Fishing is a popular sport among individuals of all classes, races, ages, and sexes. Whether your passion is for saltwater fishing off of a yacht or fishing in the creek that runs behind your home, the pastime has remained a popular one throughout the ages. For generations, people have been using the pastime as a way to bond with each other, teach youngsters about life and responsibility, and provide relaxation from the pace of a hectic life.

The Equipment

The equipment needed to participate in the sport is called fishing tackle. Tackle typically consists of a rod, reel, line, hooks, sinkers, and bobbers. The rod, or fishing pole, is basically a straight piece of slightly flexible metal with line guides attached to it. The reel is attached to the rod near the bottom using special attachments imbedded in the reel. This is used for casting and reeling in the catch while fishing. The line comes in spools of different strengths. The line is wound around the inside of the reel and through the line guides of the pole, after which any other needed items such as the sinker, hook, and bobber are added.

The hooks come in different sizes for trying to catch different types of fish. Sinkers are used to weight down the line in the water and are needed to catch bottom dwelling fish such as catfish. The bobber is basically a buoyant colorful item that rests on top of the water, but will be pulled under if the fish takes the bait. There are many varieties of these items available for purchase, with some being manufactured specifically to catch a particular type of fish. The infinite variety of combinations of tackle causes some fishermen to have tackle boxes the size of small suitcases.

Types Of Fishing

One of the most popular types of fishing in the United States is bass fishing. There are many people who have dedicated a great portion of their life and money to the pursuit of a trophy bass. The sport is so popular in the United States that there are even video games dedicated to the sport where your can practice your technique and pull trophy bass out of a virtual lake. There are many contests for bass fishermen held in lakes and rivers all over the country with prize money of up to $50,000 being awarded to the biggest and best catch

Tournament fishing can occur on lakes, rivers, bays, or in the ocean. The purpose of this sport is to catch either the largest amount or the biggest of a certain type of fish within a designated time period. Many fishermen take this sport very seriously and some even train for the event for months before participating. The love of fishing encompasses all types of people and provides good clean fun for all. And that is what fishing is all about.