Fishing preferences vary from person to person. Some always target fishes from the shoreline, while some prefer to head way out in the water. Also, many anglers are experts in both. No matter what people select, all techniques can make their day better. However, if you are a newbie, you probably don’t have a clear idea about these terms- inshore, offshore, and nearshore fishing. Then, you are at the right place. We are presenting an in-depth overview of each of them. Let’s dive in:
Inshore Fishing
So, what is inshore fishing? When anglers stay within only a few miles of the shore, their fishing activity is called inshore fishing. We also count fishing from famous spots, including beaches, rocks, protected bays, inlets, small islands to be inshore type. You don’t have to be in the bank. You can step into the shallow water where the depth is less than 30 meters. Motorboats, small kayaks, or other stable crafts are the most suitable options for moving in calm areas. Their low speed helps to move gently without alerting the fishes. Feel free to come along with your family any time. Such fishing opportunities are available in all kinds of weather or season.
As an angler, you may hate carrying heavy tackles. Inshore fishing can be the best solution for you. Just grab your light gears, baits, and you are all set. Consider pairing your rod with the lightest options in the market, like a spinning reel or an occasional baitcaster. There is no need to spend bucks on fuel and supplies.
The best thing about it is you don’t have to rely on a graph like deep water fishing. Bring a GPS or species tracker instead. Seeing the underwater species is possible since the water depth is not too high. You don’t have to prepare extensively for a catch. As soon as you see one, get it. With basic skills, fishers usually catch a large quantity of small fish such as snapper, bass, tarpon, bonefish, redfish, trout, etc. Getting big bites is rare.
Nearshore Fishing
Nearshore typically counts from 3 to ten miles from the shoreline, neither less nor more. Depending on the places, the depth can be a maximum of 50 feet deep. Try riding on grounds, big rocks, wrecks, reefs, and rock piles. These are the best places which cover a fair amount of semi-rare fishes. It is perfect for charter fishing because of saving much time and the boat’s fuel. Not a good family trip, though.
Another big difference between the inshore and nearshore ranges is the use of heavier kits and technology such as radar, sonar, and radio. If you target only the big species, having an 80 to 100 pounds test line is a must. Live, dead, homemade, commercial- most baits work for these areas. Unfortunately, the number of caught fish is not high. You can barely get 3 to 10 tuna, grouper, wahoo, cobia marlin, sharks, snapper. These fishes are larger unless you go to the spot in the wrong season. So, always make sure to pick the month as per your targeted fish.
Some of the most common nearshore techniques are trolling, bottom fishing. These two processes give an incredible performance in catching fishes around wrecks. Besides, net casting, jigging, and kite fishing are a few more mentionable nearshore fishing methods. Try to visit the west coast of Florida, wrecks as well as reefs of Charleston, Puerto Vallarta of Mexico; they are the most excellent nearshore fishing spots one can ever find.
Offshore Fishing
Finally, we have offshore or deep water fishing. The anglers have to travel way further from the coast. They go to spots that have above 30 meters deep water. As you can assume, it is not possible without large fishing boats. In general, a group of experienced fishermen spends 12 hours to 3 days in a big boat. The climate also plays an important role in determining fish’s type and size. For example, you have to pick summer or late spring days to target Asian carp. Winter is the least favorable season unless you are a professional.
Now come to the tackles. As you will be capturing heavy species, you need heavy-duty gear to handle their fierce fight. Strong fishing line, Large hooks, long nets, heavy baits should be part of your fishing kit. Additionally, it requires open radar, sonar, satellite radios etc. Anglers have to check the weather forecast periodically to avoid particular hazards. Meanwhile, the tracking devices detect the location of their desired fish.
Although onshore fishing seems a little bit challenging, its rewards are worth the efforts. At the end of the day, you may get heavy-bodied grouper, amberjack, tuna, marlin, billfish, mako sharks, and so on. These monster species hardly live in the shallow water and do not come in hands quickly. Always be prepared for dealing with their aggressive fight. Put a lot of error on reeling after sensing a bite. You may not get tons of big catches even after investing days.
Which one is the best
Well, it depends on the angler. Beginners typically give a start from the inshore techniques. As they progress, they expand the distance from the shoreline gradually. Offshore fishing is mainly for the anglers who know how to handle their heavy gears and reel in the giant fishes. But people with all skill levels are allowed to apply all techniques. If you are a beginner but feel comfortable with water deep sea fishing, go ahead with some of your experienced partners. On the contrary, many experts love inshore or nearshore fishing because of the simplicity, horizon views, and fewer troubles. All three types of experiences are different. As we mentioned earlier, you have to determine the desired fish type, timing of the day, seasonal changes, available gears, baits, available watercraft, etc. Find out all the compatible options and decide accordingly. We hope you will get your answer by following this guideline.
