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From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coral_reef_fish

Coral reef fish are fish which live amongst or in close relation to coral reefs. Coral reefs form complex ecosystems with tremendous biodiversity. Among the myriad inhabitants, the fish stand out as colorful and interesting to watch. Hundreds of species can exist in a small area of a healthy reef, many of them hidden or well camouflaged. Reef fish have developed many ingenious specializations adapted to survival on the reefs.

Coral reefs occupy less than one percent of the surface area of the world oceans, but still they provide a home for 25 percent of all marine fish species. Reef habitats are a sharp contrast to the open water habitats that make up the other 99% of the world oceans.

However, loss and degradation of coral reef habitat, increasing pollution, and over-fishing including the use of destructive fishing practices, are threatening the survival of the coral reefs and the associated reef fish.

Coral reefs are the result of millions of years of co-evolution among algae, invertebrates and fish. They have become crowded and complex environments, and the fish have evolved many ingenious ways of surviving. Most fishes found on coral reefs are ray-finned fishes, known for the characteristic sharp, bony rays and spines in their fins.These spines provide formidable defenses, and when erected they can usually be locked in place or are venomous. Many reef fish have also evolved cryptic coloration to confuse predators.^[2]

Reef fish have also evolved complex adaptive behaviors. Small reef fish get protection from predators by hiding in reef crevices or by shoaling and schooling. Many reef fish confine themselves to one small neighborhood where every hiding place is known and can be immediately accessed. Others cruise the reefs for food in shoals, but return to a known area to hide when they are inactive. Resting small fish are still vulnerable to attack by crevice predators, so many fish, such as trigger-fish, squeeze into a small hiding place and wedge themselves by erecting their spines.^[2]

As an example of the adaptations made by reef fish, the yellow tang is a herbivore which feeds on benthic turf algae. They also provide cleaner services to marine turtles, by removing algal growth from their shells. They do not tolerate other fish with the same colour or shape. When alarmed, the usually placid yellow tang can erect spines in its tail and slash at its opponent with rapid sideways movements.

Coral reefs contain the most diverse fish assemblages to be found anywhere on earth, with perhaps as many as 6,000–8,000 species that can be found dwelling within coral reef ecosystems of the world’s oceans.

The mechanisms that first led to, and continue to maintain, such concentrations of fish species on coral reefs has been widely debated over the last 50 years. While many reasons have been proposed, there is no general scientific consensus on which of these is the most influential, but it seems likely that a number of factors contribute. These include the rich habitat complexity and diversity inherent in coral reef ecosystems, the wide variety and temporal availability of food resources available to coral reef fishes, a host of pre and post larval settlement processes, and as yet unresolved interactions between all these factors.

There are two major regions of coral reef development recognized; the Indo-Pacific (which includes the Pacific and Indian Oceans as well as the Red Sea), and the tropical western Atlantic (also known as the “wider” or “greater” Caribbean). Each of these two regions contains its own unique coral reef fish fauna with no natural overlap in species. Of the two regions, the richest by far in terms of reef fish diversity is the Indo-Pacific where there are an estimated 4,000–5,000 species of fishes associated with coral reef habitats. Another 500–700 species can be found in the greater Caribbean region.

 

Bali is well known for great surf, diving and a variety of water sports, but what few people know, is that there is an abundance of fishing adventures ready for the taking. Fresh water fishing and jigging have become very popular sports on Bali for both tourists and locals alike. While these two styles of fishing couldn’t be more different, they each offer the avid fisherman opportunities for exciting challenges and big prizes.

For those seeking a more relaxed fishing experience, fresh water pond fishing is a wonderful pastime on Bali. Fishing competitions are regularly held at numerous local ponds scattered throughout Denpasar. These include Waribang fish pond on Jl. Waribang, Nyangluh fish pond on Jl. Paddanggalak, Kertalanggu Cultural Village fish pond on Jl. Bypass, Benoh fish pond on Hmadyanl, Mahadewi fish pond on Jl. Gatot Subroto Barat and Latu fish pond in Mambal village just to name a few.

Every Sunday a major competition takes place at alternate fish pond locations. Great prizes are up for grabs like motorbikes, flat screen TVs, refrigerators, mobile phones and more to the person who catches the biggest fish. Entry fee for competitions ranges from Rp150.000 – Rp300.000 depending on the prize give-aways.

