Angling

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Q 1.
	Do you have any figures on the value of the Marine Sport fishery in the state of Florida?
Q 2.
	I am a keen sports fisherman. I plan to go to Great Britain for a holiday and would like to know about the sports fishing prospects there.
Q 3.
	Where is the sport fishery for salmon centered in Canada?
Q 4.
	Is it reasonable to expect that fish would inhabit a man-made reef to a degree which would appreciably affect sport fishing?
Q 5.
	What kinds of game fishes are available to anglers fishing in the Mediterranean?
Q 6.
	My main hobby is deepwater sport fishing. Until recently we have been having a great deal of success with sailfish and other game fishes off Jacksonville. Two weeks ago I had my boat hauled and the bottom painted with blue Singapore bottom paint. This is a rather sharp blue color. Since then I have been unable to get a fish to strike, whereas other boats in the area are catching the usual game fishes. Do you think the blue color has anything to do with our lack of success?
Q 7.
	How does one become a member of the International Game Fish Association? What are the annual dues for such membership?
Q 8.
	When and where was the first blue marlin caught on rod and reel?
Q 9.
	My associates and I have been told that there are NO fish in the waters around Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. That is to say, very little in the way of black, blue, or white marlin, sailfish or tuna. Has any survey ever been taken to determine the scope of game fish in these waters?
Q 10.
	A friend of mine has a $50 bet with his wife over his statement that no fisherman ever caught a sole(fish). Is this statement correct?
Q 11.
	How many have seen codfish caught on the same day when jack crevalle were being caught in Long Island Sound almost next to codfish catches. This happened to me last fall, when I caught fourteen jacks in almost the same area where my friend caught six nice big cod. I have also heard of other tropical fishes being caught in this same area, so what is the story, and what are the facts about tropical fishes being taken in waters where true cold-water fishes are found?
Q 12.
	Surf fishing has been poor on the upper southeast Florida coast this year. How much effect did last fall's hurricanes have on dirty water conditions? Could the hurricanes have hurt our fishing?
Q 13.
	An acquaintance of mine claims he caught a 7-foot sailfish from a pier on Florida's east coast. According to his story, he was using live bait and light spinning tackle. Is this possible?
Q 14.
	In fishing for blue marlin we have found that 70 per cent of all fish hooked by us were hooked while we were trolling with the current. We have also found that more marlin strikes occur during the period from about two hours after the high tide until the tide is about half way down. Can you give any reasons for this?
Q 15.
	My friend and I have been fishing in the Everglades for years and have been unable to figure out why the bass do not bite when the wind is westerly. The fishing is a lot better when the wind is from any other direction. Can you explain this curiosity?
Q 16.
	I am a professional gamefishing guide in the Florida Keys. I release our catches when they are not wanted for mounting purposes or food, but often wonder how many actually survive. During the netting and removal of the hook, in some instances, the protective film on the fish's body is removed from some parts of it. Does this film regenerate? Secondly, when a fish is released and the hook is left in its mouth, what is likely to take place?
Q 17.
	I plan to visit Florida and do some sport fishing. What are Florida's laws regarding this activity?
Q 18.
	Where can I obtain the information needed to organize a youth fishing club?
Q 19.
	When I catch fishes this summer, how should they be preserved for the hot trip home in the car?
Q 20.
	I often go fishing of southern California where it is illegal to catch giant sea bass. I have heard that if you accidentally catch one and throw it back into the water, the fish floats to the surface where it may die instead of returning to deeper waters. Is this true? If so, why does it happen, and is there anything I can do to help a fish in this situation?


_{-- a n s w e r s a b o u t A n g l i n g --}
	Q&A 1.	Do you have any figures on the value of the Marine Sport fishery in the state of Florida? Connecticut
	Although the Florida State Board of Conservation and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service jointly publish the commercial fisheries landings for the state of Florida, there are no figures available on the poundage or value of the sport catch. Sports writers and Florida Chambers of Commerce have made estimates ranging as high as $800,000,000 annually. Unfortunately, there is at present no way of checking the accuracy of these figures, where are more guesses and may be enormously inaccurate.
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	Q&A 2.	I am a keen sports fisherman. I plan to go to Great Britain for a holiday and would like to know about the sports fishing prospects there. West Palm Beach, Florida
	Many species of fish can be taken by lines with simple baits along the coasts of Great Britain either from boats or from wharfs. However, no salt water fish in British waters provide the sport which you associate with the game fish of Florida. Fresh water angling is popular throughout most of the British Isles and many of these fish provide good sport. Perhaps the best British sports fishing can be obtained in the north of Scotland where salmon, sea trout and brown trout are plentiful in many of the rivers and lakes. Some of the best fishing is in private waters but permission can often be obtained to fish there. Good fishing is available in many places either free or in payment of a small fee. Information on fishing prospects can be obtained from the town or county offices in the areas which you plan to visit.
