Before You Get Your Feet Wet p. 1 So, You Want to Fish? p. 3 Welcome to the Party p. 4 Fishing U.S.A.: Who We Are p. 5 Basic Equipment, Basic Costs

Transcription

1 Before You Get Your Feet Wet p. 1 So, You Want to Fish? p. 3 Welcome to the Party p. 4 Fishing U.S.A.: Who We Are p. 5 Basic Equipment, Basic Costs p. 7 Why Only 10 Percent of Fishermen Catch 90 Percent of the Fish p. 9 First Step: Finding a Place to Fish p. 11 So Much Water, So Few Fish p. 12 Public Waters p. 12 Stocked Waters p. 13 If It's Convenient and Accessible, It's (Probably) Not That Good p. 13 Knocking on Doors p. 14 Those Pay-to-Fish Places p. 16 How Fish Work p. 19 Hal's Story: A Day in the Life of a Fish p. 20 Hal's Evening p. 20 Just Another Survivor p. 22 Fish Physiology 101 p. 22 What Fish See and Don't See p. 24 Where Fish Live p. 25 How Big Fish Make Little Fish p. 28 Do Fish Feel Pain? p. 29 Pollution and How Fish Deal with It p. 31 Emergency Fishing Guide p. 35 Shore Fishing p. 36 Fishing from a Boat p. 39 Fishing Moving Water p. 42 Tackle and How to Use It p. 47 Don't Spare the Rod p. 49 What Rods Are Made Of p. 50 Rod Actions: The Wiggle Factor p. 50 Rod Weights: From Ultralight to Heavy p. 52 From Butt to Tip and in Between p. 54 Long Rods Versus Short Rods p. 56 The Reel Thing p. 59 Reels and How They Function p. 59 Baitcasting p. 62 Spinning p. 62 Spincasting p. 63 That Clicking Sound p. 63 It's a Drag, and You Need It p. 64

2 The Ratio You Need to Know p. 66 How to Cast with the Perfect Pair p. 69 Spincasting: The Easiest of Them All p. 70 The Basics of Spinning p. 71 Conventional Wisdom: Baitcasting p. 73 It's All on the Line p. 77 Diameter and Pound Test p. 78 Monofilament: One with Nylon p. 80 Dacron: The Old Braid p. 81 Multifilaments: The Super Lines p. 81 Knots for the Fumble-Fingered p. 82 The Slip Knot p. 82 The Improved Clinch Knot p. 83 The Surgeon's Knot p. 84 The Loop Knot p. 84 Hooks: The Point of It All p. 87 How Hooks Hook Fish p. 88 Hook Types and What They're For p. 89 How to Pick the Right Hook p. 91 Bait: Getting Your Bona Fides in Order p. 95 The Not-So-Lowly Worm p. 96 Worm Rigging and Fishing p. 97 Make a Splash with Minnows p. 98 Minnow Rigging and Fishing p. 99 The Little Lobsters p. 100 Crayfish Rigging and Fishing p. 101 Grasshoppers and Crickets p. 102 Grasshopper and Cricket Rigging and Fishing p. 103 Frogs and Salamanders p. 103 Frog and Salamander Rigging and Fishing p. 103 Uncommon Baits p. 104 Baits in a Bottle p. 105 Lures: Virtual Reality to Fish p. 107 Spoons p. 108 Spinners p. 109 Plugs p. 111 Spinnerbaits and Buzzbaits p. 114 Jigs p. 115 Plastic Lures p. 117 Yes, You Should Sweat the Small Stuff p. 121 Weights p. 122

3 Snaps, Swivels, and Snap-Swivels p. 124 Bobbers p. 126 Leaders p. 127 Clippers, Pliers, and Other Important Tools p. 128 Landing Nets p. 129 To Catch a Fish p. 131 On the Water p. 133 Finding Fish in Lakes and Ponds p. 133 Finding Fish in Rivers and Streams p. 136 Rod Motion and Attitude p. 137 Bait Control p. 138 Lure Control p. 138 Using Lures with Built-In Action p. 139 Using Lures Without Built-In Action p. 139 The Trolling Technique p. 140 Fish On! How to Keep It That Way p. 145 Detecting a Fish p. 145 Lures: Strike Quickly and Firmly p. 146 Bait: The Waiting Game p. 147 Playing Your Fish p. 148 Landing Options p. 149 Keeping and Releasing Fish p. 153 How to Hold Your Fish p. 153 Out, Out Darn Hook p. 155 What to Do When the Fish Has Swallowed the Hook p. 155 Fishing Without Keeping p. 156 Fish for the Freezer p. 158 Flyfishing p. 161 Assembling a Flyfishing Outfit p. 163 Fly-Line Weights, Tapers, and Sink Rates p. 163 Picking a Fly Rod p. 167 Reels: Single Action, Multiplier, or Automatic? p. 168 The Logic of Leaders p. 170 No-Fear Fly Casting p. 175 Shake Hands with Your Fly Rod p. 176 False Casting p. 176 Hitting Your Target p. 178 Casting Ills Cured p. 180 Alternative Casts p. 180 Be a Lord of the Flies p. 185 Dry Flies: The Ones to Watch p. 186

