Fishing For Dummies

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 1About This Book 1Foolish Assumptions 3Icons Used in This Book 3Beyond the Book 4Where to Go From Here 4Part 1: Before the Bite 5Chapter 1: Getting Hooked on Fishing 7Why Fish? 8For the outdoors 9For the enjoyment 9For the table 10Where Should You Fish? 10Fishing freshwater 10Fishing saltwater 11What are You Fishing For? 11Common freshwater catches 11Common saltwater catches 12What Do You Need to Fish? 12Picking up fishing essentials 14Adding to your angling arsenal 15How Do You Fish? 15Casting around: Basic and fly 16Finding freshwater fish 16Basic techniques for saltwater fishing 17Fish On! Now What? 17It’s not hunting: You can release fish 18But fish taste great, and you can keep a few, too 18Chapter 2: Gathering What You Need to Fish 19Dressing for Fishing Success 20Wear layers and always be happy 20Pack your foul-weather bag 21Pick a good hat 22Pull on waders to wander into the fish’s world 23Vests: Great for wading 25Carrying Just What You Need to Fish 27Start with your rod and reel 27Pick a tackle carrier and load up 27Don’t forget food and drink for yourself 28Tucking Your Fishing License in a Safe Spot 29When you need a license 30Where to buy fishing licenses 30Chapter 3: Finding Good Fishing Water 31Knowing Where to Go 32Fish the one you’re with: Finding fishing water close to home 33Finding fish when you’re on the road 34Getting the Scoop 34From bait shops 35From online forums 35From guides 36From YouTube celebrities 36When no one knows: Walk the bank 36Evaluating Freshwater Sites 37Ponds 37Streams and rivers (big and small) 38Lakes and reservoirs 39Where NOT to fish 40Evaluating Saltwater Sites 41Tidal inlets, marshes, streams, and bays 41Surf fishing 44Fishing piers 45Finding the Right Time to Fish 46Watching the Weather 47Planning a trip around the weather 47Reacting to changing weather while fishing 48Chapter 4: Putting a Face on the Fins: Common Freshwater Fish 49Sunfish 50Bluegills: America’s spunky little sweetheart 50Crappies: A little bigger, and a bit sportier 50Largemouth bass: The most important gamefish in America 51Smallmouth: The gamest fish 52Catfish 54Blue catfish: King of the big water 54Flathead catfish: Denizens of the deep lair 55Channel catfish: Prince of the pond 56Bullhead catfish: Tough as they come 56Perch 57Walleye: Popular like a largemouth, toothy like a pike 57Yellow perch: Food for everyone 58Pike 58Northern pike: Water wolf 59Chain pickerel: Pike junior 59Temperate Bass 60Striped bass: Strong enough for saltwater, happy in freshwater 60White bass: Little fighters 61Wipers: A bit of both 61Carp 62Trout 63Rainbow trout: High jumpers 63Brown trout: The champ of the stream 64Brook trout: Sentimental favorites 65The cutthroat: Yellowstone beauty 66Lake trout: Big macks 67Pacific salmon: Not just in the Pacific anymore 67Atlantic salmon: The leaper 68Chapter 5: Familiarizing Yourself with Common Saltwater Fish 71Bluefish 72Flatfish 73Winter flounder: Another snowbird 73Fluke: Mr Dependable 74Halibut: Like catching a doormat that fights back 74Drum 74Spotted seatrout (a k a specks) 75Weakfish: Not a weakling 75Red drum: For cooks and anglers alike 76Temperate Bass: Stripers 77Cod 78Grouper 78Snapper 79Bonefish 80Snook 81Tarpon 82Sharks 82Tuna 83Billfish Family 84Chapter 6: Staying Safe on or near the Water 85Planning Ahead for Your Trip 86Water, Water Everywhere: Bringing Food and Drink 87Dehydration hurts 87Alcohol kills 87Don’t forget the bait for yourself 88Serious Safety: First Aid Kits and Sun Protection 88Making your own kit 88The sun is a fair-weather friend (sort of) 89Safe Wading 89Why you need a staff 90Handling the occasional mishap 90Danger Amplified: Boating Safety 91It starts with life jackets 91Your call, Captain 91Part 2: Gearing Up Without Going Overboard 95Chapter 7: Matching the Rod and Reel 97Getting a Handle on Fishing Rod Basics 98The writing on the rod 100How slow can you go? 100Catching Up with Reels 102It’s a drag, but it works 103The writing on the reel 104Classic Beginnings: Spincast Gear 104Advantages and disadvantages of spincast gear 105Considering a rod and reel combo, or striking out on your own 106If you’re limited to just one 107So Smooth: Spinning Gear 108Advantages and disadvantages of spinning gear 109Spinning rods: What makes them different 110If you’re limited to just one 110Baitcasting Gear: Complicated, but Worth It 111Advantages and disadvantages of baitcasting gear 112Baitcasting rods: Time to specialize 114If you’re limited to just one 114Fly-Fishing Gear: Artful and Effective 114Fly rods: Choosing the right one 115Chapter 8: The Bottom Line on Line 119Getting to Know the Three Kinds of Line 120Monofilament: Best for beginners 120Braid: For those who don’t like to stretch 120Fluorocarbon: For serious anglers 120Buying Line 101 121Information to get before you leave home 121Factors to consider when you’re at the shop 123Spooling Up: Attaching Line to a Reel 127Caring for Your New Line and Knowing When to Let It Go 129Protecting your line from wear and tear 129Saying goodbye to old line 130Fly Lines 130Is weight good or bad? 131Does color count? 132Taper tips 132Sink or swim 132Threading your fly line 133Looking at leaders 134Chapter 9: It’s Terminal (Tackle): Hooks, Sinkers, Snaps, Swivels, and Floats 137Hooks: What They Do and Why They Matter 138Keeping a range of hooks 141Making a point 142J hooks: Some things never change 143Circle hooks: From saltwater to freshwater 145Dehooking yourself 146Sinkers: When You Need a Little More Weight 149Selecting the right range of sinkers 149Storing your sinkers 151Adding On Swivels and Snaps 151Floats and Bobbers: When You Need to Lighten Up 152Chapter 10: Going Ahab: Fishing from Boats 155Taking Advantage of Boat Fishing 156More casting angles 156Fishing places shore-bound anglers can’t reach 157Finding bluer water: Humps, points, and channels 157Choosing a Boat That’s Right for the Way You Fish 158Great non-motorized boats for fishing 158Ideal motorized boats for fishing 161Considering the Costs of Watercraft 166Licensing, plating, and fees 167Upkeep, storage, and maintenance 167Trailering 168Chapter 11: 21st Century Tech: What’s New and What’s Necessary 171Fish Finders: Can They Really Find Fish? 172How fish finders work 173Do you really need a fish finder? 174Where to find fish finders 175GPS Units: Finding Yourself 175Waypoint fever 176Updating your maps 177Trolling Motors: Quiet Power for Boats 177Pairing the trolling motor to your fish finder 178Mounting a trolling motor 179Underwater Cameras: Seeing Is Believing 179What you can learn by viewing 180What cameras can’t do for you 180Anchormates, Lightning Detectors, and What’s Coming Next 181Part 3: The End of Your Line: Enticing Fish with Bait, Lures, and Flies 183Chapter 12: Real Food for Real Fish: Using Bait 185Assessing Your Bait Options 186Gathering and Keeping Bait 186Support your local bait shop 187Forget your checkbook: Gathering free bait 187Grocery store baits 188Storing and transporting bait 188Common Natural Freshwater Baits 188Nightcrawlers: Great bait by the dozen 189Minnows and other baitfish: Little fish catch big fish 191Grasshoppers and crickets: Hopping good bait 193Leeches