Game fish: Difference between revisions

Specimens of game fish whose [[fish measurement|measurement]]s (body length and [[standard weight in fish|weight]]) significantly exceed the species' average are sometimes known as '''trophy fish''', as such captures are often presented as [[bragging rights]] among fishermenfishers.{{Citation needed|date=October 2023}}

[[File:EsoxStriped luciusBlue ZOO 1Marlin.jpg|thumb|The [[Esox|pikeMarlin]]s isare apopular classic freshwaterblue-water game fish.]]

* [[Big-game fishing|Big-game fish]] areor [[open ocean|blue water]] saltwatergame fish are large [[bonypelagic]] [[saltwater fish]] such as [[tuna]], [[tarpon]], [[grouper]] and [[billfish]] ([[sailfish]], [[marlin]] and [[swordfish]]). Occasionally other [[predatory fish]]es such as [[shark]]s, [[barracuda]] and [[dolphinfish]] are also pursued. Large powerful [[freshwater fish]] such as [[alligator gar]], [[lake sturgeon]] and [[flathead catfish]] can also be considered big-game fish.

* [[Freshwater fish]] targeted by anglers in [[North America]] include [[commonbass snook(fish)|bass]], (especially [[redblack drum|redfishbass]]), [[salmon]]/[[trout]], [[bassSalvelinus|char]], (fish)[[walleye]]/[[sauger]], [[common snook]], [[red drum|bassredfish]], [[northern pike]] and [[muskellunge]], [[walleye]]/[[saugersturgeon]], [[sturgeongar]] and several [[catfish]] species. In [[Europe]] and [[Asia]], large [[cyprinid]]s (e.g. [[carp]]s, [[barbel (fish)|barbel]]s, [[beambream]]s, [[chub]]s, [[Leuciscus|dace]]s and [[tench]]), [[perch]]es, freshwater [[salmonid]]s (trout, [[Thymallus|grayling]]s, [[Coregoninae|whitefish]] and [[taimen]]), [[freshwater drum|drum]], [[Esox|pike]]s, catfish, [[eel]]s and [[snakehead (fish)|snakehead]]s are also popular, although many of them are regarded derogatorily as "[[trash fish]]", "dirt fish" or "[[pest (organism)|pest]] fish" in America.

** In the [[United Kingdom]], "game fish" refers specifically to salmonids other than graylings – that is, [[salmon]], [[trout]] and [[Salvelinus|char]]. Other popular freshwater fish are called [[coarse fishing|coarse fish]] or [[rough fish]].

* Small/medium-sized freshwater fish routinely sought by anglers are called [[panfish]] in the [[United States]], because they typically can fit wholly into a normal [[cooking pan]] without needing to be [[cut offish meatsteak|cut]] or [[fish fillet|fillet]]ed. Examples are [[crappie]]s, [[yellow perch]], [[rock bass]], [[bluegill]]s and [[Lepomis|other sunfish]] ([[Centrarchidae]]). Panfish are often sought by younger, more inexperienced anglers, at least partly due to thetheir relativeproactivity easeto withfeed whichand theythe canrelative ease to be caught; although adult anglers sometimes consider them as "nuisance fish" due to their tendency to opportunistically strike the [[fishing bait|bait]]s/[[fishing lure|lure]]s intended for other larger fishes.

Some popular game fish have been [[introduced species|introduced]] and [[fish stocking|stocked]] worldwide. [[Rainbow trout]], for instance, can be found nearly anywhere the [[climate]] is appropriate, from their [[native range]] on the [[Pacific Coast]] of [[North America]] to the [[mountains]] of southern [[Africa]],<ref name=skel01>{{cite book|last1=Skelton|first1=Paul|title=A complete guide to the freshwater fishes of southern Africa|date=2001|publisher=Struik|location=Cape Town|isbn=9781868726431|page=72|edition=New|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bURse4a-2m8C&pg=PA72}}{{Dead link|date=May 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> and is now [[100 of the World's Worst Invasive Alien Species|listed as one of the worst]] [[invasive species]].<ref name=100WW>{{cite web|url=http://www.iucngisd.org/gisd/100_worst.php |url-status=live |title=100 of the World's Worst Invasive Alien Species|publisher=Global Invasive Species Database |access-date=5 September 2018}}</ref>

Some well-known tagging programs in the United States are the [[South Carolina]] Marine Game Fish Tagging Program and the [[Virginia]] Game Fish Tagging Program. The South Carolina Marine Game Fish Tagging Program began in 1974 and it is now{{when|date=October 2021}}<!--Since what year?--> the largest public tagging program in the [[Southeastern United States]]. Anglers are trained and then receive a tag kit with tags, applicator, and instructions. When they tag a fish, anglers use a reply postcard they receive in advance to send the information on the tag number, tag date, [[Location (geography)|location]], [[species]], and [[Measurement|size]]. This program issues anglers who tag and release 30 or more eligible species within a year a conservation award. When an angler recaptures a tagged fish, they then should report the recapture. If possible, the tag number and the mailing address should be reported, along with the location and date of the recapture, as well with the measurement of the fish. The objective is to provide [[biologists]] with the necessary information to determine growth rate through an accurate measurement.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dnr.sc.gov/marine/pub/seascience/tagfish.html|title=SC Marine Game Fish Tagging Program|access-date=2010-05-07|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100509170801/http://www.dnr.sc.gov/marine/pub/seascience/tagfish.html|archive-date=9 May 2010}}</ref> The Virginia Game Fish Tagging Program started operations in 1995 and keeps records on recaptured fish since then. This is an annual program that starts in January and it is limited to 160 anglers. Anglers receive training workshops in February and March.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://web.vims.edu/adv/recreation/tag/index.html| title=Virginia Game Fish Tagging Program|access-date=2010-05-07|archive-date=24 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210924090005/http://web.vims.edu/adv/recreation/tag/index.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The official guide to world salt- and [[freshwater]] fish records is the ''World Record Game Fishes'', published annually by the [[International Game Fish Association]] (IGFA), which maintains records for nearly 400 species around the world. The records are categorised, with separate records for juniors, for the type of tackle and line used, for fly fishing, and locality records.<ref>[http://fishing.about.com/library/review/books/blrvigfa.htm Fishing Book Review: ''World Record Game Fishes''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303225209/http://fishing.about.com/library/review/books/blrvigfa.htm |date=3 March 2016 }} About.com. Retrieved 19 April 2009.</ref> The IGFA also organize the world saltwater championship tournaments.<ref>[http://www.igfa.org/tour.asp World Championship Tournaments] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100210041131/http://www.igfa.org/tour.asp |date=10 February 2010 }} – [[International Game Fish Association]]</ref>

[[Category:SportGame fish| ]]