In regard to links throughout this Site, you may see a word that is underlined but NOT highlighted blue like a link, It IS a link and these are words that can be found in our Dictionary. In case  you're unfamiliar with some of the fishing lingo. search engine by freefind Home Sitemap What is Fishing and Why Go Kids & Fishing The VERY Basics of How To Fish Basics of How To Fish (more detailed) Basic Equipment Needed for Fishing Supplementary Tackle About Fishing Rods Purchase Fishing Rods About Fishing Reels Purchase Fishing Reels About Fishing Line Purchase Fishing Line About Fishing Hooks How To  Bait a Hook Bait Presentation Buy Fishing Hooks About Fishing Bait Buy Bait About Lures Buy Lures About Bobbers and Floats Purchase Bobbers About Swivels Purchase Swivels Kids N Fishing Types of Fish Fishing Rules and Regulations Safety & Fishing Fishing Terminology The FUNdamentals of Fishing Store at Amazon.com Other Websites made by Jon Anderson (Web Master of this site) FUNdamentals of Camping FUNdamentals of Baseball (learn how to hit, pitch, field, etc. How to Coach, Parent info, Official Rules) This Is Indiana

Fishing For Beginners FIRST (Fishing License)   Setup Your Fishing Pole  Keep or release?   Be Prepared   Where to look and how to approach   Patience   Observe Your Surroundings   Use the Right Bait   Switch Up Bait or Your Colors of Lure   Cast and Retrieve   Learn to recognize a bite   Set the hook   Fight and land your fish safely   Net fish   Be careful handling fish   Hangups happen  Fishing is a great way to connect with nature and enjoy the outdoors with family and friends or even in your own solitude. Perhaps you or your children have considered giving fishing a try but were put off by tackle shops full of obscure equipment or doubts that you could handle all that baiting, casting and hook removal stuff. Well, we're here to show you that it's NOT DIFFICULT at all.  The basic freshwater fishing described mainly throughout this site doesn't require a tackle box the size of a suitcase or a graduate degree in Ichthyology. A rod, reel, line, hook, bobber and some worms will be the basics you need to get you started in the right direction. Browse this page and Related Information below for tips on gearing up, learning to cast, rigging your pole, getting your fishing permit, finding a place to fish, learn where and how to catch fish, and lots more. FIRST!!!!! If you do not have your fishing license yet then I would recommend visiting Our Rules and Regulations Page. This page will have all the information you should need to obtain one. Keep or release? Even before you set out to fish, decide whether you're fishing for fun or fishing for food. This will help you choose gear and get ready to practice good catch-and-release techniques if you're just fishing for fun. If you're just fishing for fun, learn proper guidelines for handling and releasing fish. If you plan to keep your catch, learn how to clean it and prepare it. See Guidelines for Handling and Releasing Fish. See Guidelines on Cleaning and Preparing your Fish. Setup Your Fishing Pole You'll need your fishing rod and reel or fishing pole setup with fishing line, hook, sinkers, bobber and bobber stop. Learn How to Setup Your Fishing Rod Or Pole Be Prepared As with any task one takes on, be it going to work or school, going camping or going fishing, one should always prepare.  If you have to leave a good fishing hole because your stomach is beginning to growl and you didn't bring a lunch or snack, you will drastically lesson your odds of catching any fish. Some important items to bring on your excursion would be a bagged lunch, all your necessary tackle that you will need, sun block, the proper dress for the day. Generally the more comfortable you are the longer you will stay fishing. If you are baking in the sun and are dreaming about a cheeseburger because you missed breakfast your length of stay will most likely be shortened. A first aid kit is always handy in emergencies as well. See Our Webpage on Basic Fishing Equipment Needed for more items you should bring on a fishing excursion Where to look and how to approach Location, Location, Location Just as in business, location is everything.  Who wants to fish where there are no fish.  Pay attention to the veteran fisherman, they will most likely not share their spots with you but you can be crafty as to find out where they are heading. Understanding the species of fish is a key factor to determining where they like to hang out. Here are a few pointers for freshwater fish.  Bass generally like cover to ambush their prey. Head towards the Lilly pads, overhanging branches, tall grass and anything else that can act as a hide out. Trout like either running water, but can be caught in slower moving water as well. Look for eddies around rocks or other debris. Sunfish, honestly they are everywhere, but near the shore is sometimes better than deeper water. Pike also prefer running water, but will ambush their prey like bass, so they can be found in cover as well. Look for working birds if you are seeking bluefish. Sandy bottom for flounder.  Study your fish that you are pursuing. Understand there habits and ask the locals. You can learn the habitats of the fish you are seeking by visiting Our Types of Fish Page. Many fish are constantly on the move, looking for food.  