Fishing—A Sport for All Seasons

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FISHINGA Sport for All Seasons

by Phyllis McIntosh


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Top: A girl fishes at the

edge of a lake.

Bottom: A boy shows off

his catch of trout.

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In the United States, the phrase goinfishinis synonymous with taking a breakand leaving everyday cares behind to goenjoy the outdoors, spend time with fam-ily or friends, and, if youre lucky, catchsome tasty fish. That message is reinforced

in slogans emblazoned on hats, T-shirts,and bumper stickers. One of the mostpopular slogans is, A bad day fishing isbetter than a good day at work.

According to the American Sportfish-ing Association, fishing is a hobby pursuedby some 40 million Americans, includingmore than 8 million youngsters betweenthe ages of 6 and 15. More Americans fishthan play golf and tennis combined.

With 12,000 miles of ocean coastline,more than 3.5 million miles of rivers andstreams, and five Great Lakes that togethercontain one-fifth of the surface freshwaterin the world, the United States is a fishingparadise. Anglers pursue their passion inthe tropical waters of the Florida Keys,through holes bored in the ice-coveredlakes of Minnesota, and, increasingly, inthe shadows of city skyscrapers.


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Because recreational fishing is an eco-nomic boon to various regions of thecountry, government plays a major rolein regulating it and in managing fisheryresources to perpetuate the sport for future

generations.

Fishing Favorites

Part of fishings appeal is that it isaccessible to all ages and every pocket-book. Any youngster with a stick, string,and hook, and some wriggly worms forbait, can try his or her luck in the localstream or pond. Serious fishermen, on theother hand, can easily invest thousands

of dollars in boats and specialized fishinggear with which to pursue their favoritekind of fishing.

Most sport fishing is done with a rod,reel, line, hooks, and a wide variety ofbaits and lures. Catching fish with a hookis known as angling, and fishermen areoften called anglers. Saltwater anglers fishfrom piers and docks, in the surf alongthe beach, on shallow saltwater flats, andin the open ocean for species rangingfrom the foot-long speckled sea trout togiant tuna and marlin that can top 1,000pounds. Freshwater anglers drop theirlines from shore, boats, bridges, and docksin pursuit of such specimens as bass, trout,salmon, and catfish.

Specific kinds of fishing most popularin the United States include:

Bass fishing. Bass fishing supportsa multi-billion dollar industry, withstores, television shows, magazines,and video games dedicated to thesport. Though the various kinds ofbass are good to eat, many bass fish-ermen simply enjoy the challenge ofhooking the feisty fish, which tendto jump and fight aggressively. After

weighing and measuring their catches,anglers often return the fish unharmed

to the water, a practice known as catchand release.

Major competitions attract anglersfrom around the country who viefor top prizes up to a million dol-lars. After their sizes are recorded bytournament officials, fish are placed inholding tanks and are even treated forstress or injuries before being releasedback into the wild. Anglers are penal-ized for having a fish die duringcompetition.

Bass fishing is so popular that in2008 the Illinois High School Asso-ciation sanctioned it as a competitiveschool sport, and Illinois went on tohost the first high school state cham-pionship fishing tournament in thecountry.

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Top: A fisherman displays

a largemouth bass he

caught. Anglers enjoy the

challenge of hooking

these aggressive fish.

Bottom: A woman casts

her fly-fishing rod in the

Firehole River in Yellowsto

National Park.

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)A deep sea fishermantruggles to reel in his catch. Fly fishing.Flyfishermenusespecialrods and lines to cast artificial lures,known as flies, onto or just belowthesurfaceofthewater.Thefliesaremadeby fasteninghair, fur, feathers,or other materials onto a hook to

imitate insects or other living thingsonwhichfishprey.Somefliesareofbrightcolorstoattractfishandenticethemtobite.Formanyanglers,muchoftheenjoymentofthesportliesintyingtheirownflies,whichtheycreatebyfollowingpatterns,studyingactualinsects, or simply relying on theirimagination.Most often associated with fish-

ingfortroutorsalmoninmountainstreams, fly fishing is also a popu-larmethod for catching a variety ofmarine species. Like bass fishermen,fly fishermen enjoy competing intournamentsheld at both freshwaterandsaltwatervenues.

