Atlantic Ocean Fishing - Common Game Fish And Recommended Baits

There are many common game fish you will encounter fishing in the Atlantic Ocean. I will discuss several of them in this article along with strategies on how to catch them.

The Snapper is perhaps the most commonly caught saltwater fish. There are many different kinds of snappers but all of tem share many similar characteristics. Catching them is often more an exercise in locating them, which is not very difficult. Once located a small to medium sized shrimp located near the bottom of the water will bring many of them into your live well.

The Barracuda is a very popular predatory species that occupies much of the Atlantic Ocean but is most often found in the Florida Keys. It's feeding pattern is so unique that a special lure has been designed solely for this fish.

A Barracuda lure consists of a long cylindrical plastic tube. It is usually at least twelve and as long as eighteen inches with large treble hooks spaced about six inches apart. This lure is designed to be retrieved very quickly along the top of the water. Its action resembles that of an eel or a snake even, it can side wind across the surface of the water. When using this lure you will often see the Barracuda tailing the lure for several seconds before it strikes. It is imperative that you resist the impulse to set the hook until after you feel the fish. Too often you will move the lure when you see the fish attack but still is a bit short of an actual strike.

Redfish, aka Red Drum, are another very popular Atlantic Ocean fish. They are found in shallow water canals and other area off the main ocean itself. They are most common along the grass flats that extend from Key West, Florida to the Louisiana gulf coast. A large jig tipped with a live shrimp will often be the undoing of this species.

Tarpon are a very wary fish that is the silver king of the ocean. They are found in many of the same areas as Redfish and other inshore fish. What separates the Tarpon from other shallow water species is size. It is not uncommon to see a Tarpon that weighs over one hundred pounds swimming a mere ten feet from shore on water that is no deeper than a foot. They can be caught many different ways. Some like to fly fish for Tarpon while other use live bait such as blue crabs, shrimp or a lively pinfish in the attempt to hook one of these giants.

The Snook is another inshore Atlantic species that garners a great deal of interest. They are often found near docks and are a very smart. Not only do you need to be stealthy in your approach but you also have to deal with a fish that is an expert at using terrain to break off a line once hooked.

When fishing the surf in the Atlantic the Permit and Pompano will be often your main quarry. Pompano are round fish that swim extremely well and are excellent pound for pound fighters. They are often regarded as pan fish as they are not huge and taste great when eaten.