suck, but fish like them 194Salmon eggs 195Common Natural Saltwater Baits 196Clams and mussels on the half-shell 196Marine worms: Salty nightcrawlers 197Bunker: Bait school 197Squid: Easy and effective 197Shrimp and crabs: Fish like them, too 197Mullet: More than a hairstyle 198Ballyhoo: Funny but effective 198Eels: The ultimate slime 199Why You Can’t Take It with You: Disposing of Leftover Bait 199Chapter 13: It Only Looks Alive: Tricking Fish with Lures 201Picking Perfect Plugs 202Popping and chugging plugs: Designed for surface explosions 202Wobblers and propbaits: A steady retrieve should do it 203Stickbaits: For fetching a fish 204Floating/diving plugs: Classics that work, even for beginners 204Deep divers: Good for hitting the bottom 206Spoons: Heavy Metal Time 207Spinners: Easy to Fish, Hard to Miss 209Spinnerbaits: The Masters of Bass 210Jigs: More Than a Weighted Hook 211Soft Baits: Plastic Worms and Beyond 213Narrowing Your Lure Options by Asking Some Key Questions 216How deep does the lure run? 216Where’s the action? 216How fast is the lure designed to move through the water? 217How big should the lure be? 217Does the lure raise a ruckus? 217Does a lure’s color count? 217Does this lure match my gear? 218Do taste and smell matter? 218Chapter 14: Fish Don’t Fly, But Flies Catch Fish 219Taking a Look at Where the Fly in Fly Fishing Came From 220Immature little buggers: The nymph phase 220Time to shed some skin: The emerger phase 221All grown up: The dun phase 222Ready to mate: The spinner phase 222Figuring Out Which Fly to Use 223Opting for the dry fly 223Discovering when you may want a wet fly 225Going the nymph route 226Picking the meatier streamer fly 226Choosing the caddisfly 227Getting bigger with stoneflies 229Extra: Terrestrials 230A Rundown of Flies That Work Everywhere 231The Ausable Wulff 231Clouser Minnow 232The Compara-dun 232Dave’s Hopper 232Elk Hair Caddis 233Gold Ribbed Hare’s Ear 233Griffith’s Gnat 233The Muddler Minnow 234The Variant 234The Wooly Bugger 234Part 4: Now You’re Fishing 235Chapter 15: Tying Popular Fishing Knots and Rigs 237The Knots You Need 238The Arbor knot: Getting the line tied to the reel 239The Trilene knot: Connecting your line to hook(and about anything else) 241The Palomar knot: An easy classic 243The Blood knot: For joining two lines of similar size 244The Albright: Joining a thicker line to a thinner line 246Snelling: How to Attach a Hook to Your Line 248Using the Right Rig to Present Your Offering 250Rigging most soft plastic baits: Texas versus Carolina style 250Rigging jigs 252Livebait Rigs: For Presenting Bait in Any Situation 252Fixed-float rigs: Classic bobber presentations 253Slip-floating away: How to fish a float at any depth 255Bottom rigs: Waiting out a bite 257River rig: For anything current 258Drift fishing with bottom rigs 261Chapter 16: Choreographing Your Cast 263Casting Spincast Gear: Great for Beginners 264Push-button reels: Casting made easy 264Mastering the basics of the overhead cast 265Casting Spinning Gear: A Little More Difficult, a Lot Smoother 267Preparing to cast 267A nice, smooth delivery: Perfecting the overhead spinning cast 268Trick shots: The sidearm spinning cast 270Mastering (Sort of) Baitcasting Techniques 271Setting the reel (and using your thumb) to cast better 271Casting overhead with a baitcaster 273Flycasting: The Beauty of Presenting Flies 274Striving for the oneness of rod and line 274The forward (and sometimes sidearm) cast 276Figuring out what you did wrong 278Caster of Disaster: How to Handle Snags and Snarls 279Chapter 17: Exploring Different Fishing Techniques 283Stillfishing (After