Sport Fish of Florida (Paperback)

by Vic Dunaway (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
THE ANGLER'S PRACTICAL GUIDE

The good, the bad, the ugly--for the very first time, they're all here together in a book of their own, a book that illustrates and describes virtually every kind of fish an angler in Florida--or the Bahamas or Caribbean Islands--could expect to find on the end of a line.

In this book you'll find the scoop on every hook-and-line species from the mightiest Marlin to the lowliest Lizardfish, along with advice on how to catch each one and how good it is to eat.

Because it's designed as a practical guide for fishermen, every effort has been made to keep biological jargon at bay. However, there is one nod to the world of science that is unavoidable--the inclusion of scientific names so that each of the species can be definitely pinpointed. Without scientific names, confusion would reign, because most species are known by more than one common name and, in many cases, two or more different species share the same common name.

It would have been nice to sort the species by their preferred environment--offshore, inshore, reef, flats or whatever. But as fishermen realize all too well, fish have tails and can swim where they please. The same kind of fish you catch on a flat today and in a bridge channel tomorrow may well strike your bait out on the deep reef next weekend. The constant element of surprise is one of the most appealing aspects of angling in this great area.

Alphabetical and strictly scientific classifications would have other drawbacks, so it was decided to use a mixed system that lets the species fall into whatever groupings would be natural. Most of the chapters cover a particular family of fishes. Some, however, deal with species that are not related but have certain habits or attributes in common. All are listed in a complete index at the end of the book. BE SURE TO ABIDE BY THE LAW

A great many kinds of fish are protected by conservation laws that may include licenses, daily bag limits, possession limits, minimum and maximum size limits, permitting and other legal requirements. Many different jurisdictions and agencies are involved in managing the fisheries--at least a half-dozen in Florida alone, to say nothing of other countries-and their regulations sometimes conflict.

In Florida, information is available from such sources as Florida Sportsman Magazine, county courthouses and many tackle shops. Visitors to Florida or the Islands usually are able to get the needed information from their travel agents, resorts, fishing camps or charter captains. BEWARE OF TOXIC FISH

Ciguatera is a type of poison carried by certain individual fish in tropical waters. Although only a minute number of fish are affected, people sometimes acquire the toxin, mostly by eating very big specimens of predatory types, such as the Great Barracuda, Amberjack, and even some larger varieties of Grouper and Snapper. The resulting illness can be serious and lingering, but is rarely fatal.

Ciguatera seems to be more common in some species than in others, but its occurrence is rarely predictable. In a given area, a few fish of a particular species may be carriers of the toxin while the majority of individuals of that same species are perfectly safe to eat.

The toxin comes from microscopic organisms called dinoflagellates that attach themselves to marine algae. Grazing fishes acquire the toxin by eating the algae. Predators acquire it by eating the grazers; however, it must accumulate in the muscle tissue of the predator for a considerable amount of time before reaching levels that are dangerous to human beings. It is always wise to let the big predators go and eat the smaller ones.

A second kind of marine fish illness--Puffer poisoning--is more serious--often fatal, in fact. But it is also far more easily avoided. All you have to do is refrain from eating a

From the Publisher
WHAT'S THAT ON MY LINE?

"What's the name of this fish anyway?"

"Is it good to eat?"

Those are two big questions that many thousands of fishermen constantly ask as they encounter the huge variety of fish in Florida's inshore and offshore waters.

Until now, there has been no complete, easy-to-use identification guide. Sport Fish of Florida fills that need. All the fish you're likely to catch are shown on these pages. Well over 200 of them. No more guesswork.

I.D. information, edibility ratings and other important information are provided by none other than Vic Dunaway, founding editor of Florida Sportsman Magazine. A legend, who really is just that, Vic knows his sport fish like no one else.

Sport Fish of Florida also features all original illustrations by Floridian Kevin R. Brant, who carefully produced the images exclusively for this long-awaited book.

At Florida Sportsman, we've talked periodically for 20 years about the need for a really helpful guidebook that would show all the key fish and give the salient facts about them for the typical angler. Lo and behold, here it is!

We trust that you'll find Sport Fish of Florida to be a helpful companion for your angling days in state and neighboring waters, where the fish are both diverse and delectable. --Karl Wickstrom Publisher, Florida Sportsman Magazine

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 253 pages
• Publisher: Wickstrom Pub (November 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0936240164
• ISBN-13: 978-0936240169
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (20 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #42,356 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #11 in	Books > Outdoors & Nature > Fauna > Fish & Sharks
  #30 in	Books > Outdoors & Nature > Hunting & Fishing > Fishing
  #30 in	Books > Outdoors & Nature > Outdoor Recreation > Fishing

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Great Info, Poor Workmanship, October 12, 2003

By	Thomas Overa (Homosassa, Florida) - See all my reviews

This is a must have for any fisherman, novice or experienced. It is an informative guide that is well categorized for quick and comprehensive reference. I am on my third copy because, unfortunately, the volume is not made for use on the water. The binding and pages disintegrate in the humid water environment. Otherwise, I would give it five stars. Don't even get it Wet--it dries into an impenetrable mass. My suggestion to the author is to have two volumes available. One for the home bookshelf, and one made with damp/water resistant pages (possibly spiral-bound) for on the water use. I believe that any serious angler would pay extra for this as it is an invaluable resouce.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Disappointed somewhat, August 7, 2000

By A Customer

The content of this book is outstanding. Everything you need to know about identifying what you have pulled up. The problem is the binding. It is not assembled well. The book started to fall apart almost right away. Forget putting it in your tacklebox. The pages will blow away. Too bad, because it really is a very very informative book.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome Guide!, March 9, 2005

By	M. Rainwater (San Francisco) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book is an awesome guide for those who fish these waters. I just got back from a week of fishing in the Bahamas and the book was invaluable. My partner and I were able to make quick assessments on the food quality of the variety of fish we caught. We threw back the ones that were dangerous or bad for a meal. The upshot is we fed a lot of happy folks while avoiding the perils of ciguatera. Can not recommend this book enough....wish there was one just like it for California.