Be it idyllic countryside snappers on social media or the rising army of weekend anglers lining lakes and canals, more people than ever are giving fishing a go. Part of the charm is its accessibility; you don’t require best-in-show gear or decades of know-how to have success while away during an afternoon out by the water.

If you’re new to fishing and want to actually catch something on your first outings (as opposed to just working on your folding chair), here are a few good habits that can help.

Learn to read the water

One of the most common issues for beginners is casting without actually watching what’s unfolding in front of them. Fish like to be around where they are protected and fed. Watch for overhanging trees, shadowy spots, reeds moving, oranything else stirring on the water’s surface. These are usually indicators that fish are nearby.

See if there’s a place where you can be both covered and exposed. It increases your odds and opens up opportunities to begin understanding how water and the environment affect how fish behave.

Match your bait to the fish

Choosing your bait is the next key step, and something that performs spectacularly in one place may get entirely snubbed in some other place altogether. Before you go, investigate what fish are usually in the area. Maggots, sweetcorn, worms and pellets are all suitable for a beginner’s course and should get you bites from species such as roach, carp and bream.

It’s also worth starting light. Too much bait can smother the area and indeed turn the fish off. Less is often more in this case.

Keep your setup simple

Complexity might impress, but when you are just starting, the best system is probably the simplest. It’s easy to control, and you can clearly see when a fish bites. Concentrate on casting well and managing your line, not overcomplicating things with tackle.

Once you’re confident, experiment with rigs and techniques to catch more fish, but for now, mastering the basics will open up a lifetime of fun and fish. The continued popularity of fishing could be traced to its place in pop culture, particularly in TV shows and digital media. TV shows like Deadliest Catch and Mortimer and Whitehouse: Gone Fishing have shone a light on all sides of fishing, as well as interactive fishing games. Even in iGaming, there is the popular Fishin’ Frenzy slot, which features the familiar rods and reels as symbols, showing the reach of the hobby. 

Fishing is one of those hobbies that can be as relaxing or exhilarating as you make it. For some, it’s the peace and fresh air, for others, the satisfaction of landing a catch. Either way, by adopting simple tactics, reading the signs and getting to know your baits, you can make a slow day into one that you won’t forget. In time, you won’t just catch more fish, you’ll start to enjoy the surrounding experience a little more, too.

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