Anchovies are small, silver-coloured fish from the sea. Due to their unique content, they are found all over the world and are used both as food and bait. Many individuals would be asking the question, what are anchovies? The slim-bodied fish is classified under the Engrelina family and is commonly found grouped in an assemblage of schools in coastal waters.
Even though they resemble a fish that looks vicious but are not, anchovies are inoffensive and contribute a gourmet ingredient to food. If you are targeting anchovy fishing for sport or intend to harvest them for culinary activities, here are five tips to help you.
1. The Behavior and Habitat of the Anchovy
2. Right Gear to Use for Anchovie Fishing
Due to the small size of anchovies, they are caught on light tackle. With the wrong equipment, they are likely to miss the bite most times or even scare the fish. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Rod and Reel: The ideal rod packed with the right fishing reel should be a light or an ultralight one as recommended for anchovy fishing. These rods offer the needed sensitivity to enable the detection of bites from these small fish.
- Fishing Line: Light fishing line (4-6 pound test) should be taken to feel enough bite on the line, in case you go for the heaviest line.
- Hooks: Because of the size of the Anchovies, you will have to use small hooks (size 10-12). The big hooks could not fit their mouths as they should.
- Bait: Sardines or canned anchovies when chopped into small pieces are the best bait The artificial type of lure that resembles plankton or even other fish may also be used, but live bait is mostly recommended.
Another favourite of many fishermen is the cast nets because it lets them scoop up as many anchovies as possible when they encounter a school that is just meters above the water.
Always make sure that you are using small hooks and light fishing gear When fishing always challenge yourself to try using canned anchovies as your bait. If you are in the production area, you use cast nets, because you can cover a huge area, and then catch many of these small fish in one go.
3. The Power of Chumming
Chumming is one of the proven techniques that can be used to attract anchovies to your fish fishing area. It is possible, for instance, to throw into the waters some trails of bait or fish oil, and schools of anchovies would follow the line. This technique is known to be effective when you are on the pier, in the boat, or when fishing on the shoreline.
Here’s how to chum effectively for anchovies:
- Make a mash using fish, sardines or canned anchovies to be blended with water and fish oil.
- Cast the chum into the water gradually and ensure that water flows away the trail of food scent.
- Except for the anchovies where you wait for them to concentrate before casting your line.
In areas of ground that may contain anchovies but are not feeding it is nicely applied in chumming. Sprinkle tinned anchovies or other groundfish materials as chum, and scatter it gradually in water to catch the anchovies in the right way.
4. Fishing in the Right Location
These fishes can be found in plenty of foods like estuaries, harbours, and shallow shores or waters. They also take preference in habitats where there will be tidal currents – as the currents transport mainly plankton and other small particles, which are foods.
While fishing from the shore think about the piers and docks that the anchovies may swim close to for food. In boat fishing especially for anchovies prefer the naturally moving schools of fish on the water surface using the efficiency of fish finders.
Key locations are:
- Harbours and bays: It is very productive of plankton, which presumably makes it ideal prey for anchovies.
- Reefs and shallow waters: These areas interest small fishes and plankton.
- Tidal currents: The fish swim against the current to feed which makes these areas some of the most productive ones for anchovies.
Targeting-shore fish in the coastal waters and clear waters and Favorite reefs, harbours, and tidal currents can also be targeted.
5. Surface Activity and Other Indicators
The last technique of mastering anchovy fishing control is being able to read the water body. Normally, anchovies lead an almost shy life, giving themselves away with ripples or eddy currents at the surface of the water. It’s possible to have a formula that if certain signs can be noticed, then a proper fishing trip can be achieved.
Surface indicators are:
- Ripples or splashes: These schools cause surface irregularities, mainly while feeding or responding to threats.
- Bird Activity: It may also be helpful to look for seabirds like seagulls because they dive for anchovies to feed themselves; if you find birds who are consuming food, then anchovies are most likely close by.
Care should however be taken to note such signs since they assist in quickly identifying schools of anchovies. Special attention should be paid to ripple and bird because these signs always tell that anchovies are near the boat.
Conclusion
The latter is not only about employing correct equipment but also knowledge regarding the anchovy’s behaviour; proper fishing location and chumming. For ornamental fishing or even to use the anchovies as bait for other large fish here are the top 5 secrets that will assist you in fishing for the anchovies.
Anchovies may seem like a fish that seems to be mad but aren’t a staple in both the food industry and fishing. It does not matter if you catch anchovies off the boat or buy them in a can they are excellent for bait and tasty for humans. The next time you are out fishing or even preparing the anchovie recipes then you have to consider the following so that you may be able to master the anchovy fishing tips.
