Different Types Of Water
To head out on a successful fishing trip, the angler needs to locate them first. Fish can be found almost anywhere you’ll find water that offers enough food, cover and oxygen. With that said, in order to be able to catch a fish, you must first understand where to find them. Not all fish can survive in the same types of waters. Different fish are able to tolerate various environmental conditions. The factors that influence these living conditions include:
- Breeding areas
- Hiding locations
- The temperature of the water
- The availability of and type of foods
- The amount of oxygen
- Salt levels
The foremost factor that separates fish is the level of salt in the water. Some types of fish aren’t able to survive in parts where there is too much salt whereas others require salt water to survive. Some fish are able to survive in both freshwater and saltwater. You can see why this is something you need to know by now, right?
Firstly, we’ll break down the three most common water conditions before telling you what fish you’ll typically find in each one.
Freshwater
Freshwater has a lot less salt than the ocean does. Generally, most reservoirs, rivers and ponds you’ll come across in North America are fresh water.
In freshwater, you’ll find catfish, bass, bluegills, carp, crappie, northern pike, walleye, trout and perch.
Saltwater
Many kinds of fish are able to survive in the salt water that make up our oceans. A fish’s kidney is able to keep the correct balance of salt in its body if is fit for survival in the sea.
If you are in for saltwater fishing, the fish you can find in this environment are sea trout, tuna, rockfish, tarpon, bluefish, cod, flounder, halibut sea perch, yellowtail and lingcod. You’ll also find striped bass in salt and fresh water.
Brackish Water
Brackish water refers to an estuary where freshwater rivers and streams meet with the salt waters from the ocean. Due to the movement of the tides, droughts or rain, the level of salts found in these waters changes daily. While the salt changes daily, so does the survival conditions for various fish.
In brackish water, you’ll find snook, striped bass, sea trout and redfish. Some fish that live in saltwater will swim up rivers and streams to spawn, so you’ll find them in brackish waters from time to time. These fish are anadromous fish, including salmon, shad and some types of trout.
Although salt levels are the major factor that determines the waters fish are able to survive in, there are a number of other factors including food, oxygen, water quality and cover. Understanding all of these variables are important for the most successful fishing trip.
Oxygen
Without a sufficient oxygen supply in the water, fish are unable to survive. With that said, some fish such as carp are able to live on less oxygen than fish such as trout. The oxygen within certain waters can vary for a number of different reasons including; plants living in the water, pollution levels and the water temperature.
Food
Beyond salt levels and oxygen, the amount of food available to the inhabitants of the water plays a significant role. The level of competition with other fish for food is also a factor.
Water Quality
The quality of the water also plays a part. Some fish are able to survive in inferior water conditions whereas other fish aren’t. As an example, carp are able to live in water that trout simply could not endure.
Cover
The final factor you need to consider is the cover offered in the water. Cover like logs, aquatic plants or rocks are a requirement for survival for countless fish. There are two key reasons that fish will choose particular methods of cover. Firstly, it will protect them from their enemies, secondly, it gives them the upper hand when it comes to being in a prime position to catch unsuspecting prey as it swims or drifts by.
In a nutshell, in order to be successful in different types of fishing, you need to think like a fish. Which is why we’ve given you all the insight you need to know when it comes to fish and their preferred habitats.
Now that we’ve told you everything you need to know about where to find fish, it’s important that we tell you how to safely catch them and release them to maximize chances of survival if you don’t plan on eating them. Five simple tips that will improve survival chances include:
- Be speedy – the quicker you get a fish on a bank, boat, kayak or shore the better its chances of survival. The longer the fight, the more likely it will die.
- Keep it wet – try to keep the fish in the water and remove the hook without taking it out of its habitat
- Unhook it as quick as possible
- Place it back in the water rather than throwing
- Avoid wasting time snapping photos
Now that you know everything you need to know in order to locate the fish you’re in search of, all that’s left to do now is fish. Enjoy!
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