Fishing For Dummies. Greg Schwipps

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Fishing For Dummies - Greg Schwipps


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3. If you’re pretty sure your first fish will deserve a spot on the wall, check out what we say about fiberglass replicas in Chapter 19. If you prefer traditional angling and traditional reading, turn the page and read this sucker straight through.

      Enjoy Fishing For Dummies, 3rd Edition, and go fishing!

      Before the Bite

      Getting to know the fish you're after

      Understanding fish anatomy

      Evaluating fishing water you’ve never seen before

      Getting Hooked on Fishing

      IN THIS CHAPTER

      

Seeing the positives of fishing

      

Figuring out where to fish

      

Meeting common fish

      

Gathering the basic gear

      

Exploring fishing techniques

      

Catching fish, and taking the next steps

      Nearly 50 million anglers walk among us in the United States, and while some are more dedicated than others to the hobby, all of them are gaining something positive from the experience. Fishing offers a chance to be near family and friends — a time to bond without the distraction of screens. Or it can be a time to be alone. To fish, you must consider the world of your quarry, the water, and that means imagining a world far different from your own. Catching fish is exciting. Sometimes it enables you to procure and prepare your own food. Sometimes it affords you the thrill of the hunt with the opportunity to return your catch to the water. Importantly, by purchasing fishing licenses and supplies, you can help fund your local conservation efforts.

      Because I've been fishing for almost my entire life, and have been fascinated by fish from my first memories (there’s a photo of me wearing nothing but a diaper, holding a big largemouth bass my dad had brought home), people often ask me why I’m so captivated by fishing. Even though I think about fish every single day, the answer is a little complicated.

      I hope you can find something in fishing that sustains you, too. In this chapter, I give you an overview of this sport I love, from the motivation to get out there to an idea of where you should go to give it a try. Because there’s some gear involved, as well as skill and technique, I introduce you to these topics as well, so that you’re prepared to fish successfully.

      Fish are alive, and although some studies suggest that they do not feel pain, at least not in a capacity anywhere near the way I do, they do not jump at the chance to be caught. Using your gear and more importantly your mind, you must outmaneuver the fish. This presents an interesting, constantly shifting challenge.

      © John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

      FIGURE 1-1: Meet your average fish.

      For the outdoors

      You probably already know this, but fishing is an outdoor activity. So the first reason to take up fishing is that it requires you to go outside. Some of us think that there’s something soul-supporting about being outdoors, especially in those places that are inherently wild and unmarked by humans.

      For the enjoyment

      Take up fishing because you need some time spent quietly by yourself. Or take up fishing because you want to spend quality time with your family or friends. Two anglers fishing in a boat, or wading their way quietly upstream, won’t be distracted by scrolling news programs, honking cars, or instant messages. Cellphones can be turned off, and social media can be ignored for a while. Whether alone or in a small group, fishing quiets the mind.

      This is not to suggest that all fishing is quiet! When a monster fish thrashes near the boat, or goes airborne trying to throw the hook, the adrenaline rush the angler feels rivals that of a linebacker after a crushing tackle or a tennis player after serving an ace. It’s a physical sensation. (See Chapter 18 to find out how to land that behemoth bass.)

      For the table


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