With the increased popularity of tournament angling, it is common to wonder if fishing is considered a sport. Do you consider fishing as a sport? Have you ever considered participating in any fishing tournaments? In this article, we take you through the fine details of fishing as a sport. Please stick with us to determine why fishing is considered a sport and everything you need to know about this newly popular sport.
Yes. Fishing is among the recreational hobbies that are also competitive sports. It’s considered a sport since it involves skill, physical effort, and competition for entertainment purposes.
As a recreational activity, this is a sport that has gained popularity among adventurers, with a significant increase in fishing activities and the invention of more advanced fishing equipment. Even before you get into professional angling competitions, competitive fishing is a popular sport among friends and family. People go fishing and compete amongst themselves to see who gets the most significant catch just for fun, just as other people enjoy playing soccer with their friends and consider it a sport.
How Is Fishing A Sport?
According to the oxford dictionary, a sport is an activity involving physical exertion and skill in which an individual or team competes against another or others for entertainment.
Going by this definition, fishing in tournaments is a sport since anglers use their skills and physical energy to compete for who gets the biggest/ heaviest catch.
Are you curious about how fishing tournaments work? Worry not, we’ve got you. Anglers have an organized competition among themselves. These tournaments or derbies occur as a series of competitive events around a lake, river, or ocean with specific rules for each event.
In this competition, anglers compete for prizes based on the total weight of fish caught within a pre-determined time. In most tournaments, the species of fish is also specified. Other competitions have a mandatory catch and release policy, with the basis of the competition being purely length. In such competitions, the fish’s size is documented or captured on camera to make it easy to determine the winner.
Most fishing tournaments will require you or your team to pay a fee to participate. The top three finishers will almost always get a prize, with one who catches the tournament’s largest fish getting a bonus.
In most tournaments, you must catch only one fish species, e.g., largemouth bass. You also have a limit of the number of fish you can have in your live well, with their total weight being your score. In bass tournaments, the limit is five fish at least 12 inches in length. If an angler catches a sixth fish, they are expected to cull the smallest and have only five fish in their live well. That is why it’s essential to have a weight scale in your boat since you cannot eyeball the weight too well. During the weigh-in, all your fish are expected to be well and alive; otherwise, you are penalized.
What Are Methods Of Fishing Used In Sportfishing?
Angling is the principal method used in sport fishing. However, other popular fishing methods are used in the commercial fishery worth knowing. The fishing method used mostly depends on the fishermen’s available resources, targeted species, and experience. Here’s a summary of the methods and how each works:
| Fishing method | Description |
| Trolling | Attaching the line behind a moving boat, sweeping it from side to side, or slowly winding it from a static position, one or more fishing lines baited with lures or baitfish are drawn through the water to trap fish. |
| Netting | Usually formed by knotting a relatively thin thread, fishing nets are meshes that are designed to catch fish. |
| Spinning | Used in marine and freshwater environments, a spinning lure is used to entice the fish to bite. |
| Trapping | Fish are caught by baited pot traps that can be permanent or semi-permanent, placed in a tidal area or river. |
The Advantages And Disadvantages Of Fishing As A Sport:
There are innumerable positives to sport fishing with a few negatives. This section looks at some of this fascinating sport’s advantages and disadvantages.
Advantages:
1. Catch and release: A good percentage of fish caught in tournaments are released. When caught and removed correctly, fish have a high chance of survival.
2. It helps build characters such as perseverance, confidence, and self-esteem in an angler.
3. Physical health is improved through frequent practice.
4. Development of skills in handling different species of fish in different fishing scenarios
5. It can be relaxing.
6. Boosts the economy from the licenses and creates employment opportunities in the fisheries where the sports tournaments occur.
7. It helps anglers connect with Nature in the best way possible
Disadvantages:
1. Sometimes, fish end up injured due to mishandling
2. Might increase pollution from oil spills or littering by some anglers
What Are The Requirements For Sport Fishing?
We’ve listed some of the requirements that you should consider before getting into fishing as a sport. Requirements might vary depending on your state or specific tournament, but the basics are similar.
1. A life jacket that zips up quickly and perfectly fits.
2. Be sure to pack your fishing license if you already have one for the state or region you’ll be going for the tournament.
3. Warm clothes and a good quality rain suit in case of miserable weather.
4. A first aid kit to manage any minor injuries during the tournament.
5. Food and beverages for an energy boost since it might longer than you expect.
6. Quality polarized sunglasses to protect your eyes and improve your vision
7. Sunscreen helps protect the skin from harmful UV rays
Types Of Fishing Tournaments:
The most popular fishing tournaments worldwide are bass tournaments, kids’ tournaments, and catfish tournaments. Here’s a summary of what each contest entails:
| Fishing Tournament | What It Entails |
| Bass Tournament | The activity of angling for North American gamefish known as black bass. The competition involves each angler weighing their five best catches of the day over a span of 1-4 days. Competitors are penalized in case of dead fish. After weighing, fish are put in a tank and treated for stress and slime coat injury, then released into the water |
| Kids fishing tournament | A great way of introducing fishing to kids. Involves kids competing to catch easy-to-catch species such as rainbow trout, bluegill, or catfish from the shoreline. Setup is done to ensure the safety of the kids |
| Catfish tournament | It is mostly done at night. Involves fishing at a specific spot to catch the heaviest or longest catfish. It is becoming increasingly popular since it offers a different fishing experience from other tournaments. |
How To Organize A Competitive Fishing Tournament:
As an angler, competing with local anglers is a great way to gain new fishing skills and make valuable friendships. You don’t need a million bucks to organize a tournament in your local area. With like-minded anglers and a water body nearby, you can set out to create a fun and memorable fishing tournament. Here’s what you need:
1. Set clear rules for the participants and get a permit.
2. Advertise it on various platforms to reach out to as many people as possible.
3. Register the participants.
4. Enroll volunteers and gather all the equipment you’ll need for the tournament.
5. Ensure all the rules are followed, and fishing is fairly done
Conclusion:
To most people, fishing is not considered a sport; this is most probably because it is more of a hobby and recreational activity. From the definition of sports, it is evident that tournament fishing is a sport.
If you want to enjoy the outdoors as you connect with Nature while also getting some adrenaline rush, sport fishing is the way to go. Find a tournament near you and try your luck. Who knows, you could win a mega prize as you do something you love.
