I'd like to start doing some fishing while cruising. I'd appreciate any advice
concerning equipment, techniques, etc. My normal cruising range is New
England, specifically Block Island, RI to Eastport, ME and I sail a Beneteau
35S5: http://www.bostonsailingcenter.com/f...neteau35s5.asp.
I'm more interested in food than sport. Is a license required for coastal
ocean fishing?

--
Chuck Cox
SynchroSystems - embedded computer design - http://synchro.com

my email is politician-proof, just remove the PORK

On Mar 1, 8:19 am, Chuck Cox wrote:
I'd like to start doing some fishing while cruising. ...
I'm more interested in food than sport. Is a license required for coastal
ocean fishing?

I'd suggest investing in a copy of "The Cruiser's handbook of Fishing"
by Scott Bannerot. It's easy to read (Scott has a good sense of
humor) and covers all the basics. I'm no fisherman, but I often drag
a line when cruising. I use 300 lb test on a "yo-yo" and use Mustad
No. 7 stainless double hooks a bit of wire leader and some feathers.
Fish bite just about anything given enough time. Some ocean fish are
big, so I attach my gear to the boat with a length of surgical tubing
with a strong line run inside it in case it breaks. This often
absorbs enough shock to keep the fish from exploding. Sport fishermen
will likely be appalled by this set up, but it has some advantages
over light tackle sport rigs. The whole set-up costs less than a
decent salt water fishing pole. It doesn't require any special boat
maneuvering to land fish. Small fish (less than about 30 lbs) can
usually be hand lined to the boat along the surface and then just
heaved on board and subdued (a towel to blind then and absorb some
blood is good here). And, best of all for the short handed , if you
are otherwise occupied when you get a hit the fish will wait until you
are ready to deal with it.

Generally speaking no license is required for true ocean fishing (ie.
outside of 12 miles). More often than not, fishing within 3 miles of
shore will be regulated in some way by the state that controls the
waters. The regulation may take the form of licenses, but you will
also want to be aware of size limits, closed seasons and closed areas.
There are a few areas where fishing is prohibited out to 12 miles (eg.
the North-West Hawaiian Islands).

-- Tom.

wrote in message
oups.com...
On Mar 1, 8:19 am, Chuck Cox wrote:
I'd like to start doing some fishing while cruising. ...
I'm more interested in food than sport. Is a license required for
coastal
ocean fishing?

I'd suggest investing in a copy of "The Cruiser's handbook of Fishing"
by Scott Bannerot. It's easy to read (Scott has a good sense of
humor) and covers all the basics. I'm no fisherman, but I often drag
a line when cruising. I use 300 lb test on a "yo-yo" and use Mustad
No. 7 stainless double hooks a bit of wire leader and some feathers.
Fish bite just about anything given enough time. Some ocean fish are
big, so I attach my gear to the boat with a length of surgical tubing
with a strong line run inside it in case it breaks. This often
absorbs enough shock to keep the fish from exploding. Sport fishermen
will likely be appalled by this set up, but it has some advantages
over light tackle sport rigs. The whole set-up costs less than a
decent salt water fishing pole. It doesn't require any special boat
maneuvering to land fish. Small fish (less than about 30 lbs) can
usually be hand lined to the boat along the surface and then just
heaved on board and subdued (a towel to blind then and absorb some
blood is good here). And, best of all for the short handed , if you
are otherwise occupied when you get a hit the fish will wait until you
are ready to deal with it.

Generally speaking no license is required for true ocean fishing (ie.
outside of 12 miles). More often than not, fishing within 3 miles of
shore will be regulated in some way by the state that controls the
waters. The regulation may take the form of licenses, but you will
also want to be aware of size limits, closed seasons and closed areas.
There are a few areas where fishing is prohibited out to 12 miles (eg.
the North-West Hawaiian Islands).

-- Tom.



Holy Wah, Tom! Land many Marlin? lol

Holy Wah, Tom! Land many Marlin? lol

We hooked into a pretty large marlin just east of the Phonex Islands
and got him along side. Got some nice pictures and then were able to
release him. We try to keep fish size down by using small lures and
hooks but it doesn't always work. The real monsters usually break the
hooks, but I've had 300lb line snapped too.

-- Tom.

wrote in message
oups.com...
Holy Wah, Tom! Land many Marlin? lol

We hooked into a pretty large marlin just east of the Phonex Islands
and got him along side. Got some nice pictures and then were able to
release him. We try to keep fish size down by using small lures and
hooks but it doesn't always work. The real monsters usually break the
hooks, but I've had 300lb line snapped too.

-- Tom.


Ya, trying to figure what fish will bite on what is frustrating. I've hooked
(and landed) 30" northern pike on little trout spoons, and hooked (and
released) tiny little perch on lures meant for the pipe that were bigger
than the perch. Catching a marlin could be useful, though -- especially if
you need more power.

KLC Lewis wrote:
wrote in message
oups.com...

Holy Wah, Tom! Land many Marlin? lol

We hooked into a pretty large marlin just east of the Phonex Islands
and got him along side. Got some nice pictures and then were able to
release him. We try to keep fish size down by using small lures and
hooks but it doesn't always work. The real monsters usually break the
hooks, but I've had 300lb line snapped too.

-- Tom.



Ya, trying to figure what fish will bite on what is frustrating. I've hooked
(and landed) 30" northern pike on little trout spoons, and hooked (and
released) tiny little perch on lures meant for the pipe that were bigger
than the perch. Catching a marlin could be useful, though -- especially if
you need more power.

I gained a lot of respect for the size of fish
that may hit your lure while sailing from Cat key
to Bimini a few years back. The lure we were
trolling had a very large stainless steel hook
fastened to wire line. We momentarily felt
something hit the line, and when we reeled it back
in the hook was snapped off.

Don W.

On Fri, 02 Mar 2007 08:20:18 -0600, Don W
wrote:

KLC Lewis wrote:
wrote in message
oups.com...

Holy Wah, Tom! Land many Marlin? lol

We hooked into a pretty large marlin just east of the Phonex Islands
and got him along side. Got some nice pictures and then were able to
release him. We try to keep fish size down by using small lures and
hooks but it doesn't always work. The real monsters usually break the
hooks, but I've had 300lb line snapped too.

-- Tom.



Ya, trying to figure what fish will bite on what is frustrating. I've hooked
(and landed) 30" northern pike on little trout spoons, and hooked (and
released) tiny little perch on lures meant for the pipe that were bigger
than the perch. Catching a marlin could be useful, though -- especially if
you need more power.

I gained a lot of respect for the size of fish
that may hit your lure while sailing from Cat key
to Bimini a few years back. The lure we were
trolling had a very large stainless steel hook
fastened to wire line. We momentarily felt
something hit the line, and when we reeled it back
in the hook was snapped off.

Don W.

And then we were bleeding a small dorado in the sea of cortez one
crossing by dragging the beheaded fish off the quarter at the
waterline when there was a tug which slowed the boat down for a
second. All we reeled in was a piece of string.