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Recreational fishing, also calledsport fishing orgame fishing, isfishing forleisure,exercise orcompetition. It can be contrasted withcommercial fishing, which is professional fishing forprofit; orsubsistence fishing, which is fishing forsurvival andlivelihood.
The most common form of recreational fishing isangling, which is done with arig ofrod,reel,line,hooks and any one of a wide range ofbaits, as well as other complementary devices such asweights,floats,swivels andmethod feeders, collectively referred to asterminal tackles.Lures are frequently used instead of fresh bait when fishing forpredatory fishes. Some hobbyists hand-make custom tackles themselves, includingplastic lures andartificial flies.
Other forms of recreational fishing includespearfishing, which is done with aspeargun orharpoon usually whilediving; andbowfishing, which is done from above the water witharchery equipments such as acompound bow orcrossbow.Noodling andtrout tickling are recreational fishing activities thatuses hands to catch fish. There are alsofishing techniques that usesnets,traps and other unconventional tools such assnag hook,sledgehammer and evenboomerang, although inhumane ordestructive fishing practices are generally discouraged and some are outright banned in most countries.
Popularfish species pursued by recreational fishermen are collectively known asgame fishes.Big-game fishing, which targets large open-water fishes such astuna,billfishes (marlins andswordfish),grouper andshark, is typically conducted fromyachts, although some are also donefrom the shore bycastingfar into the waves. Although the caught fish can beconsumed as food,catch and release is often encouraged for conservation purposes.
The early evolution of fishing as arecreation is not clear, but there is anecdotal evidence forfly fishing inJapan as early as the9th century BCE,[1] andClaudius Aelianus (175–235 CE) describes fly fishing inEurope in his workOn the Nature of Animals.[2]
For the early Japanese andMacedonians, however, fly fishing was likely to have been a means of survival, rather than recreation. It is possible that antecedents of recreational fly fishing arrived inEngland with theNorman conquest of 1066.[2] Although the point in history where fishing could first be said to be recreational is not clear,[3] it is clear that recreational fishing had fully arrived with the publication ofThe Compleat Angler.
The earliest English essay on recreational fishing was published in 1496, shortly after the invention of theprinting press. The authorship of this was attributed toDame Juliana Berners, the prioress of theBenedictineSopwell Nunnery. The essay was titledTreatyse of Fysshynge wyth an Angle,[4] and was published in the secondBoke of Saint Albans, a treatise onhawking,hunting andheraldry. These were major interests of the nobility, and the publisher,Wynkyn de Worde, was concerned that the book should be kept from those who were not gentlemen, since their immoderation in angling might "utterly destroy it".[5]
During the16th century the work was much read, and was reprinted many times.Treatyse includes detailed information on fishing waters, the construction of rods and lines, and the use of natural baits and artificial flies. It also includes modern concerns about conservation and angler etiquette.[6]
The earliest English poetical treatise on angling,The Secrets of Angling byJohn Dennys (who was said to have been a fishing companion ofShakespeare), was published in 1613. Footnotes of the work, written by Dennys' editor William Lawson, make the first mention of the phrase to "cast a fly": "The trout gives the most gentlemanly and readiest sport of all, if you fish with an artificial fly, a line twice your rod's length of three hairs' thickness... and if you have learnt the cast of the fly."[7]
In aUnited States context, The Outdoor Industry Association,[8] states that fishing participation has continued its 11-year upward trajectory, adding 300,000 participants and reaching its highest number of participants since 2007. At the same time, the participation rate dipped slightly by 0.1%, bringing the fishing rate to 16.4%. This was due to the increasing population of the United States.[1]Archived 2021-09-15 at theWayback Machine
The "Leaky Bucket" illustrates the annual churn of fishing participants, or those people joining/rejoining the activity and those quitting in a given year. From 2017 to 2018, there was significant churn in fishing participation. While 9.1 million people stopped fishing, 9.4 million started. All of this change led to a fairly high churn rate of 18.5%, but also resulted in a net gain of 300,000 fishing participants.[2]Archived 2021-09-15 at theWayback Machine
In 2018 participants spent a collective 883 million days fishing, averaging 17.9 annual fishing days per person. These average outing were done by an average of 2.1% over the past 3 years.[3]Archived 2021-09-15 at theWayback Machine
Recreational fishing took a great leap forward after theEnglish Civil War, where a newly found interest in the activity left its mark on the many books and treatises that were written on the subject at the time. The renowned officer in theParliamentary army,Robert Venables, published in 1662The Experienced Angler, or Angling improved, being a general discourse of angling, imparting many of the aptest ways and choicest experiments for the taking of most sorts of fish in pond or river. Another Civil War veteran to enthusiastically take up fishing, wasRichard Franck. He was the first to describe salmon fishing in Scotland, and both in that and trout-fishing withartificial fly he was a practical angler. He was the first angler to name theburbot, and commended the salmon of theRiver Thames.[9]