Deep sea fishing.Fishingintheopenoceanisnotforthefaintofheartor

thebudgetconscious.Goingafterlargemarinespeciessuchasgianttuna,mar-lin, and sharks requires a seaworthyvessel outfitted with heavyduty fish-inggearandsuchfeaturesasafightingchair, from which a fisherman canwrestle ahooked specimen for up toseveralhoursbeforelandingit.Because of the equipment and

expertiserequired,manydeepseafish-ermencharterboatswithexperiencedcaptains who know how to navigateopenwater,findthebestfishingspots,andhandlelarge,aggressivefish.

Ice fishing. Catching fish through

holes drilled in the ice on a frozenlake is a popular winter pastime inthenorthernUnitedStates,especiallyaround the Great Lakes. The sportrequiresspecializedgear,includinganauger or saw to cutholes in the ice,a skimmer to remove new ice as itforms, and a heater to warm theanglersandkeepthefishingholefromfreezingshut.

Modern ice fishermen use poweraugers to drill upward of a hundredholesadayandsonarandunderwatercamerastolocatefishbeneaththeice.They set up camp in portable heatedhuts that they transport onto a lakewith a snowmobile or truck. Someshelters are simply protection againstthe cold.Othersaremore likemobilehomes,equippedwithsuchamenitiesassatelliteTV,bathrooms,stoves,andfull-sizebeds.Someicefishingresortsrentoutfishhutsandprovideshuttleservicebackandforthtothefrozenlakes.Fishingonafrozenlakecanbea

risky business if the ice is not thickenoughorawarmspellweakenstheicecover.OntheGreatLakes,windscan break off huge sections of ice,trappingfishermen.InFebruary2009,

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100 ice fishermen had to be rescuedby helicopter and the Coast Guardfrom an ice sheet in Lake Erie; oneman who had fallen into the waterdied soon after rescue.

Nevertheless, ice fishing remains afavorite social activity during the long,cold northern winters. An annualice fishing contest on Gull Lake inMinnesota, billed as the largest suchevent in the world, attracts morethan 10,000 participants who vie for$150,000 in prizes. All proceeds aredonated to local charities.

Recent Trends in Fishing High-Tech fishing. Technology is mak-

ing possible many new gadgets thathelp anglers locate and catch more fish.Hand-held global positioning satellite(GPS) devices can map out a course andenable fishermen to keep track of themost productive fishing spots. The latestgeneration of sonar fish finders scans a

wide swath of water beneath the boat and

provides clear 3-D images of individualfish as well as bottom features such asledges and rocks where fish might hide.Touch screens bring up an array of dataon water temperature and other seaconditions.

Fishermen also can choose amongdozens of fishing apps (comput-er software applications) for smart-phones that enable anglers to log vitalinformation about their catches andkeep up-to-date on weather, tides, fishfeeding times, water safety, and thebest places to catch certain fish. Those

who cant get enough fishing on thewater can hone their skills with a hostof fishing-related video games.

Likewise, the Internet is awashwith websites dedicated to every con-ceivable type of fishing, where anglers

can learn the latest tips and tech-niques and chat with fellow enthusi-asts around the country and the world.

Urban fishing. Fishing is often associ-ated with images of pristine streams,

mountain lakes, and deserted beaches.But in fact, todays fisherman is oftenlikely to cast a line from a bridge or dockbeside a busy city freeway or airport.Strict anti-pollution laws have cleanedup urban waterways that were oncetoo contaminated for fish to thrive.New York Citys harborand rivers now teem withfish, as does the Potomac

