Amberjack

AMBERJACKBig game fishing for Amberjacks
September , October and November offer great Big game fishing for Amberjacks, which come in huge numbers in the Adriatic.
May occur worldwide. Positively known to occur in the Indo-Pacific around Japan, China, the Philippines and in the central Pacific off Hawaii.
It also occurs throughout the western Atlantic Ocean, in portions of the eastern Atlantic Ocean (Madeira and southern and western Africa), and in the Mediterranean Sea, Adriatic Sea Croatia in tropical and warm temperate waters.
The species bears a resemblance to the bluefish (Pomatomus saltatrix), from which it can be distinguished by the mom incavated tail. Also, the amberjack has small teeth in bands, whereas the bluefish has large, triangular teeth.
There is a low keel on the caudal peduncle. A dark olive-colored diagonal stripe reaches from the mouth across the eye to about the first dorsal fin, and a broad amber-colored stripe runs horizontally along the flanks.
The amber stripe often causes anglers to confuse this species with the yellowtails. The greater amberjack is the largest of the jacks and the most sought after by sport fishermen because of its qualities as a game fish. It strikes fast, fights hard, and often dives for the bottom. Frequently when one amberjack is brought to the boat, others will follow it to the surface.
Fishing methods include trolling near the surface with lures, spoons, plugs, jigs or strip baits. Also live bait fishing with mullet, grunts, pitch, or other small fishes. Many incidental catches of amberjack are made while fishing the bottom for snappers and groupers. The amberjack is high on the list of 300 or more species of tropical marine fishes suspected of causing ciguatera poisoning. The great barracuda has the dubious distinction of leading that list.

Dolphin Fish

Some period from August to November offer great Big game fishing for Dolphin fish which come in huge numbers in the Adriatic !
Found worldwide in tropical and warm temperate seas, the dolphin is pelagic, schooling, and migratory. Though occasionally caught from an ocean pier, it is basically a deep water species, inhabiting the surface of the open ocean. Also found in the Mediterranean and Adriatic sea Croatia!!! The dolphin is an extremely distinctive fish, both for its shape and its colors. Though it is among the most colorful fish in the sea, the colors are quite variable and defy an accurate, simple description. Generally, when the fish is alive in the water, the dolphin is rich iridescent blue or blue-peen dorsally; gold, bluish gold, or silvery gold on the lower flanks; and silvery white or yellow on the belly. The deepest part of the albacore's body is near the second dorsal fin, rather than near the middle of the first dorsal fin as in other tunas, and the vent is round rather than oval or teardrop shape The fins are dark yellowish, except for the white trailing edge of the tail.
The sides are sprinkled with a mixture of dark and light spots, ranging from black or blue to golden. The dorsal fin is rich blue, and the anal fin is golden or silvery. The other fins are generally golden yellow, edged with blue. When the dolphin is removed from the water, the colors fluctuate between blue, green, and yellow.
After death the fish usually turns uniformly yellow or silvery gray. Large males have high, vertical foreheads, while the female's forehead is rounded. Males grow larger than females. There are no spines in any of the fins.
Dolphins are extremely fast swimmers and feed extensively on flying fish and squid as well as on other small fish. It is believed that they can reach speeds up to 50 mph (80.5 kph) in short busts.
Successful fishing methods include trolling surface baits (flying fish, mullet, balao, squid, strip baits) or artificial lures; also live bait fishing or casting. If the first dolphin caught is kept in the water, it will usually hold the school, and often others will come near enough to be caught by casting.

Blue Shark

BLUE SHARKBlue sharks are sometime good choice for Big game fishing
Blue sharks are sometime good choice for Big game fishing in Adriatic they are present here in great numbers from second half of may to october! The blue shark is usually replaced as the common large pelagic shark in areas of warm surface water. It is present in Mediterranean, Adriatic sea Croatia, absent from the Baltic and Red Seas, and absent or extremely rare in the Gulf of Mexico .
It is easily recognizable by its brilliant blue color. It is cobalt or indigo blue dorsally, lightening to bright blue and white on the belly.
Larger teeth of the upper jaw are "saber-shaped" with one broadly convex, the other concave. The teeth are serrated along the edges. Those in the lower jaw are narrower and very sharp. The keels and spiracles are absent on this species. They are pelagic, migratory and travel alone.
In spite of its voracious and predatory nature and swiftness in the water, it sometimes puts up a poor fight when hooked. Fishing methods include chumming with live or dead baits or trolling. Baits include squid, eels, mackerel herring and other live or whole fishes as well as cut baits. The blue shark is viviparous, giving birth to 50 or mom young at a time Maturity occurs at a length of 7 or 8 feet (2.0 to 2.3 m).
Although edible, if does not rate high as table fare. All sharks begin to smell strongly of ammonia once urea decomposition sets in and, consequently, they require prompt preparation if they are to be eaten.