For pond fishing you’ll need a small fiber glass rod with a small reel. Typical bate used for this kind of fishing includes worms, chicken liver or crickets. To find out about a regular weekly schedule, visit one of the ponds, because there’s usually a small competition going on in the afternoons. For smaller competitions, the entry fee is only Rp60.000. At these competitions you can win big money. The competition is based on an allotment of Rp25.000 multiplied by the number of contestants, so the more people who fish, the more money you can win!

“I’ve been participating in fish pond competitions for the past three years and I’ve won some great prizes like two flat screen TVs, DVD player, an 80 kilogram pig which I sold back to the fishing pond and a hot water dispenser. I’ve also won a lot of cash which is always nice,” says Dewa JJ who is also a pro fishing guide.

Jigging in the Deep Sea

If you’re looking for more excitement and a test of your physical endurance, then jigging will definitely give you an adrenalin rush that will make you want to come back for more! Some of you may be wondering what exactly is jigging?

According to: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jigging) “Jigging is the practice of fishing with a jig, which is a type of fishing lure consisting of a lead sinker with a hook molded into it and usually covered by a soft body to attract fish. Jigs are intended to create a jerky, vertical motion, as opposed to spinner baits which move through the water horizontally. The jig is very versatile and can be used in both salt water as well as fresh water. Many species are attracted to the lure which has made it popular amongst anglers for years.”

There are many types of jigs like bucktail jigs, nylon jigs, Mylar jigs and feathered jigs which come in all shapes and sizes. Big fish prefer a heavy meal which is what the jig symbolizes for them. It’s an expensive sport because you must have special gear for jigging. Gear generally costs a minimum of Rp3 million up to Rp10 million in Bali.

“Jigging is very trendy because we use metal bait which looks like a fish. These can go down to over 100M deep. They are very effective for catching deep sea fish,” says Dewa JJ.

For deep sea jigging fishermen generally use either a spinning reel which is positioned at the bottom of the rod with a braided line, or a Bait caster reel positioned on the top of the rod. Most fishermen use a 1.5 meter long carbon rod because of its strength and durability. The fish you’re going to catch are sometimes upward of 30 kilos, so you want to make sure you have really good equipment that will hold up under a long fight!

There are advantages and disadvantages to both types of reels. For example, the bait caster reel is a bit harder to use, but it’s very safe in the event that the line gets stuck on rocks or coral. Additionally, the line won’t get tangled. In comparison, the spinning reel is much easier to handle when you’re fighting with a fish, but if the line gets stuck in coral, it can damage the reel.

“I use both types of reels, because if I go into shallow water like 50M, I prefer a spinning reel. If the water is over 100M, then I use a bait caster,” says Dewa JJ.

JJ’s Do’s & Don’ts for Jig Fishing

1. Always know what your line weighs whether you’re in shallow or deep water.
2. Alternatively, you can become a line watcher by seeing where the line enters the water. If you see the line twitch or make any kind of unusual movement, it means a fish is playing with your jig.
3. Always know what your jig feels like when it drops, rests on the bottom and when you’re lifting it up off the bottom.
4. If it’s windy, this may effect the way your jig feels; you may need to increase your jig weight to retain its normal feel.
5. If it’s raining and windy, it’s not a good idea to go fishing, because the boat can’t stay steady. The water will also be choppy. It’s quite risky to fish in these conditions, because you can’t determine if the bait has reached the bottom.
6. Don’t go fishing if the current on the water’s surface is different from the current beneath, because it’s too difficult to fish in these circumstances. Most of the time fish won’t come.
7. The best time to fish is when the current goes in the same direction on the water’s surface and at the bottom. The stronger the current the better it is for fishing.
8. If you’re fishing at a depth of 200m, you should use at least a 500g jig. The best style is a ‘Squid jig’.
9. The jig weight must follow the current; if the current is strong the weight must be heavier.
10. Move the jig up and down as fast as you’re able; this will help to attract the fish.

Wayan Agus Pecok, a newcomer to jigging used to do coral fishing; he became a fan of deep sea fishing, because he saw the potential for catching really big fish.

