Nigel Cawthorne - Notorious Tyrants

Published in 2014 by The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc.
29 East 21st Street, New York, NY 10010

Copyright 2014 by The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc.

First Edition

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Poolos, Christine.

Deep-sea fishing/Christine Poolos.1st ed.New York: Rosen, 2014

p. cm.(Fishing: tips and techniques)

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN: 978-1-4488-9486-4 (Library Binding)

ISBN: 978-1-4488-9502-1 (Paperback)

ISBN: 978-1-4488-9503-8 (6-pack)

1. Saltwater fishing. 2. Saltwater fishingJuvenile literature. 3. Big game fishing.

4. Bait fishing. I. Title.

SH457.5 .P665 2014

799.16

Manufactured in the United States of America

CPSIA Compliance Information: Batch #S13YA: For further information, contact Rosen Publishing, New York, New York, at 1-800-237-9932.

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER 1

GETTING STARTED

CHAPTER 2

EQUIPMENT

CHAPTER 3

FINDING AND CATCHING FISH

CHAPTER 4

DANGERS AND SAFETY

CHAPTER 5

DEEP-SEA FISHING AND THE ENVIRONMENT

GLOSSARY

FOR MORE INFORMATION

FOR FURTHER READING

BIBLIOGRAPHY

INDEX

INTRODUCTION

I magine you are on vacation with your family. Bored with trips to the beach and sightseeing, you convince your parents to take you fishing. Youve seen fishermen and fisherwomen on the piers near your hotel with lots of lines in the water, hauling up catch every now and then. But you want to get out onto the open sea, on a boat, and see what happens.

You inquire at your hotel and are told to be at the marina early the next morning to make your reservation. You and your family arrive with some water, snacks, hats, and sunglasses, but no gear. You were told that rods and reels, bait, and everything else would be provided. The captain greets you right away and shows you around the boat. She takes special care to point out where the life vests are stowed and introduces you to her mate. You also meet some others who will be joining you on the trip.

Once you get out to sea, the captain turns off the motor and lets the boat drift. The sun is strong, the breeze light, and the smell of the sea unmistakable. The captain and her mate have been rigging the gear in preparation for this moment. They place the rods in outriggers along the sides of the boat and drop the lines straight down. Then you wait, enjoying the scenery and the experience. You see schools of fish under the surface and a few big ones leaping out of the water, but so far nothing is biting.

You might be lucky enough to reel in a swordfish like this one if you try your hand at deep-sea fishing.

Suddenly one of the lines pulls and everyone jumps to their feet. It is your pole! The captain shows you how to hold the pole against your abdomen and work the reel. Its not as easy as just cranking the reel in; its a give-and-take that requires a lot of patience. Soon, it also requires strength. At one point, you think you see your fish just below the surface. You cant see what it is, but it looks big and a little scary. Just as soon as it appears, it is gone, diving straight down and almost pulling you over the side of the boat.

The captain helps you let out the slack, then reels in a little. And then she decides it is time for the fighting chair. She sits you in a chair that is bolted to the deck but that pivots around from side to side and straps you in. Then she places the end of your fishing rod into the holder on the chair. From here on out, its a struggle. The fish fights you, demanding every bit of strength you have. Youre not sure how long it takes to reel in, but it feels like hours. Everyone on board is watching and yelling out tips and shouts of encouragement. The captain is right beside you, ready to take over if you get too tired. The mate has planted himself just next to your line. He is holding a long pole with a big hook at its end.

Just when the fish has begun to give up and lets you reel it in, the mate hooks the fish and brings it onboard through a little trap door on the side. Lots of seawater comes onboard with it. The fish is big, but not as huge as youd imagined, and it is flopping around on deck. You let go of the pole, noticing that your hands are red and raw, and relax a minute. Then the mate asks if you want to watch him clean your fishbut not before your dad takes a photo of you next to your catch. While the captain helps out other passengers, the mate deftly guts and cleans your fish, then puts it on ice. You know youll have a tasty dinner tonight.

Fishing is one of the great pastimes in the United States. There are many different kinds of fishing, including freshwater fishing, fly fishing, saltwater fishing, pier fishing, and even fishing with bow-and-arrow. All have their benefits, and how and where you fish is a personal preference.

Deep-sea fishing has several unique benefits. First, because youre off the coast, deeper into the sea, you have the opportunity to hook a greater variety of fish. The biggest and best fish swim off the coast in deeper waters. And because youre on a boat, not limited by land and the angle of your pole, you can drop your line straight down to the ocean floor. If that doesnt work, you can try different angles. If the fish arent biting where you are, you can easily move to another location. And you can use technology to find them.

Deep-sea fishing is an exciting and potentially dangerous activity that is never dull. It can take a little extra planning, and it can cost you more money than other kinds of fishing. But few fishing trips will give you the adrenaline rush and the potential for reeling in a fish as big as your little brother.

CHAPTER 1

GETTING STARTED

I f youre not an experienced angler (another word for fisherman and fisherwoman), deep-sea fishing might seem intimidating at first. Perhaps youve never held a fishing pole in your life. Or maybe youve been working your local fishing hole for years but are afraid of what lurks in the sea. After all, theres quite a difference between a 1-pound (0.5 kilograms) crappie and a 55-pound (25 kg) grouper.

The first thing to remember is that, although deep-sea fishing is on an entirely different scale than most other types of fishing, it is above all a fun, oftentimes thrilling, pastime. That doesnt mean you wont need to learn new techniques and rules and that you dont need to take safety precautions. But the opportunity to broaden your fishing horizons is totally worth it.

What Is Deep-Sea Fishing?

Also known as offshore fishing, open-water fishing, sport fishing, or, sometimes, big-game fishing, deep-sea fishing is the pursuit of fish in deep ocean waternearly 100 feet (30 meters) or deeperwell off the coast. In deep ocean waters, the variety of catch is very different. Fish are larger and heavier, and it takes a lot more experience to catch them and haul them in. It also takes strong equipment and a lot of patience. You might be fighting a 100-lb (45 kg) fish for more than two hours!