Swordfish

Found worldwide in temperate and tropical oceanic and continental shelf waters from the surface to depths of 800-1000 metars or more, also present in Mediterranean and Adriatic sea Croatia. Except when spawning, females prefer cool, deep waters near submarine canyons or coral banks. Males prefer to remain in somewhat warmer waters.
Characteristically, it has a smooth, very broad, flattened sword (broadbill) that is significantly longer and wider than the bill of any other billfish. Adults lack scales and swordfish of all sizes lack ventral fins.
The back may be dark brown, bronze, dark metallic purple, grayish blue or black. The sides may be dark like the back or dusky. The belly and lower sides of the head are dirty white or light brown. This pelagic, migratory species usually travels alone. It uses its sword for defense and to kill or stun food such as squid, dolphin, mackerel, bluefish and various other midwater and deep-sea pelagic species.
Fishing methods include presenting trolling baits or deep drifting at night with bait such as squid. They often bask on the surface with their dorsal and tail fins protruding from the water, making them susceptible to harpooners and longliners who make the majority of swordfish catches.
Usually the bait must be presented carefully and repeatedly before the swordfish will take it. The soft mouth makes hookup uncertain and the slashing bill can make short work of an angler's line or leader. Squid is the most popular bait, though Spanish mackerel, eel, mullet, herring, tuna and live or dead bonito are also used. To land a broadbill is considered by many to be the highest achievement in angling. Very large swordfish are always females. The males seldom exceed 200 Ib (90 kg).

Tunas

Tunas are the most frequently BIG GAME FISHING targets at the Adriatic.These are the fish we are hunting in BIG GAME FISHING: bluefin tuna, albacore tuna, little tunny, sharks, swordfish, amberjacks and dorados.
The month of April is right for little tunnis moving in shoals and wirh an average weight of 10-15 kg. This period offers great possibilities for a rich catch. The end of May and beginning of june its sahrk hunting season (bluesharks and thresher sharks). In the beginning of August it's bluefin tuna time; average weight of 70-80 kg up to 500 kg. The tunas foolow great albacore tuna shoels with an average weight of 10-15 kg; lately, with the sea temperature rising, more and more dorados can be found. That's at the same time the best fishing season (from August to November), where the chances for a big catch is very high! Of course, it should be mentioned that the fishing seasons mostly depend on the sea temperature, the concentration of small blue fish and the salinity (depending on rainfall and inflow of sweet water).
Because of its unpredictability and uncertainty till the end, BIG GAME FISHING offers new challenges, where you can prove your team work skills and demonstrate your fighting spirit – a truly active vacancy!

General

Croatia is a country rich in fishing opportunities. For the angler there are various small and bigger fish to be caught all along the Adriatic Coast , as well as various fresh water fish species in many of the rivers and lakes. Local people in Croatia have long fishing tradition so it will always be somebody to give visitor info and tip where and how to fish.
Fishing License / Fishing Permit in Croatia
Fishing Offices Croatia
Sea Fishing in Croatia's Adriatic Sea
Fish Species in Adriatic Sea
Other Fishing Links
add your fishing url / site
Croatia Fishing Directory

Fish and Fish Specialties of Dalmatia: Dalmatia with its large islands of Brač, Hvar and Mljet and hundreds of smaller islands is a unique area for variety of fishes, fishing and maritime culinary culture. A famous Croatian Renaissance poet Petar Hektorović has written in a typical renaissance manner "Fishing and Fishermen's Conversations", one of the most original and realistic works of the sixteenth century Croatian literature. It is an account of a three day fishing trip with detailed description of fisherman’s tools, what they have eaten and how they prepared the fish.