Tell a beginner everything he needs to know about fishing

[Evenflow]

-Where can I fish in MA
-Do I need a license?
-What is the best starter gear?

I fished once before off a Pier in Cape Cod and the damn fish took all my bait smart guys.

Anyways what does everyone recommend? I know this is not an optimal time of the year for fishing but better late then never to get started.

 

[redtail]

First, you have to learn how to be a liar. When someone asks you where you fish, you have to lie, if they ask if you had any luck or how big that pond salmon was, your answers must be lies. If your wife asks if you were drinking in the boat, that too has to be answered with a lie. Its funny, but good fishermen will ask you stuff, but they assume you are lying when you answer. They will often tell lies in comparison to your own. If you are talking to someone in the tackle aisle at wallyworld, chances are he or she is lying, just accept this as a fact. That lure they say is a sure thing? Its a lie, they probably have spent days fishing with it and never even got a hit on it.

If you go to Alaska and head out for halibut, leave the bananas at home. Its a State law up there, no possession of bananas is allowed while you are on any halibut fishing boat. Its a felony.

 

[HiggityHank]

If you go to Alaska and head out for halibut, leave the bananas at home. Its a State law up there, no possession of bananas is allowed while you are on any halibut fishing boat. Its a felony.

This too, is a lie... Not only is it not a felony, but halibut LOVE bananas. He's just trying to turn you off to the best halibut bait going. In fact, most fish love bananas. With a properly ripened banana, you won't even need hooks, just tie a small piece on the line, almost as an advertisement, and the fish will head for the boat, knowing you've got the good stuff. Banana fishing is a sure thing... people like redtail just don't want to let you newbies in on the secret.

Answers to your questions:
Pretty much anywhere that isn't private property (though when you get your license you'll get more definitive answers in the abstracts)
Yes. Available at your local wal-mart, other sporting goods retailers, or town hall.
Don't spend a lot of money on gear, get a rod and a reel and some bananas, go out and have fun.

 

[Old Glory]

Fresh or salt? Where do you live?

It is a Perfect Day for Bananafish.

 

[Broc]

check the mass wildlife website.

All the info you need is there. (maybe not the gear info)

-Do I need a license?

yes, salt and fresh water. whichever you do, or both.

Anyways what does everyone recommend? I know this is not an optimal time of the year for fishing but better late then never to get started.

any time is good. what about ice fishing? thats fun. pretty soon the lakes will start to freeze.

 

[glostamon]

Live bait works best for all types of fishing.
.....That being said, we once caught a giant Tuna with a piece of hot dog.

 

[Broc]

That being said, we once caught a giant Tuna with a piece of hot dog.

lol i tried that once. but didnt work. the hot dog kept coming off the hook when it hit the water (i was fishing from a bridge)

what my grate grand father used:
he would cut a small piece of skin off off his finger (just the skin, no meat, lol. and a small one) and fish loved it. He would catch fish after fish on the river.

I never tried it.

 

[bigjim]

the best time to get gear is in the winter expecialy for soft baits pick up a nice rod and reel set on the cheap i have been useing a cheapo quantum combo for many years that i got at sears for like 20 bucks then i upgraded to a 100 dollar bass pro one while a nice rod and reel.

a good thing to get is just the generic start fishing kit i like to buy them because they are usualy cheap and come with a large assortment of hooks south bend sells large packs of like 100 assorted hooks cheap too.

for line i like the good stuff i have been useing a braided line 15lb test with 4lb diamaiter it definitly extends my casting range and when i snag i get out of it easier.

you definitly want a leatherman i never used to use one but now its pretty invaluable expecialy if i get a pickerel

in the spring i like the zoom salimanders they are el cheapo at walmart and a small hook i dont weight them and just fish the shore rooster tails work good as well but you have to reel fast and not get hooked get a couple of the small bass pro topwater popers too i find that more fish will hit on the small ones than the big and i have caught some nice bass on small lures expecialy in really pressured ponds they are sketchy on some of the bigger baits.

ocean fishing is a whole diffrent deal i catch fish on the yankee fleet and charted a boat with a freind but have entierly given up on shore fishing i have tried boston harbor and the canal a lot and have only got a couple fish over many years and lost lots of weights hooks and bait.

 

[davemata]

Something to keep in mind about gear... there are plenty of records that have been taken on barbie reels. While nice gear is nice, you CAN catch on a piece of line tied to a finger, stick, etc. One piece of advice, avoid fly fishing until you have a sense of fishing, and can find someone or a good resource to help teach you. (It's also the MOST expensive version of fishing available in fresh water.)

You need a license for freshwater. Things have gotten funky for saltwater - next year you need a federal license (if I remember correctly it will be $10), but this year you need to register via a phone hotline for free.

Some stuff you'll find: Tons of panfish - bluegill, pumpskinseed, etc. Largemouth bass - surprises me to find them this far north, but I've found small ones in most everything.

Where are you located? I'm not going to burn any spots, but I will say good practice can be found around cat rock park in newton (beware the angry deer) and the south end of hardy pond has a lot of field space for casting practice, and there is a good population of largemouth to cut your teeth on. The place is trashed though, and the mechanic shop near the pond has been cited before for dumping waste into the pond, don't drink the water.

Figure out what you want to learn to fish, realize you are going to get cut, hooked, spiked, finned, and just do it.

 

[StevieP]

definitely need to know what you want to fish for. Fresh or salt water? Do you have access to a boat or even a canoe or kayak? Or will you be fishing from shore (or a pier if saltwater)?

 

[Baldkat82]

definitely need to know what you want to fish for. Fresh or salt water? Do you have access to a boat or even a canoe or kayak? Or will you be fishing from shore (or a pier if saltwater)?

Along these lines, fishing from a boat will allow you better access to spots you can't get to from shore. and Canoes will allow access to places a motorboat can't get to.

 

[RedFive]

I was in NC this past spring visiting a friend before his deployment. a group of us chartered a boat for a fishing trip. kinda pricey depending on how many people are going on the trip, but i think it's the best way for someone to experience fishing. you don't have to worry about a licence, equipment, or bait. the captain and his crew pretty much take care of everything, we dropped lines and trolled. about 5hrs at sea i think. late summer/early fall is the best time imo, the fish have had time to fatten up, and there's a lot more keepers. just my two cents.