In this post, we’ll give you some interesting and fun facts about fishing. We all know that fish swim, they have gills and that there are many different kinds of fish. You won’t find any of those ridiculously obvious facts that were added merely for making the post longer in this post! Fishing facts are great fun and make for great conversation starters with other fishing enthusiasts. However, this is only the case when they’re interesting and unique. Although we can’t promise you don’t know all of these facts, we’ve certainly done our best to offer some interesting info for you to enjoy. If you love fishing then this post is one you can’t miss!
Fact 1: Fastest fish in the world
The sailfish is thought to be the fastest fish in the world and a prized catch amongst anglers. It has been measured at speeds of over 68 miles per hour which is much faster than other fish in the ocean. Some other extremely fast fish are the swordfish, marlin and wahoo, all of which have been clocked at speeds over 80km per hour!
These fast fish species are often highly saught after by fishing enthusiasts. There are also plenty of fishing competitions that focus solely on these fish species. That being said, many of them are on the endangered species list. We always recommend checking this list before fishing, and working on a catch & release basis unless you’re fishing a species there are so many of it’s becoming a problem (as is the case with certain invasive species).
Fact 2: Largest fish ever caught
The largest fish ever cough was a great white shark that weighed over 1200kgs! It was caught off the coast of Australia and it was reeled in within an hour, imagine that! Other interesting large catches were a huge tiger shark in Australia, and a Greenland shark in Denmark, which is a very rare shark to catch as well being the longest living shark we know about. Marlin and tuna are amongst the largest “non-shark fish” that have ever been caught.
Although it may seem fun to catch such a large fish, and it sure would make for an exciting experience, it’s not recommended to go after such large fish unless you have significant experience, a good boat and multiple people to help you reel it and and release it after catching it. There are also many species you shouldn’t target at all since they’re endangered, so be careful when deep sea fishing!
Fact 3: Unique methods of fishing
There are some very unusual methods used to catch fish around the world. Various strange fish traps like bucket fishing are very effective at catching certain types of fish, and they don’t require a rod and reel. There are also methods that use soda and toothpaste to suffocate the fish, as well as fishermen that use animals like cormorants and otters to catch the fish for them!
These methods are generally used by people who need the fish to survive. If you’re an angler, you’re probably going to stick to a rod and reel. This tends to be best as it doesn’t harm their environment as much and allows you to release the fish after you’ve caught it.
Fact 4: Fishing can be a job!
Not only are there a lot of commercial fishermen, but there are also professional sport fishermen (& women). Fishing competitions can generate big bucks for professional fishing enthusiasts and have been growing in popularity for the past few years.
Not all competitions are going to get you huge prizes, but it’s always fun to get involved in a local competition. This allows you to get to know other fishing enthusiasts near you as well as learn from people with more experience.
Fact 5: Most dangerous waters
The most dangerous fishing waters are heavily debated, especially since many illegal commercial fishermen aren’t monitored like commercial fishing companies in the US or EU are. This makes it very difficult to monitor how many people die on these fishing trips. Commercial fishing is one of the most dangerous jobs in the world, with thousands of known deaths each year. Alaskan waters are often named as the most dangerous, but there are many regions in Asia where illegal fishing operations aren’t monitored. Given the poor circumstances, these waters may be even more deadly. For recreational fishing enthusiasts, the Great Lakes, the Meh Kong and the East Coast of Australia are some of the waters that are commonly mentioned.
Fact 6: Most dangerous fish
Some of the most dangerous fish to catch include sharks, goliath tigerfish, catfish, marlin/sailfish, and pretty much any other large fish. However, the real dangers are found in the shallows. Stonefish, stingrays, and electric eels are some of the fish species that pose the biggest threat to people fishing, depending on your location. By making sure you know where you’re going and the kind of wildlife there is there, you can mitigate a lot of the risk involved with fishing. The hobby isn’t all too dangerous, and when it is, the dangers generally don’t come from what’s on your line but other factors, like the weather, your preparation, the setting, or other wildlife.
Fact 7: Rarest fish
Although it’s difficult to say what the absolute rarest fish is, there are a few strong contenders. Some of these are the Sakhalin sturgeon, the ornate sleeper ray, and the megamouth shark. Many of these are almost extinct, or there is very little known about them. We always recommend our readers to take a look at the endangered species list before fishing for certain species to ensure you take the correct action should you hook a fish that’s considered endangered or threatened.
Fact 8: Small brains!
Fish have surprisingly small brains compared to the rest of their body. Their brain is typically about 1/15th the size of another animal of around the same size. There have been some interesting studies that indicate that brain size is dependant on habitat to some extent in fish. That being said, there are also some fish which are a lot smarter than others. The huge level of diversity is what makes fishing, and fish in general, so interesting.
Fact 9: Frost-proof fish
Fish are one of the few species on this planet that can flourish in very cold environments. You can find fish in almost all bodies of water in the world, and they can even survive at very low depths in the ocean where there’s almost no light.
Fact 10: Fish can fly and live on land
There are both flying fish and fish that can survive on land for long periods of time. Flying fish can glide for reasonably long distances, and fish such as the northern snakehead can breathe air and live on land for long periods of time compared to other fish.
Fact 11: Fish are common invasive species
FIsh are actually surprisingly common invasive species. All over the world, there are fish species which are causing havoc on the natural ecosystem they are introduced to. Lion fish, walking catfish and the northern snakehead are just some of the fish species that are causing issues in areas they’ve been introduced. Water-dwelling animals tend to have a very large impact on an ecosystem, and invasive species can wreak havoc on the biodiversity of a lake or river-system.
Conclusion
Hopefully, these fish facts were and interesting read and have given you something to take with you on your next fishing trip. We’re going to continue to update this post with new fun facts regularly, so if you have any interesting fishing facts you would like to share, please leave them in the comments and we’ll try to add them into the article next time we update it!
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