The Compleat Angler was written byIzaak Walton in 1653 (although Walton continued to add to it for a quarter of a century) and described the fishing in theDerbyshireWye. It was a celebration of the art and spirit of fishing in prose and verse; 6 verses were quoted fromJohn Dennys's earlier work. A second part to the book was added by Walton's friendCharles Cotton.[9] More than 300 editions ofThe Compleat Angler have been published. The pastoral discourse was enriched with country fishing folklore, songs and poems, recipes and anecdotes, moral meditations, and quotes from classic literature. The central character, Piscator, champions the art of angling, but with an air of tranquility also relishes the pleasures of friendship, verse and song, and good food and drink.[10]
Cotton's additions completed the instruction in fly fishing and advised on the making ofartificial flies where he listed sixty five varieties. Charles Kirby designed an improved fishing hook in 1655 that remains relatively unchanged to this day. He went on to invent the Kirby bend, a distinctive hook with an offset point, still commonly used today.[11]
During the 18th century, the fishing industry became commercialized - rods and tackle were sold at thehaberdashers store. After theGreat Fire of London in 1666, artisans moved toRedditch which became a centre of production of fishing related products from the 1730s.Onesimus Ustonson established his trading shop in 1761, and his establishment remained as a market leader for the next century. He received aRoyal Warrant from three successive monarchs starting with KingGeorge IV.[12]
Some have credited Onesimus with the invention of themultiplying winch, although he was certainly the first to advertise its sale. Early multiplying reels were wide and had a small diameter, and their gears, made ofbrass, often wore down after extensive use. His earliest advertisement in the form of a trading card date from 1768 and was entitledTo all lovers of angling. A full list of the tackles he sold included artificial flies, and 'the best sort of multiplying brass winches both stop and plain'. The commercialization of the industry came at a time of expanded interest in fishing as a recreational hobby for members of thearistocracy.[13]
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British fly-fishing continued to develop in the 19th century, with the emergence of fly fishing clubs, along with the appearance of several books on the subject of fly tying and fly fishing techniques.Alfred Ronalds took up the sport of fly fishing, learning the craft on the riversTrent,Blythe andDove. On the River Blythe, near what is todayCreswell Green, Ronalds constructed a bankside fishing hut designed primarily as an observatory of trout behaviour in the river. From this hut, and elsewhere on his home rivers, Ronalds conducted experiments and formulated the ideas that eventually were published inThe Fly-fisher's Entomology in 1836.[14]
He combined his knowledge of fly fishing with his skill as an engraver and printer, to lavish his work with 20 colour plates. It was the first comprehensive work related to theentomology associated with fly fishing and most fly-fishing historians credit Ronalds with setting a literature standard in 1836 that is still followed today.[15] Describing methods, techniques and, most importantly,artificial flies, in a meaningful way for the angler and illustrating them in colour is a method of presentation that can be seen in most fly-fishing literature today.
By the mid to late 19th century, expandingleisure opportunities for the middle and lower classes began to have its effect on fly fishing, which steadily grew in mass appeal. The expansion of therailway network in Britain allowed the less affluent for the first time to take weekend trips to the seaside or to rivers for fishing. Richerhobbyists ventured further abroad.[16] The large rivers of Norway replete with large stocks ofsalmon began to attract fishers from England in large numbers in the middle of the century -Jones's guide to Norway, and salmon-fisher's pocket companion, published in 1848, was written by Frederic Tolfrey and was a popular guide to the country.[16]
In southern England, dry-fly fishing acquired an elitist reputation as the only acceptable method of fishing the slower, clearer rivers of the south such as theRiver Test and the other chalk streams concentrated inHampshire,Surrey,Dorset andBerkshire (seeSouthern England Chalk Formation for the geological specifics). The weeds found in these rivers tend to grow very close to the surface, and it was felt necessary to develop new techniques that would keep the fly and the line on the surface of the stream. These became the foundation of all later dry-fly developments.
However, there was nothing to prevent the successful employment of wet flies on these chalk streams, asG. E. M. Skues proved with his nymph and wet fly techniques. To the horror of dry-fly purists, Skues later wrote two books,Minor Tactics of the Chalk Stream, andThe Way of a Trout with a Fly, which greatly influenced the development of wet fly fishing. In northern England and Scotland, many anglers also favored wet-fly fishing, where the technique was more popular and widely practiced than in southern England. One of Scotland's leading proponents of the wet fly in the early-to-mid 19th century was W.C. Stewart, who published "The Practical Angler" in 1857.
