For years, I always looked forward to fishing offshore much more than inshore until this year.
I do not know if it is me or all the limits that have been put on offshore fish. I am not really concern about the cost of fishing the green water out 45 miles because the boat is very economical to use. That 45 mile trip might cost $200 to $225 a trip divided by 3 makes if affordable. In shore trips usually cost $75 to $125 but only 2 people on the boat so there is little difference in cost.
I think that for the past couple years, the weather/seas has been so bad I really do not feel like getting banged around all day.
In the last couple of years I have bought a couple jigging outfits and a couple trolling outfits that are hanging on the wall not to mention 20 to 30 butterfly jigs. Now I am buying just about anything that looks new or interesting for inshore fishing. Even had a couple new rods made. Can try to justified the cost from all the money that I have save for the lack of fishing.
Has your fishing styles change one way or the other?
if anyone here had to change their fishing styles recently its probably me! went from rivers/lake erie at home along with the occasional farm pond and upground reservoir (crazy/dumb enough to try ice fishing too) to surf and inshore fishing down here. it was almost like learning how to fish all over again, especially getting used to tides, but only made me a more versatile fisherman. sure if i was back home id go straight for the walleye, yellow perch, and smallmouth, but ive definately learned to like trout, reds, and flounder inshore. cant say my 10 foot heavy spinning rod with 400 yards of 65lb braid is too justified at home, but sending people pictures of big sharks right off the beach has dropped many a jaw
I switched from offshore to inshore and both are great in their own right. I think a lot of people as they get older get sick of the pounding it takes to go offshore plus the early mornings. Plus, as you get older most people get busier and aren’t willing to spend a whole day offshore.
I love both, but I can now go offshore a couple times a year and this satisfies my fix. I much prefer inshore at this point in my life. I don’t have to get up at 4 am and if the bite slows down, I can go have lunch at Morgan Creek or head to the house.
I know exactly what you mean. I sold my boat and purchased a couple of fishing kayaks. It’s a different game but just as much fun and alot less stressful. And like jtm said, I release 90% of what I catch anyway.
Most people that fish inshore catch and release, so I doubt any regs will impact inshore too much.
Regs will impact inshore. Any time you have an uniformed government imposing Regulations on things they have on clue about it will have an impact.
Our “most” people must be different. Who do you know that fishes for Cobia with the intent to “catch and release”? How about sheaphead? Never seen anyone target Whitening to catch and release. Let’s throw in Flounder, I have never ever seen anyone catch and release a legal Flounder.
The only inshore fish I can think of that anyone I know practicing “catch and release” would be for Shark, Tarpon, and Spot tail. Excluding the tarpon they don’t always release the Reds and shark.
Most people that fish inshore, or at least the people that I know that fish, don’t fish to catch food; they fish for a sport. However, almost every person that fishes offshore fishes for both sport and food.
I can’t imagine regulations affecting catching Sheepshead and Flounder any more than the sheer fact that these fish are very difficult to catch to begin with. At the end of the day, you can worry about anything you want to, but I think there is much much more catch and release inshore v. offshore plus longliners aren’t exactly fishing the ICW. Just my .02.
The restrictive regs offshore have pushed me inshore especially in the fall and winter with the Black Seabass closure. I enjoy catching and eating fresh fish and trout and redfish are now finding their way to my plate. I a sure i am not alone in this trend. The system is broken. Back when BSB was open I had spots that I could not catch Seabass for the red snapper bite. And we knowhpw thick bsb are! It’s just all crazy.
