When I was younger, I used to go fishing with a friend to a nearby river. I enjoyed it very much and found it relaxing. The only thing I refused to do was warm up the maggots in my mouth! Angling and sportfishing is big business and fishing equipment retailers strive to keep up to date with the latest technological developments.

Most fishing is done with the aid of a rod and line with a hook attached, and most fishermen use bait or lures. The price of rods varies a lot, according to the quality. If you’re a beginner, it might be better to start off with a cheaper rod while you find out if you like the sport. The other basic fishing equipment will be the reels, hooks, floats, bait or lures and a keep net to keep the catch in. You may want a tackle box to keep your bits and pieces tidy, and a carryall or rucksack. A flask of coffee and my sandwich box were my most important fishing equipment!

Trolling is a technique which is often used by fisherman trying to catch tuna or marlin from a boat. It involves dragging the lure thru the water. It is used for freshwater fish too, such as trout. Sea fishing never appealed to me much, I preferred to be by the river, but some people love it. It demands good quality reels and line. The weather can be unpredictable and it’s best to be prepared with the right kind of fishing equipment for the sea. You may be fishing from an exposed pier or beach and you can buy shelters and hurricane lamps. It’s also a good idea to buy a book listing the tide tables, especially if you’re not familiar with the area.

I always liked to be as comfortable as possible when I was fishing, and I would advise the purchase of sturdy chairs at the least and a bivvy at best. I also used to take my faithful, giant fishing umbrella. The right clothes are an important part of fishing equipment too, particularly if you’re going to be sat on the damp, morning dew of a riverbank. There is clothing available from angling retailers, including hats, gloves, floatation suits, and bib and braces. You can also get fleece jackets, waterproof trousers and waterproof footwear. If you intend to wade into the river, you’ll need special wading trousers.

My rucksack also used to contain some scales. I wanted to know straightaway what my catch weighed and I’d decide whether to throw it back or not, based on that information. Another piece of useful fishing equipment for me was a bite alarm. It’s not essential but I liked to doze off sometimes and I didn’t want to miss a bite.

Fly fishing is a specialized form of angling and is a means of catching mostly trout, salmon, carp, pike and bass. You’ll need fly rods and reels for this and also the artificial ties which go on to the hook. There are lots of different types and the idea is to tie a fly on which mimics the food of the fish you want to catch.