INTRODUCTION 1 About This Book 2 Foolish Assumptions 3 Icons Used in This Book 3 Beyond the Book 4 Where to Go from Here 4 PART 1: BEFORE THE BITE 5 CHAPTER 1: Getting Hooked on Fishing 7 CHAPTER 2: Gathering What You Need to Fish Well 21 CHAPTER 3: Finding Good Fishing Water (and Knowing When to Go) 35 CHAPTER 4: Putting a Face on the Fins: Common Freshwater Fish 55 CHAPTER 5: Familiarizing Yourself with Common Saltwater Fish 77 CHAPTER 6: Staying Safe on or near the Water 95 PART 2: GEARING UP WITHOUT GOING OVERBOARD 107 CHAPTER 7: Choosing Your Rod and Reel 109 CHAPTER 8: The Lowdown on Fishing Line 127 CHAPTER 9: Decoding Terminal Tackle: Hooks, Sinkers, Snaps, