Saltwater Fishing

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Inshore, Offshore, Surf, Fly and More Saltwater Fishing

 

 

 

This page has basic information on saltwater fishing. Recreational fishing is the most popular outdoor activity in the USA and much of that is done in saltwater.

Saltwater fishing has many forms with something for nearly everyone. Saltwater anglers might choose to fish in the surf along beaches, jetties, piers, inlets, bridges, or by boat.

The wide variety of saltwater fishing locations allows anglers of any age, sex or physical state a change to enjoy the sport.

USA Recreational Saltwater Fishing 

Marine recreational anglers caught more than 468 million fish in 2007, down slightly from last year's historic high of 475 million fish, but still the second highest recreational catch total in the last ten years. The overall number of fish caught and kept also declined slightly, from 214 million to 196 million fish, according to NOAA Fisheries Service.

The 2007 data demonstrates a widespread turn toward "catch and release" among recreational anglers. While anglers are catching about 27 percent more fish than a decade ago, they are also releasing more fish than they keep. Of the 468 million fish caught by anglers in 2007, 272 million or 58 percent were released alive. The percentage of fish released into the environment has increased steadily from about 51 percent in 1993.

Spotted seatrout was the most popular catch among marine recreational anglers. The species is caught in the Gulf of Mexico and the south Atlantic regions, which have the highest combined concentration of saltwater anglers in the nation. The top catches in other regions were lane snapper (Caribbean), striped bass (North Atlantic), Atlantic croaker (Mid-Atlantic), chub mackerel (Pacific), black rockfish ( Pacific Northwest), and bigeye scad (Western Pacific).

source: NOAA Fish News

photo credit: U.S Fish and Wildlife Service

Saltwater Fishing Books Plexo 

National Saltwater Angler Registry Poll 

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Saltwater Angler Registry to Begin in 2010 

To comply with federal law, unless states have a marine license or other program that supplies NOAA Fisheries Service with an accurate count of marine anglers, most saltwater anglers will need to register with the National Saltwater Angler Registry beginning January 1, 2010.

The Registry is an important part of the Marine Recreational Information Program (MRIP) which has been initiated by NOAA Fisheries Service to improve estimates of recreational fishing activity.

Anyone who is angling or spear fishing for anadromous species (such as striped bass or American shad) in tidal waters or for any fish in federal waters (3 to 200 miles from shore for the U. S. east coast) will have to register.

Who Doesn't have to Register?

Anglers will NOT need to register if they:

* Are under 16;

* Only fish on licensed charter, party or guide boats;

* Hold a federal recreational Highly Migratory Species or subsistence fishing permit;

* Are fishing commercially under a commercial fishing license.

Charter/party vessels (commercial for-hire vessels who take anglers fishing or spear fishing) will only need to register federally if they do not already have another federal permit or license for their for-hire activities.

What does it Cost to Register?

NOAA will not charge a fee to register in 2010, but expects to charge about $15 to $25 in 2011. Fees collected will go into the U. S. treasury. State license fees may be directed by the state to supplement state fisheries management programs.

Saltwater Fishing DVDs 

Fishing Articles 

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Atlantic Coast Saltwater Fish 

Atlantic Croaker

Atlantic Croaker or "hardhead" are popular saltwater fish common along the mid atlantic USA coast. They are known to have wild population fluctuations. The fish get their names because of the "croaking" noise the make when removed from the water. Croakers are hard fighters and prolific feeders. They are caught on a variety of baits and lures.

Weakfish

Weakfish are beautiful fish. Typically, fish have a dark olive back, iridescent blue and copper sides and a silvery white belly. Other identifying features are yellow fins, large canine teeth in the upper jaw and dark spots on the upper part of the body, sometimes forming diagonal lines.

Most adult weakfish range from 12 to 18 inches but can grow up to to 3 feet long and weigh 4-18 pounds.

The name "weakfish" comes from the fish's fragile mouth, which tears easily when hooked. Weakfish is the state fish of Delaware.

Weakfish are members of the drum family, which includes spot, red drum, back drum and Atlantic croaker. This family of fish make a drumming or croaking sound by vibrating its swim bladder using special muscles.

Black Drum

Black drum are heavy bodied fish with barbels or whiskers under the chin. Younger fish have four or five dark vertical bars on their sides but the stripes tend to fade with age. The coloration of backs and sides varies although drum usualy have a white belly. Black drum can exceed 100 pounds!

Black drum are members of the drum family, which includes spot, red drum, gray trout and Atlantic croaker. This family of fish make a drumming or croaking sound by vibrating its swim bladder using special muscles. This ability is most developed in the black drum and anglers can sometime hear sounds from schools passing near their boats.

Shark Identification Charts Available 

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)announces the availability of a shark identification placard for recreational fishermen.
This placard provides information on the shark species that can be legally retained by recreational anglers in federal waters of the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, and Caribbean Sea.

Please note that recreational vessels must possess a valid Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Angling or HMS Charter/Headboat permit to fish for sharks.

Additionally, federally permitted recreational vessels must comply with federal HMS regulations, regardless of where they are fishing unless a state has more restrictive regulations. In that case, the fishermen must follow the more restrictive regulations.

For more information see the Atlantic HMS website at:
http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms/

or contact the HMS Management Division at (301)713-2347 (phone) or (301)713-1917 (fax)

Download pdf versions of the placards directly here:

http://seagrant.gso.uri.edu/bookstore/sharkplacard1.pdf

http://seagrant.gso.uri.edu/bookstore/sharkplacard2.pdf

The Value of Recreational Fishing in the USA 

Recreational saltwater anglers pumped more than $31 billion into the U.S. economy in 2006, with Florida, Texas, California, Louisiana, and North Carolina receiving the largest share according to a new study issued by NOAA's Fisheries Service.