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	Q&A 3.	Where is the sport fishery for salmon centered in Canada? Daytona Beach, Florida
	The sport salmon fishery in British Columbia is fast becoming big business as a tourist and recreational attraction. The Canadian Department of Fisheries statistics show that last year's sport fishing salmon catch totaled 1,125,000 pounds. There is also a sport fishery for Atlantic salmon in the Maritime Provinces.
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	Q&A 4.	Is it reasonable to expect that fish would inhabit a manmade reef to a degree which would appreciably affect sport fishing? Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
	There is no doubt that artificial reefs increase the amount of cover available to fishes and that in the long run the results are a greater survival of the young and a larger total number of fishes in the area. This has been clearly demonstrated in Texas and Alabama where extensive stretches of sandy bottom are found, and where fishing once was restricted to a very few rocky areas. The introduction of artificial reefs here has been very successful in terms of improving angler catch.
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	Q&A 5.	What kinds of game fishes are available to anglers fishing in the Mediterranean? Flemington, New Jersey
	Although Mediterranean fishes were among the first studied by biologists, little attention has been paid to them in modern times. As a result knowledge is poor. There are few big game fisherman or adequately equipped fishing boats (by North American standards) in the Mediterranean, so there is a wide variety of bottom fishes, like groupers and snappers, to be found in virtually all areas of the Mediterranean, and such species as amberjack and its allies and the crevalle jacks should provide good surface and mid-water fishing. Among larger fishes both the swordfish and the little-known longbill spearfish occur in the Mediterranean. Very possibly the white and blue marlins do also.
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	Q&A 6.	My main hobby is deep water sport fishing. Until recently we have been having a great deal of success with sailfish and other game fishes off Jacksonville. Two weeks ago I had my boat hauled and the bottom painted with blue Singapore bottom paint. This is a rather sharp blue color. Since then I have been unable to get a fish to strike, whereas other boats in the area are catching the usual game fishes. Do you think the blue color has anything to do with our lack of success? Jacksonville, Florida
	There is nothing known scientifically to indicate that the colored paint you used on your boat's hull has anything to do with your success or lack of it in fishing for sailfish and other species. There are other paints used on hulls that are brighter than blue Singapore paint. Fishes are quite variable in their food habits. This is particularly true of a predatory species that feeds on other fishes. An item of its food may become available in large numbers in a given area and the predatory species shifts its habits to take.
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	Q&A 7.	How does one become a member of the International Game Fish Association? What are the annual dues for such membership? Palm Beach, Florida
	The International Game Fish Association offers no individual memberships. Membership is open only to bona fide anglers clubs and scientific institutions. At the present time more than 500 of these, throughout the world, are listed as members. No charge is made for such membership. There are in excess of 100 international representatives all over the world. These are elected by the executive committee and serve without pay.
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	Q&A 8.	When and where was the first blue marlin caught on rod and reel? Abaco, Bahamas
	Probably the first blue marlin was carried on rod and reel in New Zealand, since sport fishing for marlin was carried on there before it was in most other areas. Marlin fishing by sportsmen started in earnest in that area during the 1924-25 season, when ninety-two marlins were caught. Even so, the existence of the blue marlin was not recognized in New Zealand waters until the 1950's. In the late 1940's some of the guides and charter boat captains recognized that they were catching a marlin different from the known striped marlin and black marlin. On February 4, 1948, E.V.W. Anderson of Hastings, New Zealand, caught a blue marlin weighing 484 pounds at Mayor Island. Although this marlin was sent to the Auckland Institute and Museum and was measured and examined by Dr. A.W. Powell, it was not described in any publication. It was not until April, 1960, that the blue marlin was first identified and described in New Zealand--by Dr. J. Moreland of the Dominion Museum from a specimen caught in the northeast New Zealand waters. Colonel John K. Howard of the University of Miami Institute of Marine Science knows of two blue marlin that were caught off Miami early in the season of 1926 - one on Captain Bill Peters' boat, the other on Captain Bill Spooner's. Taxidermist and I.O.F. trustee Al Pflueger remembered the incident perfectly because there was some debate as to what the fish were. The fish were also examined by Captain Tommy Gifford, whom Pflueger believes suggested the name "blue marlin." About a week later Captain Bill Fagan brought a small blue marlin from Bimini to Miami. In 1930 Zane Grey caught "a giant Tahitian striped marlin" weighing 1,040 pounds which was badly mutilated by sharks. No striped marlin of such size and weight has ever been caught and recorded; and parts of Grey's description of the fish (its high dorsal fin, the roundness and symmetry of the body) point on its having been a blue marlin. On August 18,1931, A. Hamann boated a marlin 13 feet 5 inches long