You can either intercept them or wait for them to come to you. If you know you are in a good spot - for example, where you have seen other people catching fish or have caught them yourself, then it might be best to wait for them to return. Patience  Patience Patience Probably the best advice I can give when it comes to fishing would be to have patience. This advice is probably best suited for the novice to intermediate level fisherman as they seem to be the most impatient. If you are fishing unfamiliar waters, then it is often wiser to search for good fishing spots. Keep in mind, however, that even the best fishing holes do not produce nonstop action. Patience has always been a virtue among anglers. Have you ever seen a small child go fishing for the first time? Generally the first thing you hear after the "plop" of the bait and hook hitting the water is "Do I have one yet?" Fishing is just as much about self control as it is about catching fish. If you are constantly moving around and playing with your line you will scare away any potential fish. It's generally best to stick with a location for at least 30 minutes before deciding to move on to another spot. This also gives you an opportunity to pay attention and list it to your surroundings in a fishing journal. Keeping a Fishing Journal Observe Your Surroundings Get in tune with your surroundings Be quite and sit still for a long time.  Really understand what is going on all around you.  Conventional wisdom has it that quiet is best when fishing. Does noise really affect fishing? Some things you may want to pay attention to are any birds that are diving in the water and find out what they are after. Look for splashes in the water.  Listen for frogs if you are pursuing bass. If you see many splashes on the top of the water make sure you are using surface plugs or flies.  These little subtle clues will help you get closer to the fish.  A good fish finder is no match for the human mind. Really engage your mind and senses to really hone in on where they fish are and what they are feeding on. Fishing can be just as much a spiritual experience as it can be a recreational activity.  Pay attention to weather and environmental conditions as well. Keep a record of what the tide, moon phase, time and sky conditions were when you are catching fish and write them in a journal so you can plan for these factors the next time you head out. Be Sneaky Being quiet is almost as important as being patient. The bigger the fish, the more skittish they are. Commotion on a dock, along the shore or in a boat can scare fish away or cause them to stop feeding. Conversation is fine, but jumping or running or banging equipment will reduce your catch. Think sneaky You can usually get closer to fish under cloudy or windy conditions or in flowing water. When trout fishing in streams, wear muted colors and keep a low profile. Try not to let your shadow fall over areas you are fishing. Stealth also applies to the way you present your bait or lure. Don't cast directly to the spot where you think the fish are. Instead, cast beyond them and reel until your bait or lure in among the fish. Visit Our Page on Where to Fish to find out all the places to find fish in the waters and visit Our When to Fish Page to find out the best times to catch certain fish. Use the Right Bait Part of understanding your prey is understanding what they feed on.  Live bait or artificial? There is much debate over what is the better method.  It all really depends on the fisherman, but it is important to use or mimic whatever the fish are feeding on. Learn What type of fish eat what type of food here Learn How to Bait Your Hook Switch Up Bait or Your Colors of Lure If your using a Lure, it pays to switch up your colors regularly to determine what the fish prefer for a particular day. Cast and Retrieve  Cast your bait out using the technique in How to Cast. Next, turn the reel crank forward until it clicks to prevent more line from coming out. To take up any slack in your line, reel the line in until the float begins to move. When a fish bites, the float will either move along the water’s surface or go underwater. When this happens, give the line a quick jerk that’s hard enough to move the float and set the hook in the fish’s mouth, but not so hard that you send the hook, bait and/or fish flying over your shoulder. Learn to recognize a bite Fish may hit a bait or lure ferociously, tentatively or somewhere in between, making it difficult to predict how you may see or feel a bite. Bobbers could jiggle, plunge downward or skate across the water. If the fish swims upward after taking the bait, your stick bobber may lay flat or float higher in the water. When bottom fishing, you may see the tip of your rod plunge downward or quiver, or your line may unexpectedly go slack. If you are holding your fishing pole, you may feel a tap, a tug or a pull, or the line may go slack. Set the hook When you suspect a bite, reel up any loose line and drive the hook home with a powerful upward sweep of the rod. Setting the hook with a slack line or a loop in the line usually won't make the hook penetrate and probably will cause the fish to drop the bait. If your drag is set correctly, you can set the hook vigorously. Stretch in your line, the drag and the bend of the fishing rod will absorb much of the pressure of the strike to keep you from ripping the hook out. Fight and land your fish safely  - for the fish and for you Keep the rod up high, so your arms