Florida is often viewed as a saltwater fisherman's paradise. Hundreds of miles of coastline offer a wide variety of available fishing experiences and locations. The state's unique make-up offers access to the Gulf Stream, reefs, wrecks, estuaries, bays, inlets, and rivers - enough variety to keep an eager fisherman busy for a long while. There's an opportunity to land everything from marlin to bonefish, depending on where you choose to look.

Undoubtedly, one of the most popular and oft caught fish in Florida is the snook. With its tremendous force and resilience, the snook has proven to be a worthy opponent sought after by many a fisherman. Other popular Florida species of fish include the sailfish and bass. However, with Florida's varied geography, the opportunity to exists to catch a wide variety of fish, depending simply on where you choose to fish.

The Gulf Stream is one of the most popular fishing destinations in the country. It boasts a wide variety of gamefish, including blue marlin, wahoo, sailfish, dolphin, kingfish, swordfish, yellowfin and blackfin tuna, and sharks. Trolling lures and live baits will be your best shot at landing one of these fish, though according to reports, offshore fly fishing has increased in popularity in recent years.

Rivers also provide a good amount of opportunity for a saltwater fisherman seeking to do a little recreational fishing. The overhanging trees and shrubbery covered shorelines allow fish to avoid contact with direct sunlight, thus encouraging them to flock to such locations. Though when you are fishing a Florida river, it's best to remember to avoid dead trees limbs or any other obstructions that might be in your path. Also, it's a good idea to cast up current.

Another great fishing spot in Florida is the flats, which are basically the trademark of the Florida Keys. People employ a number of methods when fishing in the flats - from wading to casting from the shoreline to fishing from a boat being silently navigated by a guide. Many fishermen choose the wading technique because the readily available snook or redfish usually reside in shallow waters (specifically those that are less than two feet in depth). If you're interested in a little night fishing, you may want to look into fishing from one of Florida's many bridges.

One good method is to cast a jig tipped with a shrimp up current and hop it back to the piling. Though you'll likely lose a few rigs in the rocks, you'll also stand a good chance of catching snook or tarpon. Most ideal fishing bridges are located in the Keys There are also a couple of good ones in Tampa (such as the Sunshine Skyway). Because fishing from bridges is relatively popular in Florida, some bridges actually offer catwalks and other facilities conducive to fishing. However, some bridges don't allow fishing either, so you need to make sure to be aware of posted regulations.

Dan Eggertsen is a fishing researcher and enthusiast who is committed to providing the best saltwater fishing information possible. Get more information on Florida saltwater fishing here: http://www.asksaltwaterfishing.com.

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When Scuba Diving, the scuba mask is your window into the underwater world. Choose the wrong mask to buy and instead of a big, clear, beautiful view of the ocean environment you'll end up with an obscured, cloudy, leaky irritating source of discomfort.

If you're serious about Scuba Diving here are 5 things you need to consider when evaluating scuba masks: Design, Materials, Color, Volume and Fit.

Scuba Mask Design

scuba masks have a few different design elements to consider. The first and most obvious design element is the number of "windows" or lenses which make up the viewing area of the scuba diving mask.

Single Window Masks have one large viewing area on the front of the scuba mask.

Two Window Masks have two separate lenses, one in front of each eye.

Three Window Masks will be similar to the Single Window Masks, having one large lens in front of both your eyes, with the addition of two small windows on the sides of the mask for peripheral vision.

While at first it may seem that more windows is always better, that is not always the case. Visibility when Scuba Diving is limited in even the best Dive Spots. Even on those perfect days when you can see 100-150ft you'll likely be spending most of your time viewing things up close and right in front of you. Side Windows on a scuba mask allow light to come in from the sides which can be a distraction, especially in shallower dives on sunny days. scuba masks with Side Windows will generally have larger internal volume due to the fact that the space required for the side windows means that the front windows(s) will most likely be positioned further from your face.

I generally prefer a Single Window scuba mask as they tend to give the best straight ahead view, however there is a situation when a Two Window scuba mask would be the right choice, if you intend on replacing the lenses with corrective lenses. While it would be possible to have a custom lens made for a Single Window Mask, many Two Window scuba masks have corrective lenses pre-made for various prescriptions.

scuba mask Materials

The Materials used for constructing a scuba mask should be a factor in your purchasing decision. Most modern masks are made with silicone skirts, however some are made using natural rubber. If you happen to have an allergy or some other aversion to either of those materials then you want to be sure of what you're getting, especially when ordering online.

The lens material is the other consideration, it will likely be either tempered glass or plastic. Glass will be a bit heavier, but I highly recommend it over plastic for its greater optical clarity and resistance to scratching. Plastic lenses will likely be less expensive, but they can become dull from small scratches and can yellow relatively quickly, both of which would detract from the enjoyment of your dive. So, in short, go for glass, but make sure it is tempered glass because tempered glass is MUCH safer in the event of glass breakage.

Color of the scuba mask

Choosing the color of scuba mask to buy is a functional decision, NOT just a fashion decision. Please resist the urge to buy a mask because it matches your wetsuit or BCD as tempting as that may be.

The color of the skirting is the most important. Many scuba dive mask have clear silicone skirting. Clear skirting sounds like a good idea, after all it should let it more light right? Yes it does let in more light, unfortunately that isn't as good as it sounds. The light which enters through clear skirting tends to scatter randomly, which ends up causing lots of reflections inside your mask and leads to a very distracting, annoying experience. I suggest going with a solid color, the darker the better from a vision standpoint.

Internal Volume of the scuba mask

The Internal Volume of a scuba mask is the amount of empty space inside the mask which is filled with air while you are wearing it. Choosing a Scuba Diving Mask with Low Internal Volume is an important consideration for the following reasons:

Equalizing your Mask is easier - The larger the Internal Volume of your scuba mask the more amount of air you will have to add in order to equalize.

Clearing your mask is easier - A mask with a larger internal volume means it holds more water and therefore takes more air to evacuate the water, so a mask with smaller internal volume is easier to clear. This should be especially desired by any divers whom dislike the process of clearing their mask.

How the scuba mask Fits

Everyone's face is shaped differently. Cheek bones and nose size/shape have a big effect on how well a scuba mask fits. Some masks fit only a select few while other masks seem to provide a nearly universal fit. Finding one which fits you well can be a challenge.

The Scuba Mask I'm currently using is one which seems to fit most people, and it is the first mask I recommend when someone asks me what mask to buy for scuba diving or snorkeling.

I absolutely love this mask as it combines the elements described in this article which make up the ideal mask for recreational scuba divers. It's a great mask for Snorkeling as well. You can see the mask here: http://scubadivers.me/mask-to-buy/

If you end up trying it out please come back to my site and leave a comment, I'd love to hear your experience and know that I was able to help out a fellow diver. Happy diving!

My site also provides some additional tips for determining how well a mask fits even if you're stuck on dry land.

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