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John's Journal... Entry 230, Day 3

AMERICA'S BEST SALTWATER FISHING

Night Life and Billfish

Editor's Note: If you're dreaming of the clean smell of salt water, the sight of cobalt-blue waves crashing against a boat's white hull and becoming white lacy foam on a slick calm sea, and big fish changing colors as they come from the deep water to the surface, then plan a trip to some of the finest saltwater fishing in the nation. Although the Atlantic and Pacific coasts have the most miles of shoreline, the Upper Gulf Coast and Florida's east Atlantic coast offer some of the best saltwater fishing in the world. Let's look at destinations that can produce the reality of your saltwater fishing dreams.

Mississippi's Gulf Coast in the Biloxi and Gulfport area features high-rise, luxurious casinos and resorts and some of the finest billfishing you can enjoy anywhere. Because of this area's location close to the mouth of the Mississippi River and near the Continental Shelf, Biloxi hosts many big-game fishing tournaments each year. Most anglers head to Biloxi for the big blue marlin, yellowfin tuna and occasionally bluefin tuna as well as plenty of wahoo, dolphin and cobia that fishermen take in this region. When I fished on the "Baby Grand" out of the Grand Casino in Biloxi, I caught numbers of various species of fish. I'd told my friends on the trip, "When you go marlin fishing, you've got about a 1-in-10 chance of seeing a marlin, a 1-in-15 chance of hooking a marlin and a 1-in-20 chance of boating a marlin."

Generally you'll encounter these odds anywhere you fish for giant fish with swords for their noses. But surprisingly, by 1:00 p.m. on the first day we fished, we'd hooked, jumped, snagged and released two blue marlin that weighed over 200-pounds each. We added two wahoo and five dolphins to our catch. I'd never had such an outstanding day of marlin fishing ever. Anglers also benefit from the Mississippi Coast's large number of oil and gas platforms out from, on or near the Continental Shelf. These large structures attract baitfish, which then draw in marlin.

The Mississippi Gulf Coast Billfish Classic takes place at the Isle of Capri Casino and Resort. Visit www.fishwbs.com or www.isleofcapricasino.com. To learn more, call (800) WARMEST, or visit the Web site www.visitmississippi.org. Also check out www.biloxi.org or www.grandcasinos.com.

TOMORROW: SILVER KINGS

 

 

Check back each day this week for more about AMERICA'S BEST SALTWATER FISHING ...

Day 1 - King Snapper
Day 2 - The Friendliest Fishing Village
Day 3 - Night Life and Billfish
Day 4 - Silver Kings
Day 5 - Speckled Trout and Redfish


John's Journal