The World’s Top Most Endangered Fish Species

According to the Wikipedia, “an endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters….”  It is not just animals that are in this critical condition- marine kingdom are also not exempt to it. The International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List says there are 1,414 species or 5% of the world’s known fish are at risk for extinction. The common cliché goes… ‘There are plenty of other fish in the sea’ but are there? We have to think twice before we make that comment.

The greatest threat to these fish species is of course overfishing, followed by habitat loss and population. So what do you do if one of these ends up on your fishing hook? You need to release the fish back in the water. You would also need to make a few observations like where did you catch the fish? The location, at what time, how many of them did you spot and what size were they? Were these fish adult o juvenile?  Were they swimming or feeding? You must notify all these information along with a photograph if you can manage to the local wildlife officials. 

Here is a list of the top 5 most endangered fish commonly harvested for food. 

5. Bocaccio Rockfish:  There are 70 species of Rockfish living of the United State’s West Coast; Bocaccio Rockfish are the most endangered. Even though this 3 foot fish reaches reproductive age sooner than many other, its larvae has a very low chance of survival. In 2002 US has closed many West Coast fisheries in response to the dwindling numbers. Scientists believe that it could take 100 years for bocaccio populations to recover and thus IUCN has listed the species as critically endangered, with significant challenges to recovery.

4. European Eel:  The unusual life cycle of European eel is one of the basic reasons for the species to be on the endangered list. These are found in the North Atlantic, Baltic and Mediterranean Seas. Their life cycle begins with their birth at sea, and continues in freshwater streams where they can grow to a length of 4.5.  They reach sexual maturity anywhere between 6 to 30 years of age and return to the sea to spawn. If their route to sea is blocked, they return to freshwater and can live for up to 50 years. But they die if they make it back to saltwater and reproduce. Thus the eels caught at sea are juvenile and have not had a chance to reproduce and the overfishing at sea has earned it a spot on the list.

3. Goliath Grouper:  Another name for this fish is jewfish and it lives in the Eastern Pacific and the Atlantic. In its 40 years life span the fish grows to 7 feet. There are two main reasons behind overfishing of the Grouper; a) it only reproduces for a short period of time and b) juveniles often become accidental bycatch in other fishing operations.  The remaining fish are targeted by fishing boats. The fish has thus been put on the list out of concern over its survival.

2.  Maltese Ray:  The 90 mile wide channel between Italy and Tunisia is where the fish is limited today.  The Maltese Ray are taken as bycatch in boats harvesting other species rather than being rarely targeted by commercial fishing vessels. These unwanted fish are thrown back into the water dead or dying, once caught. The decreasing population of the fish has earned it a spot in the endangered fish species list.  

1. Blue fin Tuna:  One of the fastest fish in the sea, the blue fin tuna is the most iconic endangered species of fish. Te fish can grow to a length of about 10 feet and weigh more than 1400 pounds. This is a popular catch for recreational fisherman and it also highly prized by commercial fishermen as well. The species is heavily overfished. It is difficult to have a particular international law as the fish is known to migrate thousands of miles across the ocean. WWF has chosen the blue fin tuna to be one of the sixth most threatened species of the world. Experts fear and agree that this slow maturing, slow growing fish will eventually become extinct.  

How to Be a Better Fly fisher

 For someone who has never been down a beautiful clear stream in the early mornings to cast a fly line with a nymph for a trout has no idea what joy fly fishing actually brings. And it is not about the catching- the fishing itself is so beautiful and perfect- no wonder many fishermen has actually fallen in love with it.  The birds chirping, the mistiness of the trees and bushes around, the stream whooshing by, the chill in the air, the serenity, peaceful ambiance and if the catching happens to be as good as the fishing, nothing like it! Here are some tips that will make you a better fly fisherman.   

 This not only is applicable for fly fishing but any type of fishing all together. It is a common courtesy to take your line of the water for an angler who has a fish on the line.  This is to give them enough space to land their fish especially if fishing down river from another angler. 

 Silence is golden when you are fly fishing- you do not want to spook the fish and also the other fly fishers around. You are here to fish in peace and solitude, better to leave the dog and the radio back at home.

 What could possibly go wrong in a beautiful place like this? But you never know. In order to reach those otherwise hard to reach places, we often prefer to wade, but remember never fish by yourself on an unknown lakes, river or streams, always wear a good pair of wading boots, use a strong but flexible wading staff and know the area where you are wading.  

