Fishing For Dummies (eBook)

Greg Schwipps (Autor)

eBook Download: EPUB

2020 | 3. Auflage
416 Seiten
Wiley (Verlag)
978-1-119-68591-3 (ISBN)

Infos

• Catch the fish you want, and more of them
• Choose the right gear and the right locations to fish
• Get the whole family involved safely

Get hooked on a lifelong hobby

Millions of folks find fishing relaxing, challenging, entertaining...and a great way to spice up dinner. This 3rd edition of the top-selling guidebook shows you everything you need to know about the necessary gear, where different kinds of fish hang out, what types of bait and lures to stock, how to stay safe on the water, and even how to clean and cook your catch. Plus, you'll learn about the latest high-tech fishing gadgets and GPS hacks, get advice on fishing from boats, and much more. Here's where to drop your line!

Inside...

• Advice on clothing and other gear
• Choosing a rod and reel
• All about line and tackle
• The latest high-tech gadgets
• Which bait for which fish
• How to evaluate the water
• Exploring fly fishing basics
• Tips for fishing from boats and kayaks

Greg Schwipps, a creative writing professor and novelist, has been fishing for more than 40 years. His fishing articles have appeared in publications such as In-Fisherman, and his recent work focuses on introducing kids to the outdoors.

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The complete fisherman s friend The fully updated Fishing For Dummies, 3rd Edition, experienced angler and fishing writer Greg Schwipps shows that while none of us is born to angling, we can all achieve it and become great at it. Whether you love fishing for fun or sport, this hands-on friendly guide has everything you need to make sure that there need never be such a thing as the one that got away! From trout to carp, catfish to bonefish, freshwater to saltwater, the easy-to-follow pictures and tips help you recognize and deal with what you ll meet in the murky deep. You ll also find out about the best times and the right spots to cast your line, as well as the right gear which in these hi-tech days includes GPS, apps, and sonar! Gear up with the right rod and tackle Cast and bait effectively Gut and clean your catch Get hooked on new trends kayak fishing! Whatever your line a quiet afternoon at the local creek, or a punishing morning s whitewater kayaking followed by fishing the lonesome wild Fishing For Dummies has you covered.

Textauszug

Chapter 1

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 think I fish for the same reasons so many others do: It’s a chance to connect with nature, to get outside, to be a small part of something bigger than my own schedule or routine for a while. I fish because I like hanging out in the places where fish live – being near water calms me. Fish don’t always behave the way I think they should, or follow my plans for them. The weather doesn’t either. I like that unpredictability because it forces me to react, to strategize, to ponder. I like angling because I like spending time with fellow anglers. I crave the excitement fishing offers. When I have a disappointing fishing trip (and what they say is true — there is no bad day fishing), I can’t wait to go again. When I have a great fishing trip, I can’t wait to go again.

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.

Why Fish?

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.

Obviously, fish live in an environment much different from ours. Understand, though, that they’re well-suited to that environment. With a few exceptions, they’re cold-blooded and possess a good sense of smell. They live in the water (you already knew that), have backbones, and pull oxygen from the water through gills. They are shaped to move efficiently through water (many look like torpedoes), using fins to navigate, and most are covered with scales. All fish are also covered with a slime-like mucus that protects them from disease and injury. (This is why you should only handle fish with wet hands — dry hands or a towel will remove this valuable slimecoat.) Fish don’t have external ears, but they do have internal ones and are highly sensitive to noise like the thudding of a boat hull. Fish possess a lateral line, running from tail to head, that they use to detect low-frequency vibrations. They use this organ to locate prey and evade predators, while also gathering information about water temperature and current. So fish might not share many characteristics with humans, but they’re a more than able opponent when it comes to people trying to outsmart them. They know their surroundings as well as you know your living room. Figure 1-1 shows a typical fish, with some of the traits described here.

© John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

FIGURE 1-1: Meet your average fish.

Every angler has a particular reason for pursuing the sport, and after a few trips out to the water you’re likely to figure out what it is you appreciate and enjoy about it, too. Whether you are after excitement, peace and quiet, or a healthy food source, fishing has something for everyone.

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.)

What fishing provides me might be one thing. You too will find a way to make fishing work for you. If you crave excitement, fish in a way that offers it. If you seek peaceful, introspective time, fishing can give you that, as well. And no one will make you commit to one kind of fishing all the time. Your fishing can evolve as you do.

For the table

Our ancestors fished for food, and you can, too. Fish are great tasting and good for you, as well. Chapters 20 and 21 tell you how to prepare fish for the table, as I even offer you some proven recipes, allowing you to make wonderful meals of your fresh-caught fish.

Many people today care about where their food comes from, and we like the idea of eating locally grown food. Well, when it comes to sustainability, fishing is tough to beat. Fish are a renewable resource. Selective harvest will ensure that we all have plenty of high-quality food available forever, possibly from a source close to your home. As long as the water quality of your fishing spot remains good, a properly prepared fish can add a healthy option to your menu.

Where Should You Fish?

Chapter 3 discusses this issue in detail, but the best advice I can give you is to fish wherever you can. (Later, I also advise you to fish whenever you can.) Big fish come from both large and small waters. Beautiful places to fish can be found locally. Slip down into a streambed and you might be surprised at what you find. Many subdivision ponds are stocked, and some of them face very little fishing pressure. Saltwater inlets and tidal rivers attract wonderfully large (and tasty) fish at times, too.

Part of the joy and challenge of fishing lies in finding your favorite spots. Fish move seasonally, especially in rivers and oceans, so catching a particular species of fish all year long will often involve traveling to follow their migrations. (This also means that a new quarry might suddenly arrive!) You’ll also learn to go to different locales to catch different kinds of fish during certain times of the year.

Fishing freshwater

Not all freshwater fishing is the same, and almost every state offers a wide range of fishing possibilities. Michigan, for example, offers everything from small stream fishing for rainbow trout to Great Lakes fishing for king salmon. Even states far from giant bodies of water boast rivers of varying sizes and both natural and manmade lakes. Your gear, and your approach, will vary quite a bit from place to place, but this too is part of the fun of fishing.

Much freshwater fishing depends on current: You’re fishing in either moving or calm water. And there are a lot of fish — and a lot of techniques to fish for them — in both kinds of water. Wherever you live, you are close to good freshwater fishing. Chapter 3 will help you learn how to find it.

Fishing saltwater

Saltwater fishing possibilities might not always be local since we don’t all live near a coast. When you find saltwater, you find an almost limitless variety of fish. Many of the techniques used in freshwater carry over to saltwater; however, the game changes a bit when you’re dealing with the fast, strong fish of the oceans.

For this reason, saltwater fishing can be intimidating. But if you limit your initial forays into saltwater fishing to inshore waters — places like estuaries, beaches, bays, and marshes — you’ll find that even beginners can find plenty of exciting action.

What Are You Fishing For?

I once caught a flathead catfish that measured more than 49 inches long from a river that you can wade across in spots....

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 10.9.2020
• Co-Autor: Peter Kaminsky
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Sachbuch/Ratgeber ► Freizeit / Hobby ► Angeln / Jagd
• Themenwelt: Sachbuch/Ratgeber ► Sport
• Schlagworte: Angeln • lifestyle • lifestyles • Sport • Sports
• ISBN-10: 1-119-68591-5 / 1119685915
• ISBN-13: 978-1-119-68591-3 / 9781119685913