Ultimate Guide to Exciting Osp Fishing Worldwide

An Introduction to Osp Fishing

Osp fishing refers to catching osp fish, which are a popular game fish species found in many parts of the world. Osp (also known as giant trevally) are large predatory fish that put up a tremendous fight when hooked, making them a prime target for anglers. Their unique appearance and strength have earned them an almost legendary status among serious fishermen.

What are Osp Fish?

Osp fish, with the scientific name Caranx ignobilis, are more commonly known as giant trevally or GTs. They belong to the jack family (Carangidae) and are closely related to other jacks like bluefish, pompano, and crevalle. Osp fish are distinguished by their silvery blue-grey coloring with occasional dark spots and vertical bars. Their most identifiable feature is their steep convex forehead profile that drops steeply to a small terminal mouth.

Osp can grow quite large, with the largest specimens reaching up to 5-6 feet long and weighing over 160 lbs. Most caught by anglers are between 2-4 feet and 10-80 lbs. They have incredible strength and speed for their size, making them difficult to land. Their muscular bodies allow them to put up dragged-out battles when hooked.

Where to Catch Osp Fish

Osp are found throughout the tropical and sub-tropical oceans of the world. Some prime locations to target them include:

• Florida Keys
• Bahamas
• Hawaii
• Tahiti
• Great Barrier Reef
• Maldives
• Seychelles
• Belize
• Mexico
• Costa Rica

In these locations, anglers pursue osp along the reefs, wrecks, channel edges, and sandy flats where they hunt for prey. Osp move between deep and very shallow water, giving fishermen a chance to target them in different areas.

Best Techniques for Catching Osp

Many techniques can be effective when osp fishing. Some of the best methods include:

Casting Poppers and Stick Baits

Casting artificial popper and stick bait lures on both spinning and baitcasting tackle is an exciting way to target osp. Working the lures aggressively with sporadic pops, jerks, and cranks can elicit savage strikes.

Trolling Lures

Pulling diving plugs, spoons, and plastic swimbaits behind the boat while trolling over reefs and channel edges can be productive. Covering water to put the lures in front of hunting osp is often key.

Drift Fishing with Live and Dead Bait

One of the most popular methods is drifting over reefs and structure while fishing live or dead baitfish near the bottom. Prime baits include blue runners, mullet, crabs, squid, and more. Flowing chum slicks can also attract osp when drift fishing.

Fly Fishing

Throwing large saltwater streamers on heavy fly tackle in white, chartreuse, and baitfish patterns can entice osp to strike. Retrieving the flies with sharp strips while working along edges and over flats when fish are visible is often the technique.

Osp Fishing Tackle

Tackling osp requires specialized rods, reels, and terminal tackle tailored to their size, speed, and strength. Recommended setups include:

Spinning Tackle

Medium to heavy power spinning rods in the 7-8 foot range paired with 5000-8000 size reels loaded with 50-80 lb braided line. Terminal tackle like metal jigs, plugs, and wire leaders are used.

Baitcasting Tackle

Heavy power baitcasting rods and reels in the 6.5-7 foot range take on osp. Reels are usually loaded with 50+ lb braid while rods have more lifting power than spinning models.

Fly Fishing Tackle

9-11wt fly rods around 8-9 feet with saltwater specific reels full of backing topped with heavy tapered fly lines are required tackle. Large saltwater flies tied on heavyweight hooks complete the setup.

Fighting & Landing Osp

Hooking into an osp will give anglers one of the biggest fights of their lives on fishing tackle. Their blistering runs and bulldogging headshakes require skill and muscle to land. Osp dig deep into their broad sides when battling them, necessitating maintained pressure and indirect force to draw them towards the boat or shore to land them. Once near the boat or land, they make last ditch slap the surface widely with their forked tail in an effort to shake loose. Fishermen will need long sturdy nets and preparation for their last powerful runs and jumps to successfully boat osp. Gaffs or large nets, gloves, cameras, and bragging rights finalize landing them after an epic battle. Osp fishing delivers one of the most exciting and rewarding experiences an angler can embark on when targeting these strong fish. Their popularity among saltwater anglers continues to grow as more fishermen learn of and take on the osp challenge offered around the world.

Safety Considerations for Osp Fishing

While osp fishing offers thrilling sport and reward, the undertaking necessitates care and caution as well. Understanding the risks and employing prudent safety practices is advised.

Work with a Guide

Navigating unfamiliar waters when pursuing ocean-going species like osp makes hiring a guide service prudent. Their local expertise of areas, conditions, techniques and regulations aids safety greatly. Guides also supply proper boats, tackle and gear to target osp successfully.

Check Weather and Sea Conditions

Many prime osp fishing destinations sit far offshore requiring lengthy travel in open water. Monitoring weather and ocean forecasts allows you to pick optimal days for fishing safety. Avoid heavy winds, currents, and building swell threats when heading offshore.

Bring Proper Gear

Carrying abundant food, water, protective clothing, sunscreen, radios, flares, charged phones, and other essential gear offshore helps you handle adversity better. Preparation with the right equipment enhances safety margins offshore. Include motion sickness medication if prone as well.

Limit Alcohol

Consuming alcohol before and during fishing trips, especially offshore endeavors, impairs judgement, balance, vision and reaction time among other faculties. These diminish your ability to respond appropriately in difficult situations and lessen survival outcomes if trouble arises. Keep drinking minimal when fishing.

Inspect Your Tackle

Using tackle like rods, reels, lines, leaders, hooks and lures in proper working order reduces chances for mishaps with hooked fish. Pre-check your terminal tackle for defects and weak spots before fishing then inspect between battles as well. Carry backups onboard too if able.

Exercise Caution Handling Osp

Though tempting to muscle a hooked osp boatside, forcing them prematurely exhausts them increasing chances for release mortality. Allow them long fights on adjusted drags letting you guide them near the boat before attempts to land them. Their size and teeth also dictate using gloves and nets for unhooking them safely.

Osp trips conducted smartly promote safety for anglers and successful release of fish to battle another day. Haboring respect for their strength and the ocean supports sustaining their iconic fishery.

FAQs

Where are osp fish found?

Osp fish, also known as giant trevally, are found throughout the tropical and sub-tropical oceans worldwide. Prime locations include the Florida Keys, Bahamas, Hawaii, Tahiti, Great Barrier Reef, Maldives, Seychelles, Belize, Mexico, and Costa Rica among other regions.

What do osp fish eat?

Osp are aggressive apex predators that hunt other smaller fish as well as crustaceans like crabs and shrimp. They swarm on schools of bait fish, blitzing the surface during feeding periods. Their diverse diet allows them to thrive around reefs and structure.

What rods are best used for osp fishing?

Medium-heavy to heavy power spinning and conventional rods around 7-9 feet match up well for osp fishing. These rods allow casting distance as well as provide backbone to battle their blistering runs during the fight. Many are built with a fast action taper optimized for saltwater use.

What reels and line work for catching osp?

Large spinning reels in the 5000-8000 size and conventional reels full of heavy-duty braided line from 50-80 pound test are best for targeting osp. Some anglers may choose torpedo-style wire line for abrasion resistance around structure.

How long is the fishing season for osp fish?

In tropical regions, osp can be targeted year-round as they are not migratory and less impacted by water temperature changes. In more temperate areas, the seasonality when targeting them revolves more around weather conditions keeping anglers closer to shore during colder months and allowing further offshore trips in warmer ones.