What is it?

• Fishing, also known as angling, is a long established activity, originally designed to provide food for the table.  

• Many of the people fishing for pleasure still eat the fish they catch;  this is especially true of what is called game fishing (for salmon and trout) and sea fishing.  

• Fishing for other types of fish in rivers and lakes is known as coarse fishing.  

• All types of fishing can be done as a casual activity just for fun, but there are also competitions, especially in coarse fishing.  

Find out more

Organisations

National Federation of Anglers  www.the-nfa.org.uk/ 
National Federation of Sea Anglers  01626 331330
Salmon & Trout Association  www.brucepub.com/sta/index.htm 

Magazines

Getting started

• Find a local fishing group or club (see organisations above).

• See if your local group has introductory sessions or other special events.

• Consult books or magazines on different types of fishing.

• Check in your local library/paper for more information.

What you need

Skills and people

• Fishing is easy to learn and can be done by people of all ages and abilities, and both sexes.

• You can fish on your own, and many people do, but others choose to join fishing groups or angling clubs. 

•  This can give you access to particular stretches of water (see below) or a share in a sea going fishing boat.  

• Except in competitive fishing, there is no need for the people you fish with to be of the same standard or physical ability as yourself.

Equipment or clothing

• You can go fishing with a wooden pole and a string, but a fishing rod (of the type required for the sort of fishing you want to do) plus hooks and bait or "flies" are more normally the essential.  

• Many fishermen accumulate a large quantity of additional gear, ranging from boxes to nets and including wet weather clothing and shelters of various kinds.  

• Serious game fishing involves special clothing to allow wading into the water.

A place or facilities

• A piece of water with fish in it is essential.  

• You generally need permission from the owner of the fishing rights for the water you are using;  in some cases an angling licence is required and some stretches of water are reserved for the use of members of special groups or clubs.  

• If the fish caught are to be eaten, care is needed to ensure that there is no pollution in the water being fished.