Fishing is a great sport that gets you outside to spend time with nature. You will have the chance to witness fantastic sunrises and sunsets. For some it can be quiet time alone, or a time with family and friends. 

Whether you are fishing to put something on the dinner table or to spend time outdoors; fishing is a fantastic pastime. 

With the earth being covered 75 percent by water there are fishing opportunities everywhere from the arctic oceans to sweltering swamps. You can become an avid enthusiast who can’t wait to get out on the water to cast lures or a casual angler willing to sit quietly once in a while with a bobber and a worm on a hook. The choice is yours and you can develop at your own speed. Fishing has no bounds. It is open to boys and girls, men and women, senior or junior citizens, and to anyone at any level of fitness. Fishing is not prejudiced. It cares not about your income level, where you are from, or if you are disabled. The only person who can stop you from fishing is you. 

There’s nothing like feeling the tug of a good fish at the end of your line and the thrill of the fight as the “big one” leaps out of the water. If you are properly geared up, it makes it all that much more fun. Nobody likes to hook one only to watch it swim away as your line snaps or your knot unravels. An evening of mosquito bites, a day of sunburn, or trying to tie a knot in the dark is easy to avoid if you are prepared. 

The offseason is the time to learn and practice fishing knots, perform maintenance on your fishing gear and dream about the warmer days ahead. If you live in a warm climate you are in luck. Either your fishing down-time will be short or you can enjoy an endless season. 

Take time to learn about fishing. The more you know the greater your fishing successes will be. And, you will save money by buying the correct fishing tackle the first time. Resources such as books, websites, and online video channels offer tons of free information, and it fills the long winter months until you wet your first line in spring. If you are a beginner, you will find that veteran anglers are always willing to help you get going. There’s nothing like experience and someday you will be the pro teaching a newbie the ropes.   

–  Excerpt from author Tom Gahan’s upcoming book, Tales of the Frugal Fisherman