Florida, Herring Point in Delaware, and many more. If you wish to go fishing in other locations check your surroundings because, for example with ice fishing, you can’t go anywhere and expect to have ice with fish underneath.
You can check your surroundings pretty easily. There are many apps with maps. Some of the apps even offer a detailed preview of what type of fish to expect. But these apps cost sometimes. If you do not want to spend extra bucks on that, just do the research on your own. There are many articles, charts, and guides on the web for where to expect each kind of fish.
The right time
A common beginner’s mistake is mismatching the time. Always check when the fish are in season. Some of the fish are not allowed to be caught at a certain time. Not only that, you should check the daily behavior of fish. Most of the fish are active during the morning or evening. You can’t expect to have a good catch if the fish are resting and not moving much.
2. Using different baits
There are two kinds of fishermen. The ones that use only one bait. And the ones that switch baits every minute. Both of the extremes are wrong. Do not be too clingy with one bait. Give the other ones a try too. But at the same time, you shouldn’t switch your bait too often.
Try using bait for one hour and then switch if it is not going well. There are many different types of baits. Make sure to have a good variety of baits and colors. No need to have a whole million types of baits, but have some different at your hand.
3. Patience and paying attention are golden
Once you pick the right location, the right time, and know how to use your bait, the rest is up in the fish’s hands (or fins if you wish). Luck can be a large part of this process. Just wait, patiently, and the fish will appear. And that is what you should be looking for. There are not a lot of exciting moments while fishing. Some people do not like that, but try to look at it the other way. It can be a good chance to just relax your mind. It is a chance to ease the tension and just watch.
But do not relax that much. You should still be wary. If you are just too busy reading a good book or scrolling through your phone, you might miss the chance of a big catch. Balance is the key again. Try leaving the distractions and just enjoy the water. Do not listen to music as the loud noises can scare the fish away (not even the famous sea shanties).
4. Handling the fish
Congratulations, you caught the fish. What to do with the fish now? Handling the fish is very careful and if not done properly it can endanger the fish, you, or even people around you. First of all, when you catch the fish, identify it. If you catch an endangered species, you should release it back immediately. If you catch an endangered species, measure it. Some species are allowed to be caught if they are at the proper age.
Once you have determined that you may carry the fish, watch out, they are slimy. Do not try to remove this slime. It protects them from drying up and from infections. Some fish can have very hard and sharp scales. So be careful not to get a cut.
Eating the catch
If you wish to snack on what you caught, you need to check if the species is edible. Some species have certain toxins, also called ichthyotoxin. These toxins are very dangerous and commonly found in the eggs of the fish. Make sure to cook the fish thoroughly if required. If the fish has the before-mentioned hard and sharp scales, they need to be removed.
Fishing is an experience that everyone should try out at some point in their life. With all the growing popularity of eating fresh food, fishing seems to be the best answer for it. And it can be quite fun. So make sure to organize a fishing trip properly. Pick the right place by checking your surroundings. Make sure that you are going at the right time when the fish are active.
Use different baits, not too much and not too little if you wish to catch more. Be patient with the water. The fish will come, but you need to be ready. Once you catch it you need to handle it with proper care. Before eating your catch, always check if it is edible. If it is, make sure to do it the recommended way.
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