Nick, The term 'game' in American hunting and fishing is a descriptive term, thus setting the boundaries for legal terms and description.
You've heard of the term 'Big Game Hunting', such as in Africa. The animal itself is the 'game'. Here you can buy a large game hunting license (or Big Game in some states) and a small game hunting license. Each state will define what they consider large game (bear, elk, moose, deer, etc.), small game (rabbit, squirrel, etc.), and non-game species (varmits- racoons, prarie dogs, opossum, nutria, etc.). With fish, there are class distinctions, also. There are non-game fish (carp, catfish, suckers, garfish, bowfin, etc.), usually with no limits, but sometimes they do. There are game fish (trout, bass, pike, paddlefish, etc.), with very particular and concise rules about how and when they can be fished, and the limits. Then there are big game fish, like sailfish, marlin, tuna, wahoo, etc. There is also another catagory called 'panfish', which includes bluegills, crappie, yellow perch, etc., the term being descriptive and the limits usually being liberal. Now 'Game Fishing' can have a completely different connotation (meaning), such as sportfishing for such fish as billfish or bass. The International Game Fish Association (IGFA) keeps records on the largest game fish (and some non-game fish) taken on certain line weightrs and on fly tackle (setting forth many rules for such official recognition). Gamefishing and sportfishing does not automatically mean catch and release fishing, though in most cases that is the norm. I say, Watson. The game is afoot...and afinn. DonO ----- Original Message ----- From: "Niclas Runarsson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, June 28, 2005 6:41 PM Subject: [VFB] Is this only a GAME to you??? Been wondering about something a while now and that thing is 'Game Fishing'. I have still not figured out WHAT it is... /Nick
