Introduction 1 About This Book 1 Foolish Assumptions 3 Icons Used in This Book 3 Beyond the Book 4 Where to Go From Here 4 Part 1: Before the Bite 5 Chapter 1: Getting Hooked on Fishing 7 Why Fish? 8 For the outdoors 9 For the enjoyment 9 For the table 10 Where Should You Fish? 10 Fishing freshwater 10 Fishing saltwater 11 What are You Fishing For? 11 Common freshwater catches 11 Common saltwater catches 12 What Do You Need to Fish? 12 Picking up fishing essentials 14 Adding to your angling arsenal 15 How Do You Fish? 15 Casting around: Basic and fly 16 Finding freshwater fish 16 Basic techniques for saltwater fishing 17 Fish On! Now What? 17 It''s not hunting: You can release fish 18 But fish taste great, and you can keep a few, too 18 Chapter 2: Gathering What You Need to Fish 19 Dressing for Fishing Success 20 Wear layers and always be happy 20 Pack your foul-weather bag 21 Pick a good hat 22 Pull on waders to wander into the fish''s world 23 Vests: Great for wading 25 Carrying Just What You Need to Fish 27 Start with your rod and reel 27 Pick a tackle carrier and load up 27 Don''t forget food and drink for yourself 28 Tucking Your Fishing License in a Safe Spot 29 When you need a license 30 Where to buy fishing licenses 30 Chapter 3: Finding Good Fishing Water 31 Knowing Where to Go 32 Fish the one you''re with: Finding fishing water close to home 33 Finding fish when you''re on the road 34 Getting the Scoop 34 From bait shops 35 From online forums 35 From guides 36 From YouTube celebrities 36 When no one knows: Walk the bank 36 Evaluating Freshwater Sites 37 Ponds 37 Streams and rivers (big and small) 38 Lakes and reservoirs 39 Where NOT to fish 40 Evaluating Saltwater Sites 41 Tidal inlets, marshes, streams, and bays 41 Surf fishing 44 Fishing piers 45 Finding the Right Time to Fish 46 Watching the Weather 47 Planning a trip around the weather 47 Reacting to changing weather while fishing 48 Chapter 4: Putting a Face on the Fins: Common Freshwater Fish 49 Sunfish 50 Bluegills: America''s spunky little sweetheart 50 Crappies: A little bigger, and a bit sportier 50 Largemouth bass: The most important gamefish in America 51 Smallmouth: The gamest fish 52 Catfish 54 Blue catfish: King of the big water 54 Flathead catfish: Denizens of the deep lair 55 Channel catfish: Prince of the pond 56 Bullhead catfish: Tough as they come 56 Perch 57 Walleye: Popular like a largemouth, toothy like a pike 57 Yellow perch: Food for everyone 58 Pike 58 Northern pike: Water wolf 59 Chain pickerel: Pike junior 59 Temperate Bass 60 Striped bass: Strong enough for saltwater, happy in freshwater 60 White bass: Little fighters 61 Wipers: A bit of both 61 Carp 62 Trout 63 Rainbow trout: High jumpers 63 Brown trout: The champ of the stream 64 Brook trout: Sentimental favorites 65 The cutthroat: Yellowstone beauty 66 Lake trout: Big macks 67 Pacific salmon: Not just in the Pacific anymore 67 Atlantic salmon: The leaper 68 Chapter 5: Familiarizing Yourself with Common Saltwater Fish 71 Bluefish 72 Flatfish 73 Winter flounder: Another snowbird 73 Fluke: Mr Dependable 74 Halibut: Like catching a doormat that fights back 74 Drum 74 Spotted seatrout (a k a specks) 75 Weakfish: Not a weakling 75 Red drum: For cooks and anglers alike 76 Temperate Bass: Stripers 77 Cod 78 Grouper 78 Snapper 79 Bonefish 80 Snook 81 Tarpon 82 Sharks 82 Tuna 83 Billfish Family 84 Chapter 6: Staying Safe on or near the Water 85 Planning Ahead for Your Trip 86 Water, Water Everywhere: Bringing Food and Drink 87 Dehydration hurts 87 Alcohol kills 87 Don''t forget the bait for yourself 88 Serious Safety: First Aid Kits and Sun Protection 88 Making your own kit 88 The sun is a fair-weather friend (sort of) 89 Safe Wading 89 Why you need a staff 90 Handling the occasional mishap 90 Danger Amplified: Boating Safety 91 It starts with life jackets 91 Your call, Captain 91 Part 2: Gearing Up Without Going Overboard 95 Chapter 7: Matching the Rod and Reel 97 Getting a Handle on Fishing Rod Basics 98 The writing on the rod 100 How slow