weighing 696 pounds off Balboa, California. Although this fish was accepted as a striped marlin by the International Game Fish Association, good photographs clearly indicate that it was a blue marlin. It would appear that the first blue marlin caught on rod and reel that can be definitely identified as such was Hamann's. Corrections on article -- Sea Secrets, December 1962 (Vol.6-No.11). Offered by Eerl Roman from Official IGFA Record Book, to Bob Beutel. First blue marlin actually caught in May 1922, by H.L. Woodward fishing aboard the Launch Frederick Ashe, off Havana, Cuba with friend Chick Downing. Weight - 110 pounds. Caught on Edward vom Hofe 6.0 reel and rod with 12 oz. tip and 12 thread line. In story attributed to Col. John K. Howard, Capt. Bill Peters did not own a boat at that time, and the correct year is 1928 (April). Capt. Bill Fagan fished George Stewart of Shippensburg, PA off Bimini and took three black marlin, bringing a138 pound specimen back to Miami to Al Pflueger for mounting, where Al identified the fish as really a blue marlin.
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	Q&A 9.	My associates and I have been told that there is NO fishing the waters around Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. That is to say, very little in the way of black, blue, or white marlin, sailfish or tuna. Has any survey ever been taken to determine the scope of game fish in these waters? San Juan, Puerto Rico
	There are considerable quantities of game fish in the waters of this area. Numerous successful fishing tournaments have been held in the island, and there are several well-known fishing clubs. The black marlin is found only in the Indian and Pacific oceans and so is absent from Puerto Rico. There are many blue marlins in the fall and white marlin in the spring. Sailfish are uncommon in Puerto Rico, being primarily a continental fish. There are ample supplies of yellowfin and blackfin tuna throughout the Caribbean islands. Member C.V.R. of Santurce has written us concerning question number 02074 in the October issue of Sea Secrets, which stated that "sailfish are uncommon around Puerto Rico". C.V.R. relates that a friend of his caught as many as15 in one morning, running about 20 to 30 pounds, but does state that they are "seasonal." It was not the intention of Sea Secrets to infer that these fish are nonexistent, only that they are relatively uncommon, particularly along the northern coast, in comparison with the numbers found along the Florida coast. Member C.V.R. also states that there are numerous dolphin and wahoo available to the fisherman of Puerto Rico.
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	Q&A 10.	A friend of mine has a $50 bet with his wife over his statement that no fisherman ever caught a sole (fish). Is this statement correct? St. Croix, Virgin Islands
	The name "sole" has been applied to many fishes around the world. Among the fishes referred to as soles are several species belonging to more than one family. Thus the soles of the southeastern United States belong to the true sole family Soleidae, whereas the bigmouth sole of the Pacific coast, an important commercial species, is a member of the left eye flounder family, Bothidae; and other soles, including such important species as the Dover sole of the Pacific northwest is a member of the flounder family Pleuronectidae. Some of these are deep-water fishes and are caught only in trawls, while others are taken in shallow waters, sometimes on hook and line, as is the common hogchoker of the Florida region. Several species commonly called soles have been taken on hook and line in various parts of the world, and others have been speared in shallow waters; still others, including perhaps the more of the commercial varieties, have been taken only by commercial fishermen with trawlers or on other types of commercial gear.
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	Q&A 11.	How many have seen codfish caught on the same day when jack crevalle were being caught in Long Island Sound almost next to codfish catches. This happened to me last fall, when I caught fourteen jacks in almost the same area where my friend caught six nice big cod. I have also heard of other tropical fishes being caught in this same area, so what is the story, and what are the facts about tropical fishes being taken in waters where true cold-water fishes are found? West Palm Beach, Florida
	Over the past fifty years, there have been slight but gradual changes in the temperatures of the western Atlantic so that many tropical species, which were formerly believed not to extend north of North Carolina during the summer, are now being found farther north each year. It has been shown that there are occurrences of many tropical species of fishes and invertebrates as far north as Nova Scotia and, in a few cases, Gulf Stream inhabitants have drifted over to the British Isles following an extremely warm summer. During a three-year study of the Delaware Bay region, it was discovered that jack crevalle were fairly common during the summer, and that a few stayed on through the fall and even the winter. This is almost certainly equally true for the Long Island Sound area. Very large jacks are not common, but some smaller ones may find sheltered areas. In general, the young of many tropical species move northward during the summer, but there is no evidence to indicate whether they perish during the first cold of the winter, make their way back to the south, or move to deeper waters where they spend the winter, as appears to be the case with bluefish and mackerel. In any event, there is still much to be learned about the habits of both northern and southern fish during the winter months. Even though both can be found close to each other in the summer, there is usually some difference in water temperature at the depths at which they are caught.
