Deep fishing can be for sport or commercial means. It is the practice of fishing in deep water to catch fish that live or feed near the bottom. These bottom fish get high prices at market that make them very desirable to fishermen. Deep fishing is hard and strenuous. The equipment used is heavy and more complex than that of regular fishing. There are three basic ways of deep fishing - anchoring and chumming, bottom trolling and trawling. Each way uses a different approach and take certain special skill.



The equipment used to deep fish is basically the same as other fishing equipment. In deep fishing, though, the equipment has to be suited to fishing in the depths of the water. The line need to be stronger because the fish are stronger and larger. Instead of a pole, a hand reel is used. The hand reel is attached to the boat and reels in the line. The set up of deep fishing equipment starts with the mainline. The main line attaches to the hand reel and needs to be long enough to go the required depth. Attached to the mainline is the terminal rig. The terminal rig holds smaller line, called trace lines. These trace lines hold the hooks and bait. Some fisherman also attach a chum bucket to the terminal rig. A chum bucker contains ground up bait, called chum. Periodically this chum is released to attract fish. On the bottom of the line is the sinker. The sinker must be heavy enough to pull the line to the bottom. The most important part of deep fishing is the bait. It should be fresh and well attached to the hook. Try double-hooking (attaching the bait through two points with the hook) to ensure it doesn't fall off. Because you are working at great depths, you need to make sure your bait will work good. All of this equipment will ensure you have a nice deep fishing experience.

The three basic types of deep fishing each use a certain method to attract to fish or catch the fish. Anchoring and chumming is a type of deep fishing that relies heavily on the use of a chum bucket. The chum bucket is the main source of bait. The fisherman anchors in one spot and then uses the periodic release of chum to catch fish. Bottom trolling uses a cannon ball as its tactic. The cannon ball is drug around the bottom where it stirs up mud and causes noise. This stirs up the fish, provoking them to bite the bait. Trawling is used to catch many fish at once. It involves a net with weights and wheels attached to it. This net rolls along the bottom and scoops up fish. Each type has its good points and bad points, but those are mainly based upon the fisherman's goals. The method you chose to use for deep fishing is up to you.

Deep fishing takes skill and some preparation. Fishing at the bottom comes with its own problems. Fisherman do not want to keep pulling up their line to check bait or move to a different location. Planning the type of deep fishing is also important so you are prepared with the correct equipment. A little planning and patience will make for a good deep fishing experience.