and the bend of the fishing pole absorb some of the power of the fighting fish. Allow the fish to run, taking line from the reel. Recover line by lifting the rod handle and then lowering the rod tip as you reel in, pumping the fish closer. A fish's last-moment struggles can surprise you and make you lose the fish. When playing a large fish, loosen the drag slightly as the fish gets close. Net fish head first Place your net in the water and pull the fish toward it. When the fish is over the bag, lift the net firmly and quickly. If you have no net, play the fish until it is tired and cradle it in your hand. Black bass, crappie, carp, suckers and catfish can be grasped and lifted by their lower lip, which tends to paralyze them. Avoid the sharp teeth of other species. Be careful not to hook yourself when you grab the fish. You can lead fish up the bank with your fishing rod or by backing slowly away from the water, letting the exertions of the fish help you bring it ashore. Do this only if you are planning to keep the fish. Be careful handling fish Most fish are not dangerous, but careless handling can result in unpleasant cuts or punctures. Handle fish firmly but carefully, or use a landing net to stabilize fish while you unhook and measure them. The catfishes, especially the minnow-size madtoms, possess a mild but painful venom that can be introduced when a person touches spines at the front of the pectoral or dorsal fins. Protect yourself by holding the fish from the underside, with your fingers firmly beneath the pectoral spines. The barbels of catfish are harmless. You can safely hold bass, crappie and small catfish by putting your thumb into their mouth and pinching their lower lip. Walleye, gar and large trout have sharp teeth that can inflict a painful wound when lipped. Grip these fish around the back of the head, above the gills. White bass and stripers have sharp edges on their gill plates that can slice a finger inserted beneath their gills. The fins of sunfishes, bass and the walleye family become rigid when the fish is threatened. Slide your hand down over the fins of small fish and hold them firmly. Grasp larger fish over the back of the head, above the gills. Don't let a struggling fish sink your own hooks into you. Keep hands and legs away from flopping fish and use hemostats or needle-nose pliers to safely remove the hooks from fish. To remove the hook, push it down and turn it so it comes out the way it went in. Now you need to decide what to do with the fish.  Is it large enough to keep? Will it be used for food?  First, check the fishing regulations to be certain the fish is legal to keep. If it’s not, carefully release the fish back into the water, being sure to handle it with wet hands, and as little as possible. A fish that you catch and release carefully can be caught again someday when it is bigger. See Our Catch and Release Page   Hangups happen.  Learn to deal with them. It's hard to imagine moving a hook and sinker through the water for any length of time without occasionally getting hung up on a rock, a stick, a log, a dock, a cable, weeds or some other object. Snags are part of fishing. When you get snagged, try to free the hook by holding your rod tip high and jiggling it. Often it helps to move to one side or the other to change the angle. If the hook won't free, you'll probably have to break your line. Don't just pull hard with your fishing pole, or it may snap instead of the line. Better to wrap the line several times around your wrist and hand, preferably around a shirtsleeve or glove, point the rod tip at the snag and steadily pull or back away until the line breaks or the hook pulls free. Should the latter happen, check your hook and replace it if it is bent or broken. If the line is frayed near the hook, cut it off and retie. Best of luck to you on your first fishing adventure.   If the Back Button Does Not Work, CLICK HERE It is important that people who fish follow all fishing rules and regulations. These rules help conserve fish populations and also help anglers be successful. Regulations may limit the size of, number of, and season that a type of fish may be caught, and may require a license to fish. In some cases, only “catch and release” fishing is allowed, which means the fish must be let go. Some bait is illegal in certain areas. Contact your state wildlife agency by visiting Our Rules and Regulations Page. If you have any hints, suggestions, techniques or anything that you would like to share or have me put onto this web page, please feel free to Email me Copyright © Jon's Images, Inc. All rights reserved This website is the composition of many hours of research. Information contained within this site has come from numerous sources such as websites, newspapers, books, and magazines. No animals were harmed in the making of this site.   Please direct website  comments or questions to webmaster DISCLAIMER: PLEASE READ - By printing, downloading, or using you agree to our full terms. If you do not agree to the full terms, do not use the information. We are only publishers of this material, not authors. Information may have errors or be outdated. Some information is from historical sources or represents opinions of the author. It is for research purposes only. The information is "AS IS", "WITH ALL FAULTS". User assumes all risk of use, damage, or injury. 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