What is Fishing?

Fishing is a popular activity worldwide. People love to spend their free time fishing for the peacefulness of being at the water combined with the thrill of reeling in a fish. There are professional leagues for fishing, but most people just enjoy taking their rod and casting out some lines for fun. Fishing involves a rod and a reel, as well as numerous pieces of tackle equipment. It can be done at any time of the year, although most people like to go out when it is warm.

History

Fishing has been around for centuries as an essential source of food. In the 15th century, deep-sea fishing started to emerge, but took off with the arrival of steamboats in the 19th century . As the cost of fishing started to go down, it began to grow more and more popular. Non-native species were even introduced into certain regions to satisfy anglers.

Playing Surface

There are a couple of different surfaces where fishing can take place. Most people like to go out fishing on their boat in either the river, lake, or ocean. Others prefer to go on a dock and cast from there. Surf fishing is another popular type of fishing where anglers cast from the beach and get the line over the waves. The destination of where one fishes depends on the preference of the angler and also where they are located.

Equipment

Fishing requires a lot of equipment. First, you will need a rod and a reel. That will be far from your only purchase as an avid angler. With fishing, you are going to need different types of line, hooks, lures, weights, and much more. The tackle box will be full of different assortments for when you are searching for different kinds of fish. In most cases, fishing for different species will require different types of equipment. Therefore, there is an extremely wide variety of fishing gear on the market.

Gameplay

There are a lot of different methods to fish and all types of fishing is performed differently. Typically, a day of fishing will involve going to a dock or hopping on a boat with all your fishing gear. Then you simply cast out the line with whatever bait or lure you prefer and use different methods to catch fish. If you are out there simply for fun, you can fish for as little as 30 minutes and as long as 10 hours; that is the beauty of the sport.

Rules and Regulations

The rules and regulations of fishing is often dependent on where in the world someone is fishing. In some states, it is illegal to catch and keep certain fish. In other states, there is a limit on how many fish you can catch in a single day.

Outside of the laws of fishing, there are also rules in tournaments that must be followed as well. For example, an angler must reel in a fish before a period is over. If the angler can not get the fish into the boat before the period ends, the catch will not count. There are also violations for not handling a fish properly. If an angler commits a landing or releasing violation, they will face a two minute penalty at the start of the next period.

Referees and Officials

In Major League Fishing, there is an official on every boat to make sure that the angler is following the rules. At every competition, there are typically 15 to 18 officials. This is because there is so much happening on the sidelines even while the anglers are not fishing. Something interesting about these officials is that since they are on the boat, they get to bond with the anglers as they fish. Fishing can be a boring sport at times, so they will often break into conversation during an event. Some officials in the MLF have said that working during tournaments have allowed them to make very close friends.

Lingo and Terminology

Anglers have a language of their own, and it is important to be aware of some terms when you are going fishing. Some of the terms and lingo that fishermen use may be confusing at first, but after a few trips with your friends, you will be talking like an expert in no time.

Barb: Protruding part of the hook newar its point, preventing it from backing out of the fish’s mouth.

Blind Cast: Tactic used for prospecting when an angler casts in different directions while in unfamiliar water.

Chumming: Tactic of putting bait into the water to attract fish to your location.

Foul Hook: When a fish is snagged by a hook anywhere except in the mouth

Live-lining: Technique of using live baitfish on a hook as a bait

Slack Line: Lack of tension on the fishing line.

Skills and Techniques

Perhaps the most important skill a successful angler must have is patience. There are going to be some days where you don’t even get a bite, and that is going to be extremely frustrating. It is extremely important to not let your emotions get the best of you and remain positive because you never know when a fish may bite.

Almost all lures and methods of fishing require different techniques. When you are fishing with a lure, the way you try to attract the fish will be different if you are simply using a bait and hook. For example, if you are using a lure, you move the rod while reeling in trying to make it look like a baitfish to attract the fish. If you are using a bait and hook, you normally just leave the bait in the water and hope a fish is attracted to it.

Strategy

Fishing is a very strategic sport. There are different strategies to try when you are on the water. Perhaps the most important strategy is to prepare and do your research. If you are on a boat, go to places where you think the fish you are searching for might be fishing. Another good one is to search for other boats and see where they are fishing. However, if you are going to follow other boats, it is extremely important to be respectful and not invade their space, especially since they found the spot before you did.

Fishing Brands

There are an extremely large number of fishing brands that are highly respected in the industry. When you are fishing, it is important that you are buying products that are made by reputable brands so you know that they will serve its purpose and be worth the money. Here are some top brands and what types of equipment they are popular for selling.

Fishing Youth Organizations

A great thing about fishing is that it is for people of all ages. Fishing is a great activity for young people, and with supervision a kid can fall in love with the sport at as young of an age as five years old. Below are a few popular associations that are great for youth fishermen.

CAST for Kids: This program enriches the lives of children with special needs, and will strengthen communities through the sport of fishing.

National Youth Fishing Association: Premier youth fishing organization in the United States.Provides tournament competition, seminar participation, and great learning experiences.

The Ike Foundation: Non-profit organization that introduces urban and rural children to the sport of fishing.

Fishing Coaches

Typically, even at the professional level, competitive anglers do not really have coaches. However, that does not mean fishing coaches do not exist. When people go out on charter boats or deep sea fishing excursions, part of the boat owner’s job is to coach the customers on how to properly fish. If you are going on a fishing excursion, the captain of the boat and a few other members of the crew will be around to coach you and better teach you how to fish.

Fishing Players

In competitive bass fishing, there are numerous different famous anglers that are admired by the public. These are anglers that have been fishing their whole lives, and have been able to dedicate their lives to the sport. Along with competitive anglers, there are also TV personalities who have shows and go on televised excursions all around the world.

Fishing Leagues

Fishing can be a competitive sport where professional anglers compete against each other. Most of these leagues are strictly for bass fishing, although there are some organizations that will organize other types of fishing tournaments. These competitions take place in different lakes and rivers all around the world, and there are rankings throughout the year to determine who the best anglers are.

Fishing Events

Fishing events are a great way to spend time with your family or friends. One great type of event that can be organized is to rent out a charter boat with some of your peers. This can make for a fun all day event where everyone on the boat can learn to fish and hopefully bring home some dinner.

Another great option is to go and spectate an MLF Bass Pro Tour event. At a certain lake, you can watch some of the top anglers in the world compete against each other. These events will have activation sites where you can interact with the broadcasters and analysts, as well as meet some of the anglers after the tournament.

Fishing Tournaments

All throughout the country, there are amateur and professional tournaments going on. A tournament can last anywhere between 6 to 10 hours. Typically, it is the goal to end the day with the heaviest limit of the fish. Each angler will try to catch as many fish as they can, and when they reach the limit they can replace a smaller fish with a bigger one. There are numerous types of events like Pro/Ams (a pro and amateur teaming up) and individual tournaments. A fishing tournament is a competitive, yet fun way to spend your day. They are extremely easy to find, as you can search for tournaments or other events happening in your local area.

Fishing Books

There are many different types of fishing books that are available for reading. Some books may just give you advice and guides of how to become a better fisherman, while others may tell true and astonishing stories about someone’s fishing excursion. Here are some top fishing books.

Fishing Websites

Fishing websites can give you a lot of great types of information. Going online to better educate yourself about the sport of fishing is a great idea. There are websites that will give you advice on how to catch certain fish and will tell you the best times to go out. There are other sites that are great for purchasing new equipment. Other sites give you live updates on the current status of fishing in your area and you can use it to determine if you should go out on that day.

Fishing FAQ