Fishing is one of the earliest cornerstones of civilization, and these days, one of the most popular pastimes the world over. Like a lot of guys these days, your dad may have never taken you fishing, and now, you might have a romanticized idea of this hobby, wondering about everything you missed out on. If you want to finally see what all the fuss is about, here are a few things you may not know about starting fishing…
It Stinks!
The act of fishing itself can be one of the most relaxing and enjoyable things you’ll ever do, but many newbie anglers get a shock when they realize how much everything to do with fishing reeks! You probably know that fish smell, but this is just the tip of the iceberg. Maggots which are just ripening, fishmeal pellets, cheese paste and other forms of bait all reek pretty bad as well. When you reel one in, your landing net and keep net will smell, and so will your hands. You’ll be wiping those hands off on your pants a lot too, and they’ll develop their own distinctive smell. Seasoned, passionate anglers get high off all the smells of fishing. Just be aware they take a lot of getting used to!
You Don’t Need to be An Expert to Go Fly Fishing
Many experienced anglers like to talk about fly fishing as if it’s some kind of forbidden martial art that takes decades of practice and refinement to get right. Sure, a finely tuned casting technique will help a lot in the long run. However, there’s no reason why a complete novice can’t start fly fishing if they’re attracted to it. The two most important things for a beginner is learning about the specialist equipment you need for fly fishing, with sites such as StartFlyFishing.com, and being able to cast well enough to get their fly to a fish – around 10 to 20 meters away from the bank. If you go against some of what that guy in the YouTube tutorial is telling you to get some distance on your cast, don’t worry about it too much. The most important thing is being able to cast at a consistent range.
However, you should Stay Away from the Beaches
Beach fishing may be a big part of your idyllic daydreams about fishing, but unfortunately, it really isn’t for beginners. Going to a beach for your first day of fishing is one sure-fire way to get discouraged from angling for life. Unless you’re unbelievably lucky, or happen to live near the dumbest fish in the ocean, you’ll quickly find that beach fishing as a beginner is one big waste of time. If you’ve got your heart set on catching ocean species, go down to your nearest pier instead. There’ll probably be many more experienced anglers out there who you can copy, and there’s very little to worry about when it comes to casting technique. You just have to drop your line over the side, and keep an eye on your float.
