Back Cover

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

Flap

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

Author Biography

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.

Table of Contents

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 fish 204 Floating/diving plugs: Classics that work, even for beginners 204 Deep divers: Good for hitting the bottom 206 Spoons: Heavy Metal Time 207 Spinners: Easy to Fish, Hard to Miss 209 Spinnerbaits: The Masters of Bass 210 Jigs: More Than a Weighted Hook 211 Soft Baits: Plastic Worms and Beyond 213 Narrowing Your Lure Options by Asking Some Key Questions 216 How deep does the lure run? 216 Where's the action? 216 How fast is the lure designed to move through the water? 217 How big should the lure be? 217 Does the lure raise a ruckus? 217 Does a lure's color count? 217 Does this lure match my gear? 218 Do taste and smell matter? 218 Chapter 14: Fish Don't Fly, But Flies Catch Fish 219 Taking a Look at Where the Fly in Fly Fishing Came From 220 Immature little buggers: The nymph phase 220 Time to shed some skin: The emerger phase 221 All grown up: The dun phase 222 Ready to mate: The spinner phase 222 Figuring Out Which Fly to Use 223 Opting for the dry fly 223 Discovering when you may want a wet fly 225 Going the nymph route 226 Picking the meatier streamer fly 226 Choosing the caddisfly 227 Getting bigger with stoneflies 229 Extra: Terrestrials 230 A Rundown of Flies That Work Everywhere 231 The Ausable Wulff 231 Clouser Minnow 232 The Compara-dun 232 Dave's Hopper 232 Elk Hair Caddis 233 Gold Ribbed Hare's Ear 233 Griffith's Gnat 233 The Muddler Minnow 234 The Variant 234 The Wooly Bugger 234 Part 4: Now You're Fishing 235 Chapter 15: Tying Popular Fishing Knots and Rigs 237 The Knots You Need 238 The Arbor knot: Getting the line tied to the reel 239 The Trilene knot: Connecting your line to hook (and about anything else) 241 The Palomar knot: An easy classic 243 The Blood knot: For joining two lines of similar size 244 The Albright: Joining a thicker line to a thinner line 246 Snelling: How to Attach a Hook to Your Line 248 Using the Right Rig to Present Your Offering 250 Rigging most soft plastic baits: Texas versus Carolina style 250 Rigging jigs 252 Livebait Rigs: For Presenting Bait in Any Situation 252 Fixed-float rigs: Classic bobber presentations 253 Slip-floating away: How to fish a float at any depth 255 Bottom rigs: Waiting out a bite 257 River rig: For anything current 258 Drift fishing with bottom rigs 261 Chapter 16: Choreographing Your Cast 263 Casting Spincast Gear: Great for Beginners 264 Push-button reels: Casting made easy 264 Mastering the basics of the overhead cast 265 Casting Spinning Gear: A Little More Difficult, a Lot Smoother 267 Preparing to cast 267 A nice, smooth delivery: Perfecting the overhead spinning cast 268 Trick shots: The sidearm spinning cast 270 Mastering (Sort of) Baitcasting Techniques 271 Setting the reel (and using your thumb) to cast better 271 Casting overhead with a baitcaster 273 Flycasting: The Beauty of Presenting Flies 274 Striving for the oneness of rod and line 274 The forward (and sometimes sidearm) cast 276 Figuring out what you did wrong 278 Caster of Disaster: How to Handle Snags and Snarls 279 Chapter 17: Exploring Different Fishing Techniques 283 Stillfishing (After All These Years) 284 Bottom rigs: Waiting out the fish 284 Floating away 285 Casting About for Fish 285 Covering water and taking fish 286 Matching your retrieve to the conditions 286 Fishing Calm (Nonflowing) Water 287 Working the banks: A deliberate approach 287 Fan casting: Covering the bases 288 The exception to the rule: Fishing windy days 289 Fishing Flowing Water 289 Casting upriver, retrieving downriver 289 Floats: Meals delivered to a fish's door 290 River rigs: This is where they shine 291 Other Fishing Techniques 292 Jigging 292 Night fishing 293 Drifting and trolling 294 Making the Most of the Latest Technology 296 Finding places to fish 296 Using tech on the water 297 Matching Terminal Tackle, Lure, and Techniques to the Fish You're After 298 Popular freshwater fish 298 Popular saltwater fish 299 Chapter 18: The Fun Part: How to Hook, Fight, Land, and Release a Fish 301 Finally! How to Handle a Fish Strike 302 Starting out in the right (positive) frame of mind 303 Setting the hook with J hooks 303 Setting the hook with circle hooks 305 Fighting a Fish the Right Way 307 Savoring the most enjoyable Part of fishing 308 Letting the rod, reel, and line help you 309 Pulling up and then reeling down 310 Getting the fish pointed up 310 Using current if it's there 310 Reacting when the fish jumps 311 Handling a snagged fish 311 Knowing how long to play a fish 311 Landing, Netting, and Gaffing Fish 312 The right way to use a landing net 312 What about a gaff? 313 When It's Time to Say Goodbye: Releasing Fish 314 Taking quick action after landing a fish 315 Reviving an exhausted fish 316 Part 5: After the Catch 317 Chapter 19: Photographing and Preserving Fish for Posterity 319 CPR: It's about Preservation, Not Resuscitation 320 Hurry Up and Take Your Time: Photographing Fish 321 Digital cameras: Perfect fishing partners 321 Tricks for capturing the best fish photo 322 Taking measurements for bragging rights 325 Come On, Everyone's Doing It: Making a Fish Video 326 YouTube, here you come 326 Things to consider before becoming a videographer 327 You Want This Fish Forever: One for the Wall 327 Caution: Taxidermist at work 328 Fiberglass replicas: A win-win alternative 329 Chapter 20: Cleaning Fish for the Table 331 Taking Quick Action to Preserve Taste and Texture 332 Being a good executioner 332 Storing and transporting so your fish stay fresh 333 Cleaning: A Good Meal Starts with the First Cut 334 Scaling 335 Gutting 336 Filleting 337 Cutting steaks 338 Freezing to Avoid an Oily, Fishy Taste 339 Chapter 21: Biting Back: Cooking and Eating Fish 331 Is It Done Yet? 341 How long do I cook my fish? 342 Marinate with caution 342 Fearless Frying 343 Traditional Fried Fish 344 Reddened Blackfish 345 Crispy Fish with Asian-Inspired Dipping Sauce 346 Poaching Allowed 348 Poached Fish 349 Firing Up the Grill 351 Islamorada Grilled Speckled Trout 352 More Favorite Fish Recipes 354 Door County Fish Boil 355 Halibut Stew with Red Wine Sauce 356 Hearty Fish Chowder 357 Fish Salad Sandwich 358 Part 6: The Part of Tens 359 Chapter 22: Ten Fishing Lessons You Don't Have to Learn the Hard Way 361 Avoid Making Bad Vibes 361 Know Gimmick Lures When You See Them 362 Cast No Shadow 362 Choose Clothing That Blends In 362 Reuse Home Items 362 Pick a Bait Cooler 363 Seek Out Advice 363 Keep a Fishing Journal 363 Be Open to Multispecies Angling 364 Take Someone Along for the Trip 364 Chapter 23: Ten Fun Ways to Get Kids Fishing 365 Plan (and Pack) for Success, not Failure 366 Tap into Bluegill Mania 366 Make Bait Fun 367 Get Gear That Works 367 Burn Up a Spinner 367 Canoe or Kayak into the Local Wilderness 368 Chum Up Carp 368 Try Fish Camping 368 Crank Up Tourney Time 369 Go Night Fishing 369 Index 371

Feature

Introduction 1 Part 1: Before the Bite 5 Chapter 1: Getting Hooked on Fishing 7 Chapter 2: Gathering What You Need to Fish 19 Chapter 3: Finding Good Fishing Water 31 Chapter 4: Putting a Face on the Fins: Common Freshwater Fish 49 Chapter 5: Familiarizing Yourself with Common Saltwater Fish 71 Chapter 6: Staying Safe on or near the Water 85 Part 2: Gearing Up Without Going Overboard 95 Chapter 7: Matching the Rod and Reel 97 Chapter 8: The Bottom Line on Line 119 Chapter 9: It's Terminal (Tackle): Hooks, Sinkers, Snaps, Swivels, and Floats 137 Chapter 10: Going Ahab: Fishing from Boats 155 Chapter 11: 21st Century Tech: What's New and What's Necessary 171 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 Chapter 13: It Only Looks Alive: Tricking Fish with Lures 201 Chapter 14: Fish Don't Fly, But Flies Catch Fish 219 Part 4: Now You're Fishing 235 Chapter 15: Tying Popular Fishing Knots and Rigs 237 Chapter 16: Choreographing Your Cast 263 Chapter 17: Exploring Different Fishing Techniques 283 Chapter 18: The Fun Part: How to Hook, Fight, Land, and Release a Fish 301 Part 5: After the Catch 317 Chapter 19: Photographing and Preserving Fish for Posterity 319 Chapter 20: Cleaning Fish for the Table 331 Chapter 21: Biting Back: Cooking and Eating Fish 341 Part 6: The Part of Tens 359 Chapter 22: Ten Fishing Lessons You Don't Have to Learn the Hard Way 361 Chapter 23: Ten Fun Ways to Get Kids Fishing 365 Index 371

Details