How to get started with Fishing - the basics

How to get started with Fishing - the basics

Warm weather comes, as usual, once a year and some seniors opt to sit around in retirement and play cards or knit. Others don’t. Some may want to learn how to get wet and catch fish and become involved in all the rituals and debasing situations it puts them in. Why do it? It has been said, half the fun of fishing is just relaxing outside on or near the water. Of course, the other half is maybe catching a fish. If there were a third half of the fun and an encouraging reason to do it, it would probably be a great opportunity to join friends in telling fish stories. And anyhow, what’s the difference between being laid back in a lounge chair in front of the boob tube, or laid back somewhere pleasant with a line in the water? It’s worth an examination.

For starters, don’t be put off by tackle shops full of incomprehensible equipment or the misgivings that you can handle all the baiting, casting and hook removal with the proper gear. A tackle box the size of a Buick filled with wondrous and magic objects is not needed … so they say … but will come when you start to suspect the fish are smarter than you. A simple rod, reel, line, hook, bobber, some worms, and a six-pack will suffice to go fishing: You know, just like when you were a kid and dipped a hook and line dangling from a broom handle into the local creek. It’s easier than it looks. Probably the best approach is to stop the time machine, become a kid again, and make it your whole new world.

Then you must consider there is fishing, and there is FISHING. So what method will you use, and for what kind of fish, and where? These are important questions to deal with. It looks so easy on TV. There’s the guy wading in the middle of a river snapping his rod and line and fly across the water like graceful painter; the Huckleberry-Finn-type kid seated on the end of a pier with his line just hanging down while he’s eating his sandwich; a well-tanned and macho chap positioned at the rear of a large craft with his line splitting the ocean in the boat’s wake; and the cool cat leaning back in a small boat in the middle of a lake or bay with his line following any current that occurs. Which one will be you?


As any angler would tell you fishing is not only fun, but also a peaceful sport that enables you to spend a few quiet moments with friends, family, and nature. The sport of fresh water fishing includes catching fish in rivers, lakes, and streams.

Even children can take part in a fishing trip. However, you need plenty of patience for fishing. It is quite challenging and requires a lot of skill on your part, which you can aquire only with the passage of time.

1. Get a License

To begin with, you have to study the fishing laws and rules of your state and find out if you require a license for fishing. If you need a license, ask at a good sporting goods store for information on how you can acquire one. The people at the sporting goods store will help you get a license. Some will even get it done for you.

2. Purchase Fishing Equipment

In the meantime, you can take a look around the store and purchase some quality fishing equipment for your fishing trip. Since you are only a beginner, purchase only the basic equipment required for a fishing trip. When you have doubts about the equipment you require, don't hesitate to clear them with the store owner.

Remember that you have to stay within the limits of your budget. Don't purchase each and every thing that the store offers you. Although artificial bait is available at the stores, you could try using the worms in your backyard as live bait if you wish to save some money.

For your first fishing trip, you need to purchase only an inexpensive fishing rod, a reel, a line, a hook, a weight, a bobber, some bait, and a net. Purchase a pair of polarized sunglasses too because they will enable you to see through the water clearly without having to suffer an eyestrain due to the rays of the sun.

When you are more experienced, you can purchase quality equipment. Till you gain experience, enjoy fishing with ordinary, basic equipment.

3. Find a Good Fishing Spot

You need to find out about local fishing spots. If you don't know any, ask for information regarding local fishing 'hot spots." You can also check the fishing regulations of your state for information about the best locations for fishing in and around your state.

4. Practise Well

Practise will make you a better angler. When you have sufficiently developed your skill, you can go into deeper waters. Before you venture into deeper waters, ensure that you have practised casting your line well.

The best place to practise is your backyard. Use a rope to mark a practise area in your backyard and pratice casting your line there. Study a number of fishing techniques to find one that suits you best. Use your wrist when you cast, not your arm.

You have to handle fishing hooks with care because they are very sharp. Before you begin your practise in your backyard, make sure that nobody is around. The hook could hurt someone.

When you have had enough pratise in your backyard and you want to try it for real, proceed to a popular fishing spot.

5. Some Fishing Tips

Keep these tips in mind during your first fishing trip.

As far as possible, don't fish alone. Always fish with a friend or a group of friends so that, in case of emergency, there will always be someone to help.

It is not a great idea to fish in shallow waters. Cast your net in shady, deep, and rocky places where the fish are more likely to be.

Remember to cast the line just in front of the fish. Let your bait down slowly without making any splash. The fish can see the things that are close to them, but they cannot see behind them.

If you are casting your line in a haphazard manner, you need to go closer to the water to be able to cast more accurately.

Watch your bobber carefully for any movement. Whenever a fish swallows the bait, the bobber disappears under water. This means that you have caught a fish. Don't let this excite you too much. It is important to be calm, especially at this moment.

Keep the line tight while your reel up your catch. Use your net to get the fish out of the water. Take care while you separate the hook from the fish.

If you have caught a particular size of fish, as specified in your state's fishing regulations book, release it immediately. In the same way, if you don't intend to eat your catch, you had better release it into the water. This will ensure that the lakes, streams, and rivers will be full of fish always so that many more generations of anglers can enjoy this sport.

Before you call it a day, enjoy the calmness and serenity of the river.

How to get started with Fishing - the basics