Angling is a method of
fishing by means of an "angle" (
hook). The hook is usually attached by a
line to a
fishing
rod. A
bite indicator such as a
float is sometimes used. The rod is
usually fitted with a
fishing reel that
functions as a mechanism for storing, retrieving and paying out the
line. The hook can be dressed with
lure
or
bait. Angling is a principal method
of
sport fishing, but
commercial fisheries also use angling
methods such as
longlining or
trolling.
Catch and release fishing is
increasingly practiced by
recreational fishermen. In many parts
of the world,
size limits apply
to certain species, meaning
fish below and/or
above a certain size must, by law, be released.
Introduction
The species of fish pursued by anglers vary with geography. Among
the many species of
salt water fish that
are caught for sport are
swordfish,
marlin,
tuna,
salmon and
halibut. In
North America, the most popular
fresh water sport species include
bass,
pike,
walleye,
muskellunge,
yellow perch,
trout,
salmon,
catfish,
crappie,
bluegill and
sunfish. In
Europe, a large number of anglers fish for species such as
carp,
pike,
tench,
rudd,
roach,
European
perch and
barbel (especially in
stillwaters). Although some fish are sought for their value as
food, others are pursued for their fighting
abilities or for the difficulty of pursuit.
Hooks
The use of the hook in angling is descended, historically, from
what would today be called a "gorge." The word "gorge", in this
context, comes from an archaic word meaning "throat." Gorges were
used by ancient peoples to capture fish. A gorge was a long, thin
piece of bone or stone attached by its midpoint to a thin line. The
gorge would be fixed with a bait so that it would rest parallel to
the lay of the line. When a fish would swallow the bait, a tug on
the line would cause the gorge to orient itself at right angles to
the line, thereby sticking in the fish's
gullet.
Baits
Which of the various techniques an angler may choose is dictated
mainly by the target species and by its habitat. Angling can be
separated into two main categories: using either artificial or
natural baits.
Artificial baits
Many people prefer to fish solely with
lures, which are artificial baits designed to
entice fish to strike. The artificial bait angler uses a man-made
lure that may or may not represent prey. The lure may require a
specialised presentation to impart an enticing action as, for
example, in
fly fishing. A common way to
fish a soft plastic worm is the
Texas
Rig.
Natural baits
The natural bait angler, with few exceptions, will use a common
prey species of the fish as an attractant. The natural bait used
may be alive or dead. Common natural baits include
worm,
leeches,
minnow,
frogs,
salamanders, and
insects.
Natural baits are effective due to the lifelike texture, odour and
colour of the bait presented.
The common earthworm is a universal bait for fresh water angling.
Grub and
maggots are
also excellent bait when trout fishing.
Grasshoppers,
bees and even
ants are also used as bait for
trout in their season, although many anglers believe
that trout or salmon
roe is superior to any
other bait.
In lakes in southern climates such as
Florida
, USA
, fish such as bream will
take bread bait. Bread bait is a small amount of bread,
often moistened by saliva, balled up to a small size that is bite
size to small fish.
Roe is an excellent bait for trout, salmon and
many other fresh water fish.
Spreading disease
The capture, transportation and culture of bait fish can spread
damaging organisms between
ecosystems,
endangering them.
In 2007, several American
states,
including Michigan
, enacted
regulations designed to slow the spread of fish diseases, including
viral hemorrhagic
septicemia, by bait fish. Because of the risk of
transmitting
Myxobolus
cerebralis (whirling disease),
trout
and
salmon should not be used as bait.
Anglers may increase the possibility of contamination by emptying
bait buckets into fishing venues and collecting or using bait
improperly. The transportation of fish from one location to another
can break the law and cause the
introduction of fish alien to the
ecosystem.
Laws and regulations
Laws and
regulations
managing angling vary greatly, often regionally, within countries.