River, which flows throughWashington, D.C., and theDetroit River in Michigan,

whose waters once flowedblue and orange with con-taminants from steel millsand chemical plants. Fish areeven returning to Clevelandsinfamous Cuyahoga River,once so polluted that it actu-

ally caught fire. As a result, many U.S.fishermen, a majority of whomlive in urban areas, are choosingto pursue their hobby close tohome. Magazines and websitesrun articles listing the top urbanfishing spots in the country. Anumber of states and cities haveestablished urban fishing pro-grams to introduce inner cityyoungsters and families to the

joys of fishing. In the summerof 2010, more than 40,000city kids participated in sum-mer fishing clinics offered bythe Illinois Department ofNatural Resources and volunteer fish-ermens organizations in that state.Nationally, Hooked on FishingNot

( Using a power auger, an ice

fisherman drills a hole in a

frozen lake.

( This ice fisherman caughta Northern Pike.

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Top: The Potomac River, which

flows through Washington,

D.C., offers numerous

opportunities for urbanfishing.

Bottom:Kayaks are becoming

increasingly popular with

fishermen because they arequiet and do not disturb fish

and other wildlife.

on Drugs, a program of the FutureFisherman Foundation, teaches self-esteem and care for the environment

along with angling skills at thousandsof locations in more than 30 states.

Kayak fishing. In an increasingly com-plicated world, more and more anglersare turning to the simplicity of kayakfishing in both fresh and saltwater.These small, motorless vessels are quietand non-polluting, and they do notdisturb fish and other wildlife. Enthu-

siasts say they enjoy the exercise ofpaddling their kayaks and exploring

waters that cannot be fished fromconventional boats.

Weighing only 30 to 50 pounds,kayaks are easy to transport and quickto launch, making it possible foranglers to fit in a bit of fishing atthe end of a workday. Furthermore,a good kayak can be had for sev-

eral hundred dollars, while a fishingboat easily costs $20,000 and requiresexpensive fuel, a registration fee, anda trailer to transport it.

Just because the boat is smalldoesnt mean the catch has to be. Onekayak fisherman in Hawaii landeda 225-pound blue marlin that wasalmost as long as his kayak.

One thing is certain: As long as there

are fish in the seaor in the river, the lake,or pondanglers in the United States willcontinue to pursue a passion that runsdeep in their history and culture. Author

John Steinbeck put it well when he said:All Americans are born fishermen. For aman to admit a distaste for fishing wouldbe like denouncing mother love or hatingmoonlight.

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Fish Talk

bait a natural attractant, such as aworm, insect, or other creature on whichfish feed, that is attached to a hook toentice fish to bite

chumming releasing ground-up bait orfish parts into the water to attract fish

jig a weighted lure with a flowing, twist-ing tail or other appendage to attract fish

jigging moving a jig or other lure upand down in the water to attract fish

lure a piece of rubber, plastic, or wood,usually fashioned to look like a small fishor insect, that is used to tempt fish to bite

reel a mechanicalspool-like device ona fishing rod thatholds, releases, andrewinds the line

rod a long, thin

pole used for fishing

Top: Lure

Left: Fishing rod

and reel

sinker a weight of lead or other metalattached to the end of a fishing line tomake the bait or lure sink into the water

strike a hit by a fish taking the bait

or luretackle fishing gear and accessories

trolling fishing by slowly running aboat that is trailing lines with lures or bait

waders waterproof boots that reach tothe hips or the chest and are fastened withsuspenders; they enable anglers to fish

while standing in fairly deep water

Websites of Interest

American Sportfishing Associationwww.asafishing.org

As the trade association of the sportfish-ing industry in the United States, the AmericanSportfishing Association publishes reports and

statistics about trends in recreational fishing andthe economic impact of fishing on various partsof the country.

Kayak Fishing Magazinewww.kayakfishingmagazine.net

This online magazine includes everything anangler might want to know about getting startedin the growing hobby of kayak fishing and pro-vides a forum where fishermen can share tips andinformation.