In the United States, attitudes toward methods of fly fishing were not nearly as rigidly defined, and both dry- and wet-fly fishing were soon adapted to the conditions of the country. Fly anglers there, are thought to be the first anglers to have used artificial lures forbass fishing. After pressing into service the fly patterns and tackle designed for trout and salmon to catch largemouth and smallmouth bass, they began to adapt these patterns into specific bass flies. Fly anglers seeking bass developed the spinner/fly lure and bass popper fly, which are still used today.[17]
In the late 19th century, American anglers, such asTheodore Gordon, in theCatskill Mountains ofNew York began using fly tackle to fish the region'sbrook trout-rich streams such as the Beaverkill and Willowemoc Creek. Many of these early American fly anglers also developed new fly patterns and wrote extensively about their sport, increasing the popularity of fly fishing in the region and in the United States as a whole.[17]Albert Bigelow Paine, aNew England author, wrote about fly fishing inThe Tent Dwellers, a book about a three-week trip he and a friend took to centralNova Scotia in 1908.
Participation in fly fishing peaked in the early 1920s in the eastern states ofMaine andVermont and in the Midwest in the spring creeks ofWisconsin. Along withdeep sea fishing,Ernest Hemingway did much to popularize fly fishing through his works of fiction, includingThe Sun Also Rises.
Big-game fishing started as a sport after the invention of the motorized boat. In 1898, Dr.Charles Frederick Holder, a marine biologist and early conservationist, pioneered this sport and went on to publish many articles and books on the subject noted for their combination of accurate scientific detail with exciting narratives.
One method of growing popularity iskayak fishing. Kayaks are stealthy and allow anglers to reach areas not fishable from land or by conventional boat.[18] In addition, fishing from kayaks is regarded by some as an effort to level the playing field, to a degree, with their quarry and/or to challenge their angling abilities further by bringing an additional level of complexity to their sport.
Sport fishing orgame fishing is recreational fishing activities that focus mainly on the physical exertion and thrilling experience during the process of subduing a hard-fighting fish, which provides the fisherman the excitement of a challenge (a good "sport" or "game") and a satisfyingsense of achievement after successfully catching the target. Sport fishing methods vary according to the area fished, the species targeted, the personal strategies of the angler, and the resources available. It ranges from the aristocratic art offly fishing elaborated inGreat Britain to the high-tech methods used to chase large bluewater fish. Sport fishing is usually done with hook, line, rod and reel rather than withnets,traps or other mass-fishing device (e.g.,electrofishing), although fishing aids such ashand net,attractor light andfishfinder might be used. Non-angling techniques such asbowfishing andspearfishing are also considered sport fishing.
Among the most common saltwatergame fish arepredatory fishes such aswahoo,mahi-mahi,tuna,salmon,billfish (marlin,sailfish andswordfish),shark,grouper andmackerel, which can be pursued offshoreon a boat,kayak or even from asurfboard, orcasting from the shoreline into thesurf zone (surf fishing).[19] When fishing from a sea-going boat,groundbait known as "chum" is commonly used to attract fish.
In North America, popularfreshwater fish includetrout,bass,pike,catfish,walleye andmuskellunge. The smallest fish are calledpanfish, because they can fit whole in a normalcooking pan, examples beingperch andsunfish (Centrarchidae).
In the past, sport fishers, even if they did not eat their catch, almost always killed the fish and bring them to shore to be weighed or for preservation astrophies. In order to protect recreational fisheries, sport fishermen now oftencatch and release, and sometimestag and release,[20] which involves fitting the fish with identity tags, recording vital statistics, and sending a record to a government agency.
Recreational fishing techniques includehand gathering,bowfishing,spearfishing,netting,angling, andtrapping.[citation needed]
Most recreational fishers use afishing rod with afishing line and ahook at the end of the line. The rod may be equipped with areel so the line can be reeled in, and some form ofbait or alure attached to the hook.Fly fishing is a special form of rod fishing in which the reel is attached to the back end of the rod, and heavy line is cast with a complex, repetitive whipping motion to deliver the ultra lightartificial fly to its target. Another less common technique isbowfishing using abow or acrossbow. The "arrow" is a modifiedbolt with barbs at the tip, connected to a fishing line so the fish can be retrieved. Some crossbows are fitted with a reel.[citation needed]
The effective use of fishing techniques often depends on knowledge about the fish and their behaviour includingmigration,foraging, andhabitat.[21][22] Although there is certainly an element of "luck" to fishing, a recent science-based synthesis article reveals that fish capture is a complex function of three interdependent key processes: an individual fish's internal state, its encounter with the gear, and the characteristics of the encountered gear (http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/faf.12219/full).