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	Q&A 12.	Surf fishing has been poor on the upper southeast Florida coast this year. How much effect did last fall's hurricanes have on dirty water conditions? Could the hurricanes have hurt our fishing? Fort Pierce, Florida
	Immediate effects of hurricanes are usually short-lived; however, bottom vegetation often acts as a sand filter. Severe uprooting or heavy sand spills may then drastically change the offshore environment, resulting in dirty water conditions until recovered plant life helps to retain finer particles. Recovery will depend on the severity of damage and on nutrients and weather, but should be complete within one growth season or about six months.
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	Q&A 13.	An acquaintance of mine claims he caught a 7-footsailfish from a pier on Florida's east coast. According to his story, he was using live bait and light spinning tackle. Is this possible? Newark, New Jersey
	Sailfish and other "blue water" game fishes are occasionally taken by anglers on piers from Miami Beach to Juno Beach. Along this stretch of Florida's east coast, the Gulf Stream runs close to shore, and unusual wind conditions sometimes bring pelagic animals virtually into the surf. The most productive pier for sail fishing is the Lake Worth Fishing Pier, at Lake Worth, Florida. During the past six years more than 400 sailfish and at least one white marlin have been hooked from this pier. Most were hooked on live blue runners or goggle-eyes (both small members of the jack family) and many of these were landed on spinning tackle. The most active single day was March 6, 1966, when 15 sailfish were hooked and 3 were landed.
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	Q&A 14.	In fishing for blue marlin we have found that 70 percent of all fish hooked by us were hooked while we were trolling with the current. We have also found that more marlin strikes occur during the period from about two hours after the high tide until the tide is about half way down. Can you give any reasons for this? Montego Bay, Jamaica
	Insufficient scientific data have been obtained to date to establish a definite correlation between the hooking of marlin and the direction a boat is trolling in relation to a current. Scientists at the Institute of Marine Sciences, University of Miami, are interested in this matter, however, and will welcome any reports from anglers. Studies are also in progress involving the possible influence of tides upon the feeding behavior of billfishes. There are some indications from Japanese studies that tunas tend to feed on a flood tide.
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	Q&A 15.	My friend and I have been fishing in the Everglades for years and have been unable to figure out why the bass do not bite when the wind is westerly. The fishing is a lot better when the wind is from any other direction. Can you explain this curiosity? Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
	One explanation may be that westerly winds are associated with incoming cold fronts during the winter months. Westerly winds at this time of year cause a decrease in inshore water temperature. The reaction of the bass to this change is to move toward the warmer, deep-water areas. At the same time, the bass become somewhat lethargic. Exactly the opposite occurs in the summer months when westerly winds blowing across the peninsula of Florida are commonly high in temperature, thereby causing increased inshore water temperatures. The bass respond to this change, again, by seeking deeper water.
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	Q&A 16.	I am a professional gamefishing guide in the Florida Keys. I release our catches when they are not wanted for mounting purposes or food, but often wonder how many actually survive. During the netting and removal of the hook, in some instances, the protective film on the fish's body is removed from some parts of it. Does this film regenerate? Secondly, when a fish is released and the hook is left in its mouth, what is likely to take place? Islamorada, Florida
	In hatchery experiments with freshwater fish, it has been shown that an area devoid of the protective film is quickly susceptible to fungus and bacteria. This film is also important because it acts as a lubricant to aid in the fish's movement through the water. We do not know how long it takes for the slime to grow regenerate, but a simple way to prevent the removal of it when handling a fish is to wet your hands and keep them wet. Also, when handling a fish, try not to squeeze the throat region just behind the gill covers for the heart is located there and the pressure could seriously injure or kill the fish. If a hook is left in a fish's mouth, it will eventually deteriorate under the strong corrosive action of the seawater. In cases where the hook has been swallowed into the stomach, the digestive juices quickly attack the metal. Thus it is much better to leave a hook in a fish's mouth than to remove it by force with a pair of pliers or otherwise. Most anglers simply snip off the leader or cable just in front of the hook. Another consideration in the capture of game fish is that, if the fish is played on very light tackle for long periods of time, it tends to develop a great deal of lactic acid in its muscles. As a result, when it is released, the fish is unable to swim efficiently and becomes potential prey to sharks or other predators. From the fish conservation standpoint, therefore, it is best to avoid fighting a fish for long periods and, when it is caught, release it as quickly as possible.
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	Q&A 17.	I plan to visit Florida and do some sportfishing. What are Florida's laws regarding this activity? Ann Arbor, Michigan
	The leaflet Florida Fishing Facts: Saltwater Laws outlines state regulations regarding closed seasons, legal lengths, limits, use of traps, spearfishing, use of drugs, poisons, or explosives, and conservation of manatees, porpoises, manta rays, turtles, corals, and pelicans. A copy of this leaflet may be obtained, free of charge, by writing to the Florida Department of Natural Resources, Bureau of Education and Information, Tallahassee, Florida32304. One should check with the Bureau and/or Florida Marine Patrol Offices (also listed in the above-named leaflet) for information on regulations enforced by individual Florida counties, in addition to state laws.
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	Q&A 18.	Where can I obtain the information needed to organize a youth fishing club? Newport, Rhode Island
	A Leader's Guide and Instructional Kit has been developed by the Sport Fishing Educational Foundation for use by anyone interested in introducing angling to groups of youngsters and beginning adults. The kit includes manuals on fishing fundamentals for instructor and students, a leader's guide for organizing group fishing activities, and booklets on fishing equipment. Further details and price information may be obtained from Mr. Robert Bluth, Sport Fishing Educational Foundation, American Fishing Tackle Manufacturers Association, 2625 Clearbrook Drive, Arlington Heights, Illinois 60005
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	Q&A 19.	When I catch fishes this summer, how should they be preserved for the hot trip home in the car? Brownsville, Texas
	For safe edibility and superb flavor, proper care of a catch begins with immediate removal of the viscera and gills and thorough washing to remove the slime, mud, and blood. Next the belly cavity should be dried thoroughly and packed with ice. Then, each fish should be packed separately amidst ice in a chest. As the ice melts during the trip home, the water should be drained. If dry ice is used, it is important to remember that it gives off carbon dioxide, which will replace the oxygen in the car even if the dry ice is in a chest in the trunk. Therefore, it is essential to keep car windows open for ventilation. These and other safety tips for recreational fishermen are offered on a card published by Sea Grant, University of Washington HG-30, 3716 Brooklyn Avenue, N.E., Seattle, Washington 98105.
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	Q&A 20.	I often go fishing of southern California where it is illegal to catch giant sea bass. I have heard that if you accidentally catch one and throw it back into the water, the fish floats to the surface where it may die instead of returning to deeper waters. Is this true? If so, why does it happen, and is there anything I can do to help a fish in this situation? San Diego, California
	Yes. The giant sea bass (Stereolepis gigas), a protected species, lives at depths of 20 to 150 feet. Like many other fishes, it possesses a swim bladder that allows it to regulate its buoyancy. The fish slowly changes the amount of gas inside the bladder to adjust to new depths. When a fisherman catches a giant sea bass, the swim bladder gases expand as the fish is reeled to the surface. If the fish is brought up rapidly from deep depths, it can't remove the expanding gases quickly enough, and the bladder stretches. The excess gas makes the fish buoyant and unable to descend when it is released by the fisherman. Fishermen can eliminate excess gas in a fish's swim bladder so that the animal can return to deeper water. As reported in the January-February 1990 newsletter of the California Sea Grant Extension Program, the first step is to remove a scale from a spot under the tip of the pectoral fin when it is lying against the side of the fish. Then, insert the point of a14-gauge hypodermic needle (available at farm and ranch supply stores) through the exposed skin and body wall. If the needle is not attached to a syringe, you will hear and feel air coming out of the end as the tip penetrates and deflates the swim bladder. Compress the sides of the fish until they appear normal or concave. Then, withdraw the needle and return the fish to the water. If the fish doesn't swim rapidly toward the bottom, use a blunt instrument to gently prod it into action. This method doesn't harm the fish's vital organs, and cleaning the needle between uses minimizes the chance of infection. For the fish's sake, do not remove the hook if it is embedded deeply or is in the gill area.
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	Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric Science Library University of Miami, FL USA 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami, Florida 33149 Phone: 305 421 4060 Fax: 305 421 9306 E-mail: libcirc@rsmas.miami.edu		go to the top