 One of the most important fly fishing etiquette is to be a helping hand – from lending something they need like an extra line to retrieving something that has floated down river. It is only going to make your fishing trip a more pleasurable one – getting to know some new people and more. 

 Next, the tackle box- keep your soft plastic baits and worms in a small container away from your other lures. Buying separate small tackle boxes also helps a lot. For instance-one for your worms and the other for spinner baits.  There are also seasonal tackle boxes that you can use at a particular time of the year.   

   

 When you know are going on a fly fishing trip, gets your things organized. It helps a lot when you have things kept in order and can reach for them quickly when you need them.  Carry your wading staff when fishing in those unfamiliar waters, a good pair of wading shoes for a better grip, your sun block- you would be glad at the end of the day that you did carry it!  Wear your polarized glasses – it enables you to see beneath the water and keep an eye on your fish. Do not wear clothes that are re, yellow, black white or navy blue – to discourage the insects and bugs.  

Fishing For Carp at Night- How to Do It

If you are a seasoned carp angler, fishing for carp at night is a joy that you would not like to miss as it is an essential part of the carp experience. But without the necessary preparations, you could just end up having a miserable time! If you know what exactly to do and how to go about it, you are sure to catch some good number of decent carps. It is actually way better than fishing in broad daylight – the fish have their guards down and are more vulnerable making it easier and fun for you to get to the daunting task of fishing in the dark. 

There are basically two methods of carp fishing at night. 

a) You could stay awake and visible and audible bite indication like a glow stick attached to the rod tip and

b) You could rely on bite detecting alarms while you sleep only to wake up during a hook up.

Firstly, you have to make sure that you are comfortable and warm. Your entire night fishing spree is going to get ruined if you are cold and uncomfortable all by yourself in the dark.  A good shelter like a tent, a heavy duty sleeping bag and perhaps a camping bed so you are higher up the ground and therefore warmer, a stove to have an access to hot drinks all night (you’re going to need it!) are a must. 

Secondly, before night sets in, organize your stuff so that you would not have to go groping some weird feeling thing in the dark while looking for say a weigh sling! Landing net, weigh sling, weighing net must be next to your mat along with your rod. Keep your rods prepared with set of rigs. Hook baits or PVA bags must be placed where you can find them.  You have to jump out of bed and to the rod quickly so a positioned pair of slippers would be of great help. And don’t forget to keep the camera out for the trophy shots. 

Thirdly, the tackles you use during the day are pretty much the same that you are going to use at night with an addition of a glow stick attached to the tip of the rod- a cheap bait detection system. 

Fourthly, a torch and lantern are must carry items to see what you are doing.  This does not disturb the swim margins and you stand a better chance at it. 

Fifthly, carp feel safer at night and would not hesitate to come to the margins to feed. Throwing the bait 3 feet from the bank is what experts recommend. Carp fishing to be honest is similar to what you do during daytime. All you have to do is forget the position of the fish and feel the fight of the fish and be in complete control until it is ready to be put it in the net. 

Sixthly, make the baits as smelly as you can make them – oily fish are the best suited in this regard. When it comes to re casting your rod at night, add some marking braid just above the tip- it would give you a visual reference for the length of the cast. But do this before sun down. Also a strong physical object to work as a silhouette against the night sky in line with the position of your rod- this helps you give a casting reference at night to aim at. 

 And finally, never go alone to be fishing at night without a prior experience. It is also a lot more fun if you have fishing partner with you. For some great fishing reports and trips, Carp fishing is fun and if it is at night, the fun multiplies manifold. Even if you don’t catch a fish, you will enjoy just being in the outdoors. It is a very different kind of an experience and will also make this a learning experience to make you stronger next time. 

Baitbox Fishing Reels at a Glance

Fishing reels as we know today –the cylindrical device that is attached to a fishing rod and used in winding the line, came into picture around 1650 AD in England and by the 1760s, it gained popularity. Today fishing reels come according to specific types of fishing- spinning reels, bait casting, fly fishing, surfcasting, and bait feeder reels. Anglers choose a reel that most complements their fishing technique and brings out the best results.

However, unlike other tackle manufacturers, Baitbox does not believe in ‘entry level’ or beginner range. All the reels, no matter what size come packed with quality deserving of fishermen of every ‘level’. Most of these so called ’entry level’ reels have 1 – 3 bearings and are constructed at minimal cost but are sold in relatively higher price when the quality and performance of the reel is taken into account. Along with the quality, we also make sure the Baitbox fishing reels are good looking reels.  

