Saltwater fishing

In saltwater fishing, all the methods mentioned previously are used. Fly-fishing in salt water became very popular during the last quarter of the 20th century. Saltwater fishing is done from a beach, off rocks, from a pier, or from a boat, which may vary in size from a rowboat in inland waters to oceangoing craft of considerable size. Fish usually caught from shore include striped bass, bluefish, tarpon, bonefish, and permit. Saltwater anglers fishing from boats take grouper, flounder, snapper, mackerel and many other species by trolling or bottom fishing.

Big-game fishing

Made possible by the motorized boat, saltwater big-game fishing was pioneered in 1898 by Charles Frederick Holder, who took a 183-pound (83-kg) bluefin tuna off Santa Catalina Island, California. Fish usually caught by big-game anglers include tuna, marlin, swordfish, and shark. Big-game fishing spread to the Atlantic, and catches of increasing size were made on relatively light tackle and line, especially after the invention of a reel with an internal drag by Julius von Hofe of Brooklyn, New York, in 1913. Big-game anglers fish from “fighting seats” into which they can be strapped. Rods are massive, and the butts fit into a socket mounted on the chair. Reels are large, and the line is usually of Dacron or nylon with a wire leader near the hook to prevent the large teeth of the fish from shearing the line.

The establishment of the International Game Fish Association (IGFA) in 1939 did much to promote big-game fishing and to regulate it—supervising marine fishing competitions, establishing various weight categories for lines, and keeping championship records. The IGFA also promoted scientific study by encouraging the tagging of released fish to establish fish habitat patterns and by working for conservation of endangered species. In 1978 the association also took over the keeping of freshwater fishing records.

Competitive casting is an adjunct sport, much as shooting is for hunting, under the supervision of the International Casting Sport Federation (founded 1955), with member groups in about 30 countries in the late 20th century. It sponsors tournaments and recognizes world records for accuracy and distance. Competitions are held with both bait-casting and fly tackle.

Recent trends in fishing

At the turn of the 21st century, sport fishing was thriving. It was estimated that about 40 million Americans spent at least one day per year fishing, and their combined expenditures on tackle, travel, and lodging pumped approximately $45 billion annually into the U.S. economy. Because of less public angling access in Great Britain and continental Europe, there are fewer anglers, but large numbers of people there do fish. The greater availability of air travel has increased anglers’ access to many areas of the world and introduced them to new sport fish, such as the dorado of South America, the tigerfish of Africa, and the inconnu of northern North America and Asia. Hardly a species of any importance does not have its angling devotees somewhere. Even the carp, long considered a “trash fish” in North America, has a considerable following. The traditionally popular species remain so, particularly salmon and trout and, in North America, the largemouth bass—the most popular game fish in the United States, so popular that boats for bass fishing are specially designed, and there are numerous tours of professional associations of bass anglers that often have their competitions broadcast on cable television.

A strong emphasis on fisheries conservation and the wise management of fish stocks by both anglers and professional fisheries managers aim to ensure that recreational fishing will continue to thrive for many years to come. For example, catch-and-release angling became increasingly popular since the late 20th century. In many areas of the United States and Canada, individual lakes and streams are increasingly managed for lower catch limits and for habitat quality. Owing to angler demand, fisheries management emphasis continues to shift from management by stocking or replenishing lakes and streams to enhancing existing water quality and habitat so that species found in a body of water can better thrive through natural recruitment and reproduction.