can you go? 100 Catching Up with Reels 102 It''s a drag, but it works 103 The writing on the reel 104 Classic Beginnings: Spincast Gear 104 Advantages and disadvantages of spincast gear 105 Considering a rod and reel combo, or striking out on your own 106 If you''re limited to just one 107 So Smooth: Spinning Gear 108 Advantages and disadvantages of spinning gear 109 Spinning rods: What makes them different 110 If you''re limited to just one 110 Baitcasting Gear: Complicated, but Worth It 111 Advantages and disadvantages of baitcasting gear 112 Baitcasting rods: Time to specialize 114 If you''re limited to just one 114 Fly-Fishing Gear: Artful and Effective 114 Fly rods: Choosing the right one 115 Chapter 8: The Bottom Line on Line 119 Getting to Know the Three Kinds of Line 120 Monofilament: Best for beginners 120 Braid: For those who don''t like to stretch 120 Fluorocarbon: For serious anglers 120 Buying Line 101 121 Information to get before you leave home 121 Factors to consider when you''re at the shop 123 Spooling Up: Attaching Line to a Reel 127 Caring for Your New Line and Knowing When to Let It Go 129 Protecting your line from wear and tear 129 Saying goodbye to old line 130 Fly Lines 130 Is weight good or bad? 131 Does color count? 132 Taper tips 132 Sink or swim 132 Threading your fly line 133 Looking at leaders 134 Chapter 9: It''s Terminal (Tackle): Hooks, Sinkers, Snaps, Swivels, and Floats 137 Hooks: What They Do and Why They Matter 138 Keeping a range of hooks 141 Making a point 142 J hooks: Some things never change 143 Circle hooks: From saltwater to freshwater 145 Dehooking yourself 146 Sinkers: When You Need a Little More Weight 149 Selecting the right range of sinkers 149 Storing your sinkers 151 Adding On Swivels and Snaps 151 Floats and Bobbers: When You Need to Lighten Up 152 Chapter 10: Going Ahab: Fishing from Boats 155 Taking Advantage of Boat Fishing 156 More casting angles 156 Fishing places shore-bound anglers can''t reach 157 Finding bluer water: Humps, points, and channels 157 Choosing a Boat That''s Right for the Way You Fish 158 Great non-motorized boats for fishing 158 Ideal motorized boats for fishing 161 Considering the Costs of Watercraft 166 Licensing, plating, and fees 167 Upkeep, storage, and maintenance 167 Trailering 168 Chapter 11: 21st Century Tech: What''s New and What''s Necessary 171 Fish Finders: Can They Really Find Fish? 172 How fish finders work 173 Do you really need a fish finder? 174 Where to find fish finders 175 GPS Units: Finding Yourself 175 Waypoint fever 176 Updating your maps 177 Trolling Motors: Quiet Power for Boats 177 Pairing the trolling motor to your fish finder 178 Mounting a trolling motor 179 Underwater Cameras: Seeing Is Believing 179 What you can learn by viewing 180 What cameras can''t do for you 180 Anchormates, Lightning Detectors, and What''s Coming Next 181 Part 3: The End of Your Line: Enticing Fish with Bait, Lures, and Flies 183 Chapter 12: Real Food for Real Fish: Using Bait 185 Assessing Your Bait Options 186 Gathering and Keeping Bait 186 Support your local bait shop 187 Forget your checkbook: Gathering free bait 187 Grocery store baits 188 Storing and transporting bait 188 Common Natural Freshwater Baits 188 Nightcrawlers: Great bait by the dozen 189 Minnows and other baitfish: Little fish catch big fish 191 Grasshoppers and crickets: Hopping good bait 193 Leeches suck, but fish like them 194 Salmon eggs 195 Common Natural Saltwater Baits 196 Clams and mussels on the half-shell 196 Marine worms: Salty nightcrawlers 197 Bunker: Bait school 197 Squid: Easy and effective 197 Shrimp and crabs: Fish like them, too 197 Mullet: More than a hairstyle 198 Ballyhoo: Funny but effective 198 Eels: The ultimate slime 199 Why You Can''t Take It with You: Disposing of Leftover Bait 199 Chapter 13: It Only Looks Alive: Tricking Fish with Lures 201 Picking Perfect Plugs 202 Popping and chugging plugs: Designed for surface explosions 202 Wobblers and propbaits: A steady retrieve should do it 203 Stickbait.