Take Me Fishingwww.takemefishing.org

Hosted by the Recreational Boating and Fish-ing Foundation, this website provides basic guid-ance on how to fish and enjoy fishing with yourfamily. It offers information about different typesof fishing and where to fish in each state.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Servicewww.fws.gov/fisheries

This official website features news and infor-mation about the U.S. governments efforts toprotect fish habitats and conserve and restore fish

in U.S. waterways.

WomenFishingwww.womenfishing.com

A collection of information on all aspects offishing from basic techniques to boating safety,as well as articles, videos, blogs, and forums, thiswebsite offers something for everyone who has aninterest in fishingeven kids.

Phyllis Mcintosh is a freelance writer whose

work has appeared in many national magazines.

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Fishingin American CultureFishing has a long tradition in the literature and culture of the United States. Two

of the most famous characters in American fictionTom Sawyer and HuckleberryFinnare closely associated with fishing, a reflection of author Mark Twains own lifealong the Mississippi River.

Another famous writer, Ernest Hemingway, loved to fish near his homes in Floridaand Idaho and popularized fly fishing in his novel The Sun Also Rises. His later work,The Old Man and the Sea, immortalizes the lonely struggle between an aging fishermanand a giant marlin off the coast of Cuba.

Likewise, fishing has played a prominent role in some acclaimed American movies.A 1992 film,A River Runs Through It, about two brothers growing up in Montana, didmuch to acquaint moviegoers with the sport of fly fishing. In 1981s On Golden Pond, a

retired professor comes to terms with aging and reconnects with his daughter whilefishing on a peaceful lake.

Fishing-related terms also have become part of the standard American lexi-con. We fish for compliments and for clues to solve a mystery. Afishing expeditionis an attempt to trick someone into divulging information. A more recent type offishing, with the alternate spellingphishing, refers to a computer scam in whichcriminals attempt to acquire passwords or personal data by posing online as abank or other legitimate organization. A person who is fooled by someone issaid to have taken the bait, and if fooled completely, the person is said to havefallen for the deception hook, line, and sinkera reference to a captured fishswallowing the hook, the lead weight, and the piece of line between them. Thehighly uncomplimentary term bottom feeder, inspired by fish that feed low on

the food chain at the bottom of a body of water, describes a low-life personwho profits from the misfortunes of others.

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Regulating and RestoringFishing is one of the few pastimes regulated and

supported by individual states and the U.S. govern-ment. The goal of regulation is to conserve fishpopulations so that anglers will continue to enjoy

successand continue to spend money to pursuetheir hobby. According to the American Sportfish-ing Association, the nations 40 million anglersgenerate more than $45 billion a year in retail salesand support one million jobs, for an overall eco-nomic impact of $125 billion. Fishing contributessignificantly to the economies of coastal states,such as Florida, Texas, and California, and to GreatLakes states, such as Michigan, which has more than3,000 miles of coastline.

States manage fishing by requiring people whowant to fish to purchase fishing licenses, sometimesseparate ones for freshwater and saltwater fishing.State laws establish fishing seasons, limit the size andnumber of fish of certain species that an angler cankeep, and regulate the type of fishing gear that canbe used. Sales of fishing licenses generate $600 mil-

lion a year for conservation and management effortsof state fish and wildlife agencies. For example, thesefunds allow state fishery biologists to study andprotect fish populations by collecting information

from anglers or by tagging fish and tracking theirmovements.

To manage fish populations, most states operatehatcheries to raise fish for release into state waters.In New York, for example, 12 hatcheries, each spe-cializing in different species, raise several millionfish a year for stocking 1,200 public waterways.

On the federal level, the U.S. Fish and WildlifeService operates 70 national fish hatcheries and16 fishery research centers to restore declining fish

populations nationwide and to replace fish lost tofloods, drought, and habitat destruction. Federalexcise taxes and import duties on fishing gear, plea-sure boats, and boat fuel provide about $600 mil-lion a year for a federal program that helps statesmanage fisheries and educate the public about fish-ing, conservation, and water safety.

Most states operate fish hatcheries that raise fish for release into lakes and streams.

Inset: A crop of fish at a state fish hatchery.

Fishing—A Sport for All Seasons

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