“The biggest fish I ever caught was two kilos, but my friend caught a huge fish that was 40 kilos. It was an amazing fight to watch! When you catch a fish, the fight can last anywhere from 10 – 30 minutes. You have to be strong; if you’re not, you’re going to lose,” says Wayan.

A deep sea fisherman has to be prepared for all kinds of scenarios which will put his skill and endurance to the test.

“I remember a time when I caught a fish after a really long fight. A bigger fish came and ate the fish on the hook and there was an even bigger fight. In the end I caught only half of the original fish, because the big fish got away with the bottom half!” exclaimed Made Hyawata.

In addition to using the right equipment and techniques for jigging, it’s also important to get a good boat driver. Not all boat drivers can take people deep sea fishing, because with jigging, no anchor is used. This makes it even more challenging for the boat driver, who must keep his eye on the line to be sure it stays vertical, which takes a tremendous amount of skill.

Some great locations for deep sea fishing around Bali include Sanur, Amed & Padang Bai, which mainly have Dogtooth, Ruby Snapper and Hammer Jack fish. Sometimes you can also catch sharks or Spanish mackerel. Generally it costs around $400USD for half day tours or $800 for full day tours with a maximum of four people. This includes pick up and return to your hotel, all the gear, boat and lunch. Some guided fishing tours are done with a traditional jukung wooden boat. These tours are more affordable and a lot of fun as you’ll get to experience the local way of fishing. The advantage of jigging with this kind of boat is that it’s very stable, so you’re less likely to get sea sick. Even though it’s not a high speed boat, jukungs come equipped with two motors so they still have enough power to go far in search of really big fish.

“I love fishing because it’s a great active sport and provides me with a challenge that’s exciting. The biggest fish I ever caught was 45 kilos. It was an exhausting one hour fight, but I loved every minute of it!” says Dewa JJ.

From baliadvertiser.biz

 

Fishing techniques are methods for catching fish. The term may also be applied to methods for catching other aquatic animal such as molluscs (shellfish, squid, octopus) and edible marine invertebrates.

Fishing techniques can be contrasted with fishing tackle. Fishing tackle refers to the physical equipment that is used when fishing, whereas fishing techniques refers to the manner in which the tackle is used when fishing.

Coral reef fish are fish which live amongst or in close relation to coral reefs. Coral reefs form complex ecosystems with tremendous biodiversity. Among the myriad inhabitants, the fish stand out as particularly colorful and interesting to watch. Hundreds of species can exist in a small area of a healthy reef, many of them hidden or well camouflaged. Reef fish have developed many ingenious specializations adapted to survival on the reefs.

Coral reefs occupy less than one percent of the surface area of the world oceans, but still they provide a home for 25 percent of all marine fish species. Reef habitats are a sharp contrast to the open water habitats that make up the other 99% of the world oceans.

Trolling is a method of fishing where one or more fishing lines, baited with lures or bait fish, are drawn through the water. This may be behind a moving boat, or by slowly winding the line in when fishing from a static position, or even sweeping the line from side-to-side, e.g. when fishing from a jetty. Trolling is used to catch pelagic fish such as salmon, mackerel and kingfish.

Trolling can be phonetically confused with trawling, a different method of fishing where a net (trawl) is drawn through the water instead of lines. Trolling is used both for recreational and commercial fishing whereas trawling is used mainly for commercial fishing.

Jigging is the practice of fishing with a jig, a type of fishing lure. A jig consists of a lead sinker with a hook molded into it and usually covered by a soft body to attract fish. Jigs are intended to create a jerky, vertical motion, as opposed to spinnerbaits which move through the water horizontally. The jig is very versatile and can be used in both salt and fresh water. Many species are attracted to the lure which has made it popular among anglers for years.

For successful jigging, the jigger needs to use a rod which is good for feeling a strike, and needs to stay in contact with the lure and get it to where the fish are. Most fish caught by jigs are on or near the bottom.

In angling, casting is the act of throwing bait or a lure using a fishing line out over the water using a flexible fishing rod. The usual technique is for the angler to quickly flick the rod from behind toward the water. The term may also be used for setting out a net.