But before you are out there shopping for the reels, isn’t it better to know what types of reels go together with what particular style of fishing! If you are a pro and just browsing through, you are well aware of it but the ones who are starting off might require some assistance in this regard and hence we would elaborate a little.

Spinning fishing reels are ideal for long distance casting, works well for light lures, a wide range of range of baits and do not backlash.  These are open faced reels with fixed spools that do not revolve while you are casting or retrieve. In order to retrieve the line, you have to turn the reel handle. The bail will revolve round the spool and the line is placed evenly onto the spool. For small pan fish with the lightest pound test lines to heavy duty lines for surfcasting and trolling- these reels are most recommended.

Fly fishing reels are simple mechanical construction operated by stripping line off the reel with one hand and casting the rod with the other hand. Nowadays fly reels have more sophisticated disc type drag systems. Saltwater fly reels are also specially designed for use in the marine environment. These are however larger in diameter to provide a large line and more backing.

Bait casting are multiplying reels, with the spool mounted above the rod. Stainless steel, aluminum, graphite and synthetic composite are often used as raw materials of these reels.      The graphite made reels are lighter but the aluminum reels are most preferred as they are more stable and rigid.  Good quality bait casting always come with high quality bearings made from shielded, double shielded or sealed bearings.

Surfcast reels are the ones that run freely on its axle thereby allowing distance casting. It is used for coarse fishing and is most commonly used in Australia for all forms of freshwater and saltwater fishing.

No matter what your style of fishing is, you need a quality fishing tackle and from branded manufactures. The last thing you want is for the reel to give away just when you are about to reel that nice chunky fish! You would not want to be the one to tell the story of the fish that got away.

John Anderson is a passionate outdoorsman from the land of the Down Under. He takes fishing seriously, and it is more than just a means of recreation for him.  His articles at times thus highlight the anomalies prevalent in the sport. This is his feeble attempt to make a difference or at bring forth awareness.






 

A Few Tips to Make You Better At Salmon Fishing

If there were an award for the most popular freshwater fish, it could easily go to salmon- with a little competition from bass of course! And not only that, salmon is also the best known freshwater game fish in the world. And it does not matter if you are a veteran or a first timer, salmon is quite a catch. However you would need proper tools and techniques and a good spot selection on the river, you can catch a prized salmon too. Here is how.

• A 15-18 feet long fishing rod that has elastic at the end, at least 500 feet of line, and some baits and other tackles. Before you head out the water, it is better to check with the local bait store as to what is really working with the fish – hat way you can select the most effective baits. 

• Timing is everything they say – 55 degrees water temperature is ideal for salmon. Cloudy and overcast days are also great times.  Early in the day or later in the afternoon and if you decide to go on during mid day – find a shaded section of the river.

• Check the lure action beside the boat- always.

• We know that there are three stages in which you can catch salmon- the lake stage, river mouth stage and the River stage. So you have to choose your fishing spot wisely. Salmon generally tend to feed in clear and fast moving rivers or streams that have pebbled bottoms and an outlet in the ocean.

• Worms, small shellfish or shrimp are good bait options, however make sure you confirm with the local bait shop – what the fish are biting on exactly. Attach the bait to your hook so it is undetectable.

• Making sure that you have enough weight to keep your line just above the river bottom, fasten your sinker to your line. And as the current gets stronger, you can add more weights. Your fishing knots should hold them secure.

• Trolling in S or a zigzag fashion- this varies lure speed and action.

• Use light colored lures on bright days and dark colored lures on dark days.

• Better to troll away from the sun when you can.

• It is important to match your lures to the size and color of the forage fish in the water.

• In order to get your line in water quicker, place your line in a release attached to the transom.

• When using those treble hooks, sharpen your hooks and bend down those barbs.

• Better to bow to a jumping salmon- not to tear its delicate mouth.

• Cast your line in the desired direction. You have the required tackle and a reel with more than 500 feet of line and a leader that is at least 4 feet long.

• You have to keep still. Salmon are easily frightened and if alarmed, they will only swim faster and farther away.

• When you feel a tug, reel the fish in.

These few salmon fishing tips are going to help you out henceforth. Good Luck and Tight Lines!