Fishing Revealed

Whether it’s spending time outside or spending time with your friends and family, fishing is the perfect escape from everyday life. But it’s not all fun and games. There is a lot more to fishing than just sitting around waiting for the fish to start nibbling on your bait!

Fishing can be recreational or commercial, meaning that you either fish for fun or you fish for a living.

Commercial Fishing

Those that pursue fish for a living often travel far out into the ocean under very unfavorable conditions. Physical as well as mental fitness is a must in order to survive the 10-18 hour work days, weeks out on the water, and physical labour that makes up a normal work day for these hardcore fisherman.

Commercial crab fishing, for example, is one of the deadliest industries in the world and crab boat fisherman are known to be particularly superstitious. Go on board with a banana or a suitcase and you definitely won’t be staying long!

Commercial fishing, also known as industrial fishing, supplies large amounts of food to countries around the world, harvesting a variety of animals such as tuna, carp, salmon, shrimp, krill, lobster, clams and squids. And although commercial fishing provides plenty of jobs, the pay varies from boat to boat and from season to season.

Recreational Fishing

When it comes to sport fishing or recreational fishing, it’s usually done from a boat, shoreline or riverbank and some form of angling is the most popular fishing technique used.

Fish are sought-after to put food on the table, others for their fighting abilities or for the difficulty of the pursuit. Species of fish that are caught depend on the location. Fisherman that go saltwater fishing usually catch swordfish, marlin and tuna, while in Europe cod and bass are the most common catch. Anglers fishing in South Africa will encounter a fishing coast with a wealthy assortment of species like cod, white steenbras and musselcracker. The South African coast also provides that much loved element of the unknown and most anglers don’t know what they will find “hooked.”

Freshwater fishing is fishing in waters with minimal salt content like ponds, lakes, rivers and streams. You can keep your feet firmly on the ground or go freshwater fishing in an inflatable boat or kayak. And if you’re really feeling adventurous, ice fishing is the right choice for you.

Unlike fishing by a stream, comfortably waiting in the shade with a nicely chilled beer, ice fishing requires a little more preparation. Layers of warm clothing, high quality boots and a windproof jacket are a must. In addition to that, you need the right tools, like an ice chisel or spud, to break that thick ice and make a hole the exact size you want it.

Most importantly, before you go ice fishing, check with your conservation department to make sure it’s legal to go ice fishing in that area. Finally, safety comes first, never go alone!

Catch and Release

This method of fishing, considered by some as more humane while others argue that it’s actually torture for the fish, is becoming increasingly popular among anglers. In fact, the Canadian province of Manitoba enforces this method as mandatory for some species of fish and in some cases, requires the use of barbless hooks to prevent injury to the fish.

If this is your method of choice make sure you have a proper release tool to help you unhook the fish as quickly as possible ensuring that you return it to the water without spending too much time handling it.

Although there are layers and layers to fishing, in its essence, fishing is very clear cut. You either love it or you don’t. And if you love it, you’re probably addicted.