Fishing tackle is the equipment used by fishers. Almost any equipment or gear used for fishing can be called fishing tackle. Some examples arehooks,lines,sinkers,floats,rods,reels,baits,lures,arrows,spears,nets,gaffs,traps,waders and tackle boxes.[citation needed]
Tackle that is attached to the end of a fishing line is calledterminal tackle. This includeshooks,sinkers,floats, leaders,swivels, split rings and wire, snaps, beads, spoons, blades, spinners and clevises to attach spinner blades to fishing lures. The line, hook, bait and other fishing tackle arranged together form afishing rig.[citation needed]
Fishing tackle can be contrasted withfishing techniques. Fishing tackle refers to the physical equipment that is used when fishing, whereas fishing techniques refers to the ways the tackle is used when fishing.[23]
Recreational fishing has conventions, rules, licensing restrictions and laws that limit the way in which fish may be caught. TheInternational Game Fish Association (IGFA) makes and oversees a set of voluntary guidelines. Typically, these prohibit the use of nets and the catching of fish with hooks not in the mouth. Enforceable regulations are put in place by governments to ensure sustainable practice amongst anglers. For example, in the Republic of Ireland, the Central Fisheries Board oversees the implementation of all angling regulations, which include controls on angling lures, baits and number of hooks permissible, as well as licensing requirements and other conservation-based restrictions.[24] Regulations notwithstanding, voluntarycatch and release fishing as a means of protecting and sustaining game species has become an increasingly common practice among conservation-minded recreational anglers. Policy makers have largely ignored the recreational fishing sector but there is now a framework for better engagement to ensure that recreational fisheries receive the same attention as commercial fisheries.[25]
In many places they have their rules in an "anglers' handbook". Each year the handbook is updated and new rules such as catch and release, areas to fish and limits on fish can be found.[26]
In the United States, recreational fishing poses the greatest risk of death from lightning of any activity, accounting for 10 percent of all lightning deaths between 2006 and 2019.[27]
The Constitutional Court of Colombia considers sport fishing as unconstitutional.[28]
Some recreational anglers keep a log of the fish they catch, and submit trophy-sized fish to independent record keeping bodies. In the Republic of Ireland, the Irish Specimen Fish Committee verifies and publicizes the capture of trophy fish caught with rod and line by anglers in Ireland, both in freshwater and at sea. The committee also ratifies Irish record rod caught fish. It uses a set of 'fair play' regulations to ensure fish are caught in accordance with accepted angling norms.[29]
Recreational fishing competitions (tournaments) are a recent innovation in which fishermen compete for prizes based on the total weight of a given species of fish caught within a predetermined time. This sport evolved from localfishing contests into large competitive circuits, especially inNorth America. Competitors are most often professional fishermen who are supported by commercial endorsements. Other competitions are based purely on length with mandatory catch and release. Either longest fish or total length is documented with a camera and a mandatory sticker or unique item, a practice used since it is hard to weigh a living fish accurately in a boat.[citation needed]
Sportfishing competitions involve individuals if the fishing occurs from land, and usually teams if conducted from boats, as well as specified times and areas for catching fish. A score is awarded for each fish caught. The points awarded depend on the fish's weight and species. Occasionally a score is divided by the strength of the fishing line used, yielding more points to those who use thinner, weaker line. In tag and release competitions, a flat score is awarded per fish species caught, divided by the line strength. Usually sport fishing competitions award a prize to the boat or team with the most points earned.[30]
In Australia, a self-administered standard for the environmental assessment of tournament fishing has been proposed as an alternative and possible pathway to theISO 14001international standard.[31] The standard assesses environmental, social, economic, and public risk factors. Tournament organizers may apply for voluntary certification.[32] In some US states, fishery agencies and competition organizers create their own codes of practice.[33]
The recreational fishing industry consists of enterprises such as the manufacture and retailing offishing tackle, the design and building of recreational fishing boats, and the provision of fishing boats for charter and guided fishing trips.[citation needed]
"Pay to fish" enterprises provide anglers with controlled access to stocked lakes, ponds, or canals. These provide fishing opportunities outside of the permitted seasons and quotas applied to public waters. In the United Kingdom, commercial fisheries of this sort charge access fees. In North America, establishments usually charge for the fish caught, by length or by weight, rather than for access to the site although some establishments charge both types of fees.[citation needed]
Recreational fishing is a multibillion-dollar industry.[34] In the United States in 2014, about 11 million recreational saltwater fishers generated $58 billion in sales impacts. By contrast, commercial fishing generated $141 billion in sales impacts.[35]
Several species, such asCichla kelberi,C. piquiti,rainbow trout,Wels catfish, and many species in the familyCentrarchidae have been introduced in natural or artificial environmental to the sport fishing.[36] Some of these species have caused several impacts in aquatic biota.[36]
Media related toRecreational fishing at Wikimedia Commons
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