There are several techniques anglers use to attempt to cast further,the most prominent of which is the shifting of body weight towards the front foot in correlation to the forward movement of the rod. That combined with stopping the fishing rod at 45 degree’s and using the correct fishing tackle will help anglers cast further.

Casting techniques vary with the type of fishing involved. Fly fisherman use artificial flies as a lure and use lighter rods and lines. They develop much finesse casting the flies, using motions of the hand and arm, so the flies land with great accuracy into or onto the water and mimic the behavior of real flies.

Salt water anglers usually use heavier rods and lines They often use lures and bait which are heavier than flies. Heavier again are the rods and lines used in surfcasting. Specialized, two-handed casting techniques are used to cast the lure or bait the added distances required in many cases to reach feeding inshore fish. In these casts the entire body, rather than just the arms, are utilized to deliver the cast, which may travel many hundreds of feet.

From Wikipedia: Fishing Techniques, Coral reef fish, Trolling fishing, Jigging, Casting fishing

 

(Walbaum, 1792); SPHYRAENIDAE FAMILY; also called cuda, sea pike, giant sea pike

Occurs in all tropical seas except the East Pacific. Found offshore and inshore around reefs, piers, wrecks, sandy and grassy flats, and wherever smaller fish congregate. Smaller barracudas sometimes school, but the large ones are almost invariably loners.

The first dorsal fin has 5 spines; the second, 10 soft rays. The first rays of the second dorsal and anal fins reach to or beyond the tips of the last rays when the fins are depressed. There are 75 90 scales along the lateral line. The preopercle is rounded. The maxilla extends back as far as the eyes. The adult great barracuda has irregular black blotches on the lower flanks, especially near the tail. It is the only species of barracuda that has blotches.

The barracuda eats whatever is available. Its habit of “tagging along” with divers while opening and closing its mouth has given more than one diver the faith to walk on water; nevertheless, barracudas do not usually attack unless speared or provoked. The barracuda should be regarded as dangerous because of its ability to inflict serious injury, in or out of water.

Fishing methods include trolling with plugs, spoons, and prepared baits; live bait fishing with small fishes; casting and retrieving live and strip baits as well as plugs and spoons. The cast should not land too near the barracuda, but should be retrieved past it at a fast, erratic speed.

The great barracuda leads a list of tropical marine fishes suspected of causing ciguatera poisoning when eaten. The poison is caused by a microscopic plant (a dinoflagellate organism) eaten by smaller fishes and passed on in the food chain. The toxin can only be detected in laboratory tests.

source from https://www.igfa.org

(Risso, 1810); CARANGIDAE FAMILY Found in the Indo Pacific around Japan, China, and the Philippines, in the central Pacific off Hawaii, throughout the western Atlantic Ocean, in portions of the eastern Atlantic Ocean (Madeira and southern and western Africa), and in the Mediterranean Sea in tropical and warm temperate waters. It is found mainly near the surface in open waters, but can be found at considerable depths and around off shore reefs, wrecks, buoys, etc.

The greater amberjack often have a distinctive olive colored bar from the snout through the eye, to the beginning of the dorsal fin and a broad amber colored stripe running horizontally along the flanks. The amber stripe often causes anglers to confuse this species with the yellowtails. However, the greater amberjack can be distinguished from other related species by the gill raker count; greater amberjack over 8 inches long have only 11 16 developed gill rakers on the lower limb of the first branchial arch (the count may be higher in smaller specimens), whereas yellowtails have 21 28.

The rainbow runner has small separate finlets behind the dorsal and anal fins which are lacking in amberjacks. Greater and lesser amberjacks can be separated by counting the total gill rakers; 23-26 are found in lesser amberjacks and 11-19 in the greater.

The greater amberjack is the largest of the jacks and the most sought after by sport fishermen because of its qualities as a game fish. It strikes fast, fights hard and often dives for the bottom. Frequently when one amberjack is brought to the boat, others will follow it to the surface. Fishing methods include trolling near the surface with lures, spoons, plugs, jigs or strip baits, and also live bait fishing. Many incidental catches of amberjack are made while fishing the bottom for snappers and groupers.

The amberjack is high on the list of 300 or more species of tropical marine fishes suspected of causing ciguatera poisoning.

Source from https://www.igfa.org