A BEGINNER'S GUIDE TO FISHING

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In my young days, I spent far more time staring at red and white bobbers than watching TV. Well, not just bobbers. I also watched the tips of propped-up rods in the white glare of Coleman lamps while bottom-fishing at night. I stared at trolling rods bent with the rhythmic, wobbling pull of a Dardevle spoon. And I followed surface plugs dimpling the skin of evening-smoothed ponds. In short, I kept my eyes on just about anything that involved the pursuit of fish.

I was lucky to grow up guided by a grandfather who had long decades of outdoor living to call upon, and who seemingly couldn't think of anything better to do with his free time than spend it on the water with a fishcrazy kid. Most of what angling skills I have, I picked up more or less by osmosis. A lot of people haven't had that kind of childhood, though, and—especially after moving to the country—find themselves hungry to learn the joys of open-air sport but unable to find a teacher.

There's no way that anything I say will take the place of the patience and love of a grandfather, but here's my best effort at passing on as much basic fishing information as I can call to foggy mind, without making it seem more complicated, or less magical, than it really is. Whether your aim is to catch a panful of small bream for a family meal, or to eventually pursue the more challenging course of trophy fishing, sit back, glass in hand and gleam in eye, and let's talk fishing.

Gearing Up

All sports attract their share of equipment freaks, but, for my money, it's hard to imagine one that befuddles the beginner with a wider range of gimmicks and doodads than fishing. It's possible to buy a separate rod and reel combination for just about any stretch of water that you're ever likely to fish, artificial lures for any possible combination of quarry and water conditions and everything else from self-warming streamside seats to electric hook sharpeners. And, as your pursuit of flashing fins takes you down differing trails, a lot of those things might well become must-haves. For now, though, I'm going to try to set you up with a versatile, do-most-anything rig, without slashing too deeply into your food budget.

The core of your outfit, of course, will be the rod and reel. And, since we're trying to pick out a simple, versatile, more or less foolproof rig, your best bets are probably 1) a bait casting outfit, 2) a spin-casting set or 3) an open-faced spinning reel and matching rod. There are enthusiastic fans of each option, and any of the choices would do the job, but I'm going to go out on a limb and suggest that you buy a medium-sized, openfaced spinning reel (one suitable for line in the sixto 10-pound test range; have the salesperson load it with as much as it will hold when you buy it) and a medium action, six- to sevenfoot fiberglass spinning rod. (The action, sometimes called power, should appear on a label somewhere on the rod.) With this rig, a few lures and a selection of hooks and sinkers, which will be described below, you should be able to go for most freshwater fish, in most types of water, and even catch smaller saltwater species.

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