To start you need fishing tackle.

There are a lot of fishing tackle items. Some but not all will be mentioned here. Fishing tackle is necessary both to get the lure or bait to the fish and to get the fish to the angler.

A. Select A Fishing Pole

You are going to need a "fishing pole." Fishing poles are named for the reel (or lack of reel) that holds the fishing line. Every type of fishing reel has an appropriate rod that goes with it.

1. Pole and Line. The simplest is a pole (Cane Poles are great for this) with fishing line attached to the end of it. You can use this with a float or bobber and a hook or lure. This is a very simple set up and not at all expensive. It is very effective in shallow water.

2. Spincast Rod and reel. This simple set up is usually the best rod and reel for beginning anglers. Spincast gear is used to cast light to medium size lures.

3. Spinning Gear. Spinning reels can be used for casting very light to heavy lures.

4. Baitcast Gear. Baitcast gear has more control than spinning gear and is used to cast moderate to very heavy weights farther than other reels.

5. Fly Rods and Reels. A fly rod works differently that other rods and reels. In fly casting the lure is carried by the line instead of the lure carrying the line. Fly casting is not difficult, but normally takes training and practice to become good at it.

B. Tackle Assembly:

Depending on where you purchase your rod and reel it may come already assembled or it may be necessary that you assemble it your self. Here's some pointers on assembly:

1. Be sure you have all the parts. Check the packaging carefully before discarding.

2. Put the rod sections together with all the line guides lined up in a straight line.

3. Reels attach to the rods in different ways. Different reels have different attachment devices. Place the reel with the front of the reel pointed towards the guides.

4. Tighten the attachment device snugly, but do not over tighten. You don't want to strip any threads.

5. Some reels do not have the line installed. Follow the directions that come with the new line if it needs to be added.

6. Thread the line through the guides taking care not to skip one. Nothing is more frustrating than to get everything tied on and then discover you have skipped a guide.

7. All that remains is to attach the appropriate tackle for your intended fishing or casting.

Knot Tying:

Tying quality knots is a very important skill that should be learned. The knot that ties the lure or hook to your line is the most important knot to learn. There are several that work well, such as the Improved Clinch, Palomar, Uni, Surgeon knots.

Knot Tying: Other knots are used for different special purposes such as connecting fishing lines together.

You should pick your favorite knots and master the skills of tying them.

Learning To Cast:

Before using a fishing rod, new anglers should understand body position and hand and arm action.

Start with your feet and shoulders square to the target. This is accomplished by pointing the toes of both feet at the target area.

Next, toss a tennis or ping pong ball overhand (action similar to throwing a dart) a few feet for accuracy (hit my hand). Make sure you keep your shoulders square.

This is the desired body and arm action for accurate casting. Release of the ball is at a similar position as thumb release when casting.

Now try it with a fishing rod, a spin cast rod is best for this.

Begin Casting

When learning to cast a fishing pole for the first time, it is best to tie on a casting plug without hooks, using newly learned knots.

Safety is an important habit to establish, check the immediate area around and above to be sure you have plenty of space.

Reel in line so the casting plug hangs a few inches from the tip of the rod. Point the rod at an object on the horizon with your hands comfortably at you waist.

Then raise the rod to the 1:30 o-clock position. This is the normal release position. Practice sliding your thumb off the release button.

When ready to cast, slowly move the rod to a point slightly behind the shoulder of the casting arm, the 11 oclock position. Hand should be slightly above and in front of the shoulder with forearms nearly straight up and down. Hold this position momentarily to concentrate. With the thumb of the casting arm, push and hold the push button on the reel. To cast, the hand should go up slightly and forward as you extend your arm.

By rotating the wrist, move the rod back toward the 3 oclock position in a quick motion, extending the arm forward. Slide the thumb off the button at the same point as you originally released the ball (approximately 1:30 oclock position). Stop the fishing rod with it pointed slightly above the original target.

If the lure went too high and fell short, you released the button too soon. If the lure went too low and fell short, the button was released too late.

C. Advanced Casting

When you advance from spin casting to spinning or bait casting, the overhead cast is the easiest cast with which to start. However, after mastering basic casting with each type of equipment, the angler needs to vary the position of the rod for different situations.

Advanced casting can include a quick transition from 3 oclock to 11 oclock and back and forward (constant motion) to add the rods catapult action.

A. Choosing Appropriate Tackle

Terminal tackle is the tackle between the fish and the rod. Hoooks, snaps and swivels, weights and sinkers, floats or bobbers. All of these come in various sizes and weights. You will need to have a variety of them available in your tackle box.

Other tackle that is helpful in fishing includes a tackle box to hold all equipment. A sharpening stone to keep hooks sharp. A lure retriever. Fingernail clippers to safely cut fishing line. A pair of long nose pliers with wire cutters for holding and removing fish hooks (hopefully only from the fish.)

Other items that you might like to have, but are not essential include; fish baskets for holding smaller fish. Some fishermen like to have a landing net handy for larger fish. A cooler with ice keeps your catch fresh. A thin flexible fillet knife for fish cleaning. An inch ruler to verify legal length.

If you are planning on becoming a regular fisherman it is good to have an angler's diary to remind you how fish were caught, what the weather was like, and what the fishing were biting on.

There are many other things to be learned about fishing; choosing where to fish. How to set the drag on your reel. How to hold the pole when retrieving a fish. Setting the hook. Playing the fish. Landing the fish. How to attach live bait. Using artificial lures.

If all of this sounds like a little more than you are willing to get involved in. Then just do this: Get yourself a can of worms or some crickets. Cut a nice sapling limb, tie on a sturdy piece of line add a small hook, a sinker and a bobber or float. Find a stream where there are some overhanging tree's. Fish there and catch a bucket full of perch or bream. It is one of the best fishing experiences there is!