At the national level, saltwater anglers are estimated to have spent $5.8 billion on trip-based expenses, such as ice, bait, and fuel, and another $25.6 billion on fishing equipment and durable goods like fishing rods, fishing tackle, and boats.

The top five coastal recreational fishing states are: Florida ($16.7 billion), Texas ($3.2 billion), California ($3.0 billion), Louisiana ($2.9 billion), and North Carolina ($2.0 billion).

In addition to quantifying angler expenditures, this study examines how these expenditures circulated through each state's economy and the national economy using a regional assessment. The $31.4 billion in total U.S. expenditures in 2006 contributed $82.3 billion in total sales, $39.1 billion to gross national product, $24 billion in personal income, and supported nearly 534,000 jobs.

The Economic Contribution of Marine Angler Expenditures in the United States 2006 is available online. A hardcopy of this report may be obtained by contacting Scott Steinback via e-mail or by mail at the address below:

NOAA's Fisheries Service
Northeast Fisheries Science Center
166 Water Street
Woods Hole, MA 02543-1026

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featured lens Cleaning Fish - How to Scale, Clean, Fillet and Store Fish

This page has links and tutorials on how to handle, scale, skin, fillet and store fish in order to enjoy the freshest, highest quality seafood available.

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This lens has information about shark identification. Sharks are magificient predators that live in oceans, bays, and saltwater estuaries worldwide. Occasionally sharks even enter rivers and travel miles upcurrent.

Inshore Saltwater Fish Lenses 

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Saltwater Fish T Shirts 

Inshore Fishing Organic Cotton Tee

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Red Snapper (titled) White T-Shirt

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Standup Fishing 

Standup fishing involves specialized tackle which gives the angler not only freedom to maneuver but also puts the angler in a position where they can use their body to its utmost advantage against large and powerful fish.

The foundation of the system includes special rods which are shorter than traditional IGFA trolling rods that were once common in offshore fishing. Stand up rods bend in a parabolic curve, meaning they flex more at the tip and stiffen sharply along their length. The reel seat is also closer to the butt on standup style rods. This design allows more pressure to be transferred to the fish during a hookup and fight.

A key component of stand up tackle is the gimbal belt, which places the pivot point low on the angler, creating an optimal leverage against the fish. For larger fish, a kidney or shoulder harness is added. The harness greatly increases the size of fish that an angler can comfortably catch.

How does stand-up fishing help the angler?

First, the simplicity of the system makes it an ideal choice for small to mid-sized boats, and for anglers of all ages and skill levels. The learning curve is fast and the technique is extremely popular among beginners and seasoned anglers alike. Another reason that stand up fishing has become so popular in offshore fishing is that it is more fun. Anglers can follow the fish around as it maneuvers and keep pressure on the fish, even while resting their arm momentarily.

Captain Glenn of Shammy Sportfishing explained the how they use the technique to fish for large tuna off the coast of Virginia, stating "Stand up tackle allows us to introduce anglers from teens to seniors to large bluefin and yellowfin tuna as well as several other species. In matter of minutes, we can effectively coach anglers of any skill level to battle tuna that sometimes outweigh the angler. The tackle allows us to have a clean, organized cockpit with lots of room for fishing and relaxing. When a tuna is hooked, we quickly outfit the angler and the fight is on. People are amazed at how easy and effective this system can be.

Anglers that fished aboard Shammy described the experience, saying "On the day we fished, we found the motherlode of fish. At times we fought fish 2,3, and 4 at a time. This action was non-stop for a couple hours! Our catch included dolphin of all sizes, a couple types of jacks, enormous false albacore and skipjack tuna. Captain Glen and his mate showed us how to use the standup tackle, quickly getting us equipped with belts and helping us into postion at the stern. The covering boards are well padded which provided a comfortable surface to brace ourselves against.We were able to catch a lot of big fish with very little physical strain."

To learn more about standup fishing in Virginia for tuna, sharks, billfish and other species visit Shammy Sportfishing. For accommodations in Chincoteague Island Virginia, visit Chincoteague Vacation Rentals.

Great Shoes for Fishermen, Boaters and Nature Lovers 

Croc shoes are an American success story. Designed for gardening, boating and other outdoor activities, our culture suddenly embraced crocs and the rest is history.

Now crocs come in all sizes, styles and colors. The original and most popular crocs are the beach model, but there are many variations including several models of sandals and the new mammoth croc shoes for cooler climates. Crocs also has a full line of clothing and accessories.Crocs are LIGHT, comfortable, easy to clean, they have excellent traction and allow your feet to breathe.

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Shimano Reels eBay 

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The Chesapeake Bay 

The Chesapeake Bay Watershed includes more than 400,000 acres of land and thousands of miles of open bay, rivers and streams, making the Chesapeake Bay the largest estuary in North America. The name "Chesapeake" is a Susquehanock word meaning "great shellfish bay."

The Chesapeake Bay begins in Pennsylvania, as a small part of the Susquehanna River. It passes thru Maryland and Virginia, emptying into the Atlantic near The Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel.

The estuary is a vital breeding ground and sanctuary for thousands of fish, shellfish, reptiles, birds and mammals.

The Chesapeake Bay is famous for its crabs, oysters, and fish. Known for its importance as a major breeding ground for striped bass or "Rockfish", one of the most important sport and food fish of the USA east coast.

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