Author: Aisha Reed

Anglers age 16 and older need a Georgia fishing license to fish in fresh or salt water. Kids 15 and under don’t need one. Residents 65 and older can get a discounted senior license, and those born before July 1, 1952 can get a free lifetime license. Georgia Fishing License Age Requirements at a Glance Your situationLicense needed?Cost (annual)Resident, under 16No (optional Youth License available)$10 optionalResident, 16–64Yes$15Resident, 65+Yes, discounted$4 (Senior Fishing License)Resident, born before July 1, 1952Free lifetime license availableFreeNonresident, 15 and underNon/aNonresident, 16+Yes$50 Transaction fees apply to licenses that have a cost. Prices are from the Georgia DNR Wildlife…

Yes, halibut contains mercury, a mid-range amount averaging about 0.24 ppm in FDA testing. The FDA and EPA rank it a “Good Choice”: one 4-ounce serving a week for pregnant or breastfeeding women and young children. Size matters: bigger, older halibut carry more. How much mercury is in halibut? Here are the numbers from FDA testing of 101 halibut samples, one fact per line: ppm means “parts per million.” It’s how scientists measure tiny amounts of mercury in food. The average is higher than the middle value because a few high-mercury fish pull it up. The top sample was more…

Magnet fishing is searching outdoor water for iron-containing (ferromagnetic) objects using a strong neodymium magnet on a rope. Most finds are scrap metal, though people also pull up bicycles, safes, and coins. Laws vary by state and city, and dangerous finds like firearms or explosives need to be reported to police right away. Keep reading for how it works, what gear you need, what’s legal in the US, and how to stay safe on your first trip. What Is Magnet Fishing? Magnet fishing is the practice of using a powerful magnet on a rope to pull metal objects out of…

It’s a good day to go fishing when it’s safe, the weather is steady, and the wind is light. The best days also give you a dawn, dusk, or cloudy window, and water that isn’t muddy or extremely hot or cold. Use the moon as a tie-breaker, not the deciding factor. The Safety Gate (When the Answer Is Always No) Run this before anything else. If any item below is true, skip the trip, no matter how good the “fishing score” looks. Check weather.gov for alerts and forecasts. Rivers and streams have live gauges at waterdata.usgs.gov. Coastal anglers can check…

Inshore fishing is saltwater or brackish fishing in shallow, protected coastal water, such as bays, flats, estuaries, marshes, and mangrove shorelines. Anglers commonly put the limit at about 100 feet (30 meters) of depth. You can do it from shore, a pier, a kayak, or a small boat, and most trips are same-day outings. You have probably heard guides and anglers say “we’re fishing inshore today.” Then someone else says “inshore” means a mile from the beach, and a third person says fifteen miles. Nobody is wrong. “Inshore” is an angler’s word, not a legal one, and that is why…

Commercial fishing is catching fish or other seafood to sell for profit, rather than to eat yourself or for fun. It happens in oceans, rivers, and lakes. It ranges from one person in a small boat to huge fleets of ships. In the U.S., commercial fishermen landed 8.4 billion pounds of fish and shellfish worth $5.1 billion in 2023, according to NOAA Fisheries’ latest Fisheries of the United States report. Quick Answer What Counts as Commercial Fishing? Here’s a simple way to tell. Ask three questions: If you answer “yes” to any of these, you’re almost certainly looking at commercial…

To set up a fishing pole, put the rod together, attach the reel, spool it with line that matches the rod’s rating, thread the line through the guides, tie on a hook, add a split shot and bobber if you want one, and set the drag. Most beginners can finish in about 15 minutes. If your combo came pre-spooled, you can skip the spooling step.  The 8 Steps Before You Start What You Need Is Your Pole Already Strung? The Pre-Spooled Shortcut Many combos come with lines already on the reel. MassWildlife notes that most modern rod and reel combos…

People go fly fishing because it holds your full attention, gives you a skill you never finish learning, and takes you outdoors into places and moments you’d otherwise miss. It isn’t the easiest way to catch fish, and that difficulty is a big part of the appeal. Roughly 8 million Americans now do it. Fly fishing is less about catching more fish and more about how you spend the hours. It rewards patience, curiosity, and time outside. Early on it’s harder than most fishing, so borrow gear, take a free lesson, and start with easy fish before you spend real…

You found the perfect spot. Your rod is ready. Now you just need to connect the hook to the line. That one little knot decides whether you land the fish or lose it. If you’re learning How to Tie a Fishing Hook, the good news is that it’s easier than it looks, and you can learn it in about five minutes. Short answer: Use the Palomar knot. It’s simple, strong, and works on every common line type. Below, you’ll get the exact steps, the mistakes that make knots fail, and a quick check to make sure yours will hold. What…

“Thunder fish” is a common name rather than one universal scientific species name. In U.S.-related searches, it can refer to the northern snakehead (Channa argus), an invasive freshwater fish. “Thunderfish” is also documented as a name for the European weatherfish (Misgurnus fossilis) and the electric catfish (Malapterurus electricus). What Is a Thunder Fish? Thunder fish is a common name, not a single scientific classification. That distinction matters because common fish names can describe different species depending on the country, source, or context. For U.S. readers, the most important interpretation is the northern snakehead, scientifically known as Channa argus. Business Queensland…