These commonly include permits (licences), closed periods (seasons)
where specific species are unavailable for harvest, restrictions on
gear types, and
quota.
Laws generally prohibit catching fish with hooks other than in the
mouth (snagging or foul hooking) or the use of nets other than as
an aid in landing a captured fish. Some species, such as
bait fish, may be taken with nets, and a few for
food. Sometimes, (non-sport) fish are considered of lesser value
and it may be permissible to take them by methods like snagging,
bow and arrow, or spear. None of these techniques fall under the
definition of angling since they do not rely upon the use of a hook
and line.
Fishing seasons
Fishing seasons are set by countries or localities to indicate what
kinds of fish may be caught during
sport
fishing (also known as angling) for a certain period of time.
Fishing seasons are enforced to maintain ecological balance and to
protect species of fish during their
spawning period during which they are easier
to catch.
Catch and release
Although most anglers keep their catch for consumption, catch and
release fishing is increasingly practiced, especially by fly
anglers. The general principle is that releasing fish allows them
to survive, thus avoiding unintended depletion of the population.
For species such as marlin and muskellunge but, also, among few
bass anglers, there is a cultural
taboo
against killing fish for food. In many parts of the world, size
limits apply to certain species, meaning fish below a certain size
must, by law, be released. It is generally believed that larger
fish have a greater breeding potential. Some fisheries have a slot
limit that allows the taking of smaller and larger fish, but
requiring that intermediate sized fish be released. It is generally
accepted that this management approach will help the fishery create
a number of large, trophy-sized fish. In smaller fisheries that are
heavily fished, catch and release is the only way to ensure that
catchable fish will be available from year to year.
The practice of catch and release is criticised by some who
consider it unethical to inflict pain upon a fish for purposes of
sport. Some of those who object to releasing fish do not object to
killing fish for food. Adherents of catch and release dispute this
charge, pointing out that fish commonly feed on hard and spiky prey
items, and as such can be expected to have tough mouths, and also
that some fish will re-take a lure they have just been hooked on, a
behaviour that is unlikely if hooking were painful. Opponents of
catch and release fishing would find it preferable to ban or to
severely restrict angling. On the other hand, proponents state that
catch-and-release is necessary for many fisheries to remain
sustainable, is a practice that that generally has high survival
rates, and consider the banning of angling as not reasonable or
necessary.
In some
jurisdictions, in the Canadian province of
Manitoba
, for
example, catch and release is mandatory for some species such as
brook trout. Many of the
jurisdictions which mandate the live release of sport fish also
require the use of artificial lures and barbless hooks to minimise
the chance of injury to fish. Mandatory catch and release also
exists in the Republic of Ireland where it was introduced as a
conservation measure to prevent the decline of Atlantic salmon
stocks on some rivers. In Switzerland, catch and release fishing is
considered inhumane and was banned in September 2008.
Barbless hooks, which can be created from a standard hook by
removing the barb with pliers or can be bought, are sometimes
resisted by anglers because they believe that increased escapement
results. Barbless hooks reduce handling time, thereby increasing
survival. Concentrating on keeping the line taut while fighting
fish, using recurved point or "triple grip" style hooks on lures,
and equipping lures that do not have them with split rings can
significantly reduce escapement.
Capacity for pain
Animal protection advocates have raised concerns about the possible
suffering of fish caused by angling. In
light of recent research, some countries, like Germany, have banned
specific types of fishing and the British RSPCA now formally
prosecutes individuals who are cruel to fish.
Experiments done by William Tavolga provide evidence that fish have
pain and fear responses. For instance, in Tavolga’s experiments,
toadfish grunted when electrically shocked
and over time they came to grunt at the mere sight of an
electrode.Additional tests conducted at both the University of
Edinburgh and the Roslin Institute, in which bee venom and acetic
acid was injected into the lips of rainbow trout, resulted in fish
rubbing their lips along the sides and floors of their tanks, which
the researchers believe was an effort to relieve themselves of
pain.One researcher argues about the definition of pain used in the
studies.
