Recreational fishing is a fun activity for many Australians, which is why millions of Australians take part in it. And with millions of fish species and hundreds of freshwater and seawater locations to fish in the country, the opportunities to show off your luck and angler skills are plenty.
Fishing can already be fun on its own, but what if you could make it better? Here are three different ways you can make fishing even more fun on your own, or with other people with varying degrees of experience.
Deep-Sea Fishing
Instead of limiting yourself to freshwater fish and the seawater fishes close to the shore, why not opt for bigger catches? The only place you can find these bigger species is, naturally, out in open and deep waters. You have to go on a deep-sea fishing trip to catch them.
Many Gold Coast fishing charters offer half-day and whole-day trips out in the sea. These trips may include experienced fishers and experienced anglers, as well as those with no experience but want to see marine wildlife and learn a thing or two about fishing. With thousands of sea creatures in Australian waters, experienced anglers who can help you, and all the equipment you need, you’re bound to have an adventure in deep-sea fishing.
Night Fishing
Night fishing is more challenging, but it’s possible to do in certain types of water and areas. As its name suggests, night fishing is done after sunset to use the darkness as your advantage in catching nocturnal fishes. Because of the different environment, you have to use different types of tackle, especially if you’re hoping to find specific predator fishes in an area.
If you’re thinking about going night fishing, you need to prepare yourself mentally. You have to adjust your eyes to low-light conditions or total darkness, which is very different from fishing in daylight. You also have to be very quiet to attract the fish, which could mean reducing the number of people in your fishing party and turning off your boat’s engine once you’ve settled on a spot.
Catch and Release Fishing
If you’re hesitant to do recreational fishing because you’re worried about the environmental damage you might do to a body of water, you can opt for what’s called catch and release fishing. This is a popular practice among anglers who want to minimize their effect on marine wildlife. After catching fishes with a hook and bait that won’t harm or injure the fish, they are quickly released back into their natural habitat with as little damage to their bodies as possible.
Research by the Department of Primary Industries found that most fishes will likely survive catch and release fishing if proper safety practices are observed. These include using the right hooks, proper handling, and prompt return to their habitat.
These three methods can make fishing much more fun for you and your party of anglers—or fishing spectators. So, instead of the usual regular fishing trips, try fishing through these methods.