4 Wet Flies p. 188 Nymphs p. 190 Streamers and Bucktails p. 192 Terrestrials p. 195 Bass Bugs p. 196 Real-Life Flyfishing p. 199 Where to Cast p. 200 Stillwater Fly Casting p. 200 Casting in a Current p. 200 How to Avoid Drag p. 201 Setting the Hook p. 203 How to Play Your Fly-Caught Fish p. 204 Saltwater Fishing p. 207 Finding Saltwater Fish p. 209 Why Saltwater Fish Are Different p. 210 The Tidal Influence p. 210 Surf and Jetty Fishing p. 212 Tidal Rivers and Bays p. 215 Ocean Fishing p. 216 Tackle for the Brine p. 219 Needs for the Surf p. 220 Light Saltwater Rods and Reels p. 222 Ocean Outfits p. 223 Trolling Tackle p. 224 Au Naturel or Artificial? p. 229 Sandworms and Bloodworms and Pincers, Oh My p. 230 Squid Marks p. 231 A Cut Above: Cut Bait p. 232 A Live One p. 232 Crabs and Shrimp: Fish Like Them, Too p. 233 Baits on the Half Shell p. 235 Basic Bait Rigs and Components p. 236 Lures for the Salt p. 240 Metals of Honor p. 240 Heads of Lead p. 240 Pop, Pop, Fish, Fish p. 241 The Old Softies p. 241 Paying for It p. 243 Party Boats p. 244 Charter Boats p. 246 The Mate p. 248

5 Seasickness p. 249 The Big-Game Fishing Trip p. 251 Planning the Trip p. 252 The Species p. 254 Atlantic Sailfish p. 254 Pacific Sailfish p. 254 Blue Marlin p. 254 White Marlin p. 255 Black Marlin p. 255 Striped Marlin p. 255 Swordfish p. 256 Bluefin Tuna p. 256 Sharks p. 257 Other Species p. 257 Fighting a Big Fish p. 258 Ultimate Sport: Flyfishing the Salt p. 261 The Species p. 261 Rods, Reels, and Line p. 265 Flies and Other Tackle p. 266 The Complete Angler p. 269 Fishing Boat Basics p. 271 Getting the Hull Story p. 272 Boat Materials p. 273 Fishing Boat Types p. 274 Row, Row, Row Your Boat p. 276 Running an Outboard p. 279 A Place for Everything p. 283 Tackle Boxes p. 283 Fishing Vests p. 286 Creels, Tackle Belts, and Buckets p. 288 Fly Boxes p. 289 Sense and Safety on the Water p. 291 Shoes and Boots p. 292 Hip Boots and Chest Waders p. 293 The Perfect Fishing Hat p. 294 Garments Throughout the Seasons p. 296 Rain Gear p. 297 Keeping Bugs at Bay p. 297 Sun Protection p. 298 Removing a Hook p. 298 In the Pan or On the Wall? p. 301

6 Gutting Fish p. 302 Filleting Fish p. 303 Cooking Your Fish p. 304 Fried Fish Fillets p. 305 Batter-Dipped Fillets p. 306 Grilled Fillets p. 306 Foiled Fish Fillets p. 307 Whole Fried Fish p. 307 Campfire Trout p. 308 Getting Your Fish Mounted p. 308 The Replica Alternative p. 310 Large Fish Mounts p. 310 Fish Pictures p. 310 Hello, Warden p. 313 Fishing Licenses p. 313 Sizes, Limits, and Seasons p. 315 Weighing and Measuring Fish p. 317 The Undersized-Fish Dilemma p. 317 Appendixes State Fish and Game Departments p. 319 Freshwater and Saltwater Record Fish p. 327 Terms and Definitions p. 335 Species and Resource Guide p. 339 Index p. 355 Table of Contents provided by Blackwell's Book Services and R.R. Bowker. Used with permission.