In 2003, Scottish scientists at the University of Edinburgh
performing research on rainbow trout concluded that fish exhibit
behaviors often associated with pain, and the brains of fish fire
neurons in the same way human brains do when experiencing pain.
James D. Rose of the University of Wyoming critiqued the study,
claiming it was flawed, mainly since it did not provide proof that
fish possess "conscious awareness, particularly a kind of awareness
that is meaningfully like ours".
Rose, J.D. 2003. A Critique of the paper: "Do fish
have nociceptors: Evidence for the evolution of a vertebrate
sensory system"</<>ref> Rose argues that since the
fish brain is rather different from ours, fish are probably not
conscious (in the manner humans are), whence reactions similar to
human reactions to pain instead have other causes. Rose had
published his own opinion a year earlier arguing that fish cannot
feel pain as they lack the appropriate
neocortex in the brain. However, animal
behaviorist
Temple Grandin argues
that fish could still have consciousness without a neocortex
because "different species can use different brain structures and
systems to handle the same functions."
Tournaments and derbies
Sometimes considered within the broad category of angling is where
contestants compete for prizes based on the total length or weight
of a fish, usually of a pre-determined species, caught within a
specified time (fishing
tournaments).
Such contests have evolved from local fishing contests into large
competitive circuits, where professional anglers are supported by
commercial endorsements. Professional anglers are not engaged in
commercial fishing, even though they gain an economic reward.
Similar competitive fishing exists at the amateur level with
fishing derbies. In general, derbies are distinguished from
tournaments; derbies normally require fish to be killed.
Tournaments normally deduct points if fish can not be released
alive.
Motivation
A ten-year-long survey of US fishing club members, completed in
1997, indicated that motivations for recreational angling have
shifted from relaxation, an outdoor experience and the experience
of the catch, to the importance of family recreation. Anglers with
higher family incomes fished more frequently and were less
concerned about obtaining fish as food.
A German study indicated that satisfaction derived from angling was
not dependent on the actual catch, but depended more on the
angler’s expectations of the experience.
A 2006 study by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
tracked the motivations of anglers on the Red River. Included among
the most often stated responses were the fun of catching fish, the
experience, to catch a lot of fish or a very large fish, for
challenge, adventure and more. Use as food was not cited as a
motivation for angling,
See also
References
- DNR Fishing Regulation Changes Reflect Disease
Management Concerns with VHS
- Understanding the Complexity of Catch and Release
in Recreational Fishing: An Integrative Synthesis of Global
Knowledge from Historical, Ethical, Social, and Biological
Perspectives [1] Published in Reviews in Fisheries
Science, Volume 15, Issue 1 & 2 January 2007 , pages 75 -
167 Authors: Robert Arlinghaus; Steven J. Cooke; Jon Lyman;
David Policansky; Alexander Schwab; Cory Suski; Stephen G. Sutton;
Eva B. Thorstad
- Fishing in Ireland Catch and Release for Atlantic
Salmon
- Animal Rights Law Passed in Switzerland - Catch and
Release Fishing Banned
- Leake, J. “Anglers to Face RSPCA Check,” The Sunday
Times – Britain, 14 March 2004
- Dunayer, Joan, "Fish: Sensitivity Beyond the Captor's Grasp,"
The Animals' Agenda, July/August 1991, pp. 12-18
- Vantressa Brown, “Fish Feel Pain, British
Researchers Say,” Agence France-Presse, 1 May 2003
- “Do fish have nociceptors: Evidence for the
evolution of a vertebrate sensory system”, 2003 by Sneddon,
Braithwaite and Gentle. A critique of the paper by James D. Rose,
Ph.D. Department of Zoology and Physiology University of
Wyoming
- James D. Rose, Do Fish
Feel Pain?, 2002. Retrieved September 27, 2007.
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