FISHING ETIQUETTE

Know your sport, rules & regulations and how to use your equipment.

Know what fish are in season, what is out of season, bag limits and size restrictions.

Be prepared when going fishing – bring your own equipment.

Know the area you fish and how it’s fished – free-line, bottom fishing, etc.

Avoid putting fishing carts right up against railing – leave room for others to get around to fight a fish.

Avoid throwing a cast net over or between fishermen without warning. Yell “Fish On” when fighting a fish to alert others and avoid tangles. Pull in your line when your neighbor is fighting a fish. Don’t cast over someone fighting a fish.

Look behind you before casting to avoid hooking someone. Assist fellow anglers when needed. 

Don’t wade out between other fishermen, cutting them off. you don’t cut off shore fishermen. Release all unwanted fish – protect our resources for the future.

Don’t leave dead fish lying on the decks.

Don’t leave your trash and unused bait – use trash receptacles for trash – put unused bait back in the water.

If you hook a bird, reel it in. Do NOT cut the line. If you aren’t sure how to free the bird, the Park Rangers and volunteers are trained to do so.

Please hold your catch and release fish properly when photographing. Support the fish under the jaw and belly. Do not place your hand inside the gills. Do not hold the fish vertically, it can damage its internal structure.

When bleeding your catch, always do it over the steel grates so the blood goes back into the water. If here are no grates, it is considerate to throw a bucket or two of sea

water on the bloodied area to disperse the mess.

If your line gets snagged on the bottom, never cut the line at the reel. Tighten the drag and/or hold the spool and walk in the opposite direction of the sang in order to break the line at the leader. This will minimize the amount of “dead line” in the water which often creates more snags.

When cast netting live bait, primarily finger mullet and greenies, only take what you think you will use and quickly get the rest back in the water before they die. Our bait resources are not unlimited.