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.

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

Stickbaits: For fetching a...