Fishing

[jansman]

I will second what Mr R says. Your local tackle shop is the place to go.

[sniper 55]

Just out of curiosity, if you don't know anyone who can teach you to fish, how do you get into it? Do you get local clubs and if so as it is a solo sport/activity/skill, would you get anyone who would be likely to want to teach you? As I said, just curious really as I love spending time outdoors lost in my own thoughts, so fishing sounds rather good fun and serves a practical purpose too.

If you have a circle of friends or workmates ask around, or your local pub may provide someone who is a keen angler. Someones mentioned the local tackle shop, other wise just try talking to some people fishing most are pretty friendly
Failing that read up on it and grab some basic tackle, then go and throw weights and hooks at fish and see if you get lucky.

[munchh]

Just out of curiosity, if you don't know anyone who can teach you to fish, how do you get into it? Do you get local clubs and if so as it is a solo sport/activity/skill, would you get anyone who would be likely to want to teach you? As I said, just curious really as I love spending time outdoors lost in my own thoughts, so fishing sounds rather good fun and serves a practical purpose too.

I would say local tackle shop as they will know where you can fish without having to join a club and should be able to help you get into it, its in their best interest to!

Just bare in mind, you do not need masses of gear, nore the newest most shiny gear in the shop, a good shop will have 2nd hand stuff to get you started. Better still Friday add type papers or freecycle.

I have gone right round in a big circle, i started this time round with a 6 foot telescopic kit from argos, stepped up to an 8 foot 2nd hand quiver tip rod , then went all out and got 2 carp rods got bored and went back to float fishing, now i have a barbel rod, it has 2 different tips, i have bare minimum kit, weighted waggler floats are the most i ever need for the lakes round here, a decent spoon net, a mid size reel, 4lb line, some jolly green giant, a flask of coffee, all goes in my seat box and im set for the day.

i really must do this soon

[jansman]

Again I will second that, you don't need tons of gear.I fish very minimally these days. Very often it is rod, landing net, bait bucket ( with a shoulder strap for carrying) which doubles as a seat, and terminal tackle in my pockets. I catch a lot of nice chub this way.

[dazthechippy]

Ive been fishing since i was about 12/13. I fish coarse and game (fly fishing) so i'm self taught, have had carp to 25lb and trout to 5lb. I sea fish occasionally - mackerel on the feathers in summer.

Tackle shops are a great place to go, very social places funnily enough. A good and inexpensive way to familiarise yourself is to read magazines - Improve Your Coarse Fishing is a good one.

Books by John Wilson are also good, check ebay out...

Bear this in mind - the tackle industry is a saturated market and catches more anglers than fish - buy what you need and not what you think you need - its an expensive hobby. ebay is also a good place to look at tackle too, be patient and don't get caught up in a bidding war though, you'll pay over the odds...

If you coarse & game fish you need a rod licence or the Environment Agency WILL prosecute you if they catch you without one (its about £20).

Happy to offer any advice on gear you may need to start up if you PM me.

I'm local to the home of UK carp fishing - Yateley and there are some great tackle shops and day ticket (you buy a ticket for a days fishing, about £10/20) venues I can point you to.

[Deeps]

I'm no fisherman, I've not been since I was about 10, I'd love to like it but it just doesn't do anything for me, I'm not a massive fish eater anyway. I was just going to suggest another source of cheap fishing gear, my mate goes to a lot of auctions and he says there's always fishing rods and gear coming up at them, usually for buttons too. Maybe another option if you're looking to get gear on the cheap.

[jansman]

Absolutely get a rod licence. However if you are fishing the beach, you do not need one. It is Crown Foreshore. Regarding cheap gear, here is a firm I have bought a lot of kit from. I have some high end carbon rods and such, but I am very hard on kit, and this 'economy' gear does the job rather well

http://www.dragoncarpdirect.com/

[munchh]

I forgot, BOOTSALES! when they start up, i have never taken stuff to sell and brought it home, ive bought many 6' spinning rods for a couple of quid a go.

[Brambles]

I went fishing with my grown up nephew and his mate for the first time in a few years yesterday.
Had a fantastic day, the weather was kind, the picnic was perfect and the company excellent. Oh the fishing wasn't bad either. 2 Tench over 2lb, a nice Perch of a pound or so, a 5lb Bream, endless small Perch and at the end I got into a shoal of good sized Roach. Got smashed up a couple of times by Carp. Had I been fishing for food, I would have caught enough Perch in the first 40 minutes for a couple of days.
The lads on the other hand......well lets just say I was the only one with a wet landing net. They were specifically fishing for big Carp and they weren't biting.

[preparedsurrey]

Don't know wether it's just a local thing but while out and about today, new no fishing signs have gone up on road bridges over quite a few local rivers?