All These Years) 284Bottom rigs: Waiting out the fish 284Floating away 285Casting About for Fish 285Covering water and taking fish 286Matching your retrieve to the conditions 286Fishing Calm (Nonflowing) Water 287Working the banks: A deliberate approach 287Fan casting: Covering the bases 288The exception to the rule: Fishing windy days 289Fishing Flowing Water 289Casting upriver, retrieving downriver 289Floats: Meals delivered to a fish’s door 290River rigs: This is where they shine 291Other Fishing Techniques 292Jigging 292Night fishing 293Drifting and trolling 294Making the Most of the Latest Technology 296Finding places to fish 296Using tech on the water 297Matching Terminal Tackle, Lure, and Techniques to the Fish You’re After 298Popular freshwater fish 298Popular saltwater fish 299Chapter 18: The Fun Part: How to Hook, Fight, Land, and Release a Fish 301Finally! How to Handle a Fish Strike 302Starting out in the right (positive) frame of mind 303Setting the hook with J hooks 303Setting the hook with circle hooks 305Fighting a Fish the Right Way 307Savoring the most enjoyable Part of fishing 308Letting the rod, reel, and line help you 309Pulling up and then reeling down 310Getting the fish pointed up 310Using current if it’s there 310Reacting when the fish jumps 311Handling a snagged fish 311Knowing how long to play a fish 311Landing, Netting, and Gaffing Fish 312The right way to use a landing net 312What about a gaff? 313When It’s Time to Say Goodbye: Releasing Fish 314Taking quick action after landing a fish 315Reviving an exhausted fish 316Part 5: After the Catch 317Chapter 19: Photographing and Preserving Fish for Posterity 319CPR: It’s about Preservation, Not Resuscitation 320Hurry Up and Take Your Time: Photographing Fish 321Digital cameras: Perfect fishing partners 321Tricks for capturing the best fish photo 322Taking measurements for bragging rights 325Come On, Everyone’s Doing It: Making a Fish Video 326YouTube, here you come 326Things to consider before becoming a videographer 327You Want This Fish Forever: One for the Wall 327Caution: Taxidermist at work 328Fiberglass replicas: A win-win alternative 329Chapter 20: Cleaning Fish for the Table 331Taking Quick Action to Preserve Taste and Texture 332Being a good executioner 332Storing and transporting so your fish stay fresh 333Cleaning: A Good Meal Starts with the First Cut 334Scaling 335Gutting 336Filleting 337Cutting steaks 338Freezing to Avoid an Oily, Fishy Taste 339Chapter 21: Biting Back: Cooking and Eating Fish 331Is It Done Yet? 341How long do I cook my fish? 342Marinate with caution 342Fearless Frying 343Traditional Fried Fish 344Reddened Blackfish 345Crispy Fish with Asian-Inspired Dipping Sauce 346Poaching Allowed 348Poached Fish 349Firing Up the Grill 351Islamorada Grilled Speckled Trout 352More Favorite Fish Recipes 354Door County Fish Boil 355Halibut Stew with Red Wine Sauce 356Hearty Fish Chowder 357Fish Salad Sandwich 358Part 6: The Part of Tens 359Chapter 22: Ten Fishing Lessons You Don’t Have to Learn the Hard Way 361Avoid Making Bad Vibes 361Know Gimmick Lures When You See Them 362Cast No Shadow 362Choose Clothing That Blends In 362Reuse Home Items 362Pick a Bait Cooler 363Seek Out Advice 363Keep a Fishing Journal 363Be Open to Multispecies Angling 364Take Someone Along for the Trip 364Chapter 23: Ten Fun Ways to Get Kids Fishing 365Plan (and Pack) for Success, not Failure 366Tap into Bluegill Mania 366Make Bait Fun 367Get Gear That Works 367Burn Up a Spinner 367Canoe or Kayak into the Local Wilderness 368Chum Up Carp 368Try Fish Camping 368Crank Up Tourney Time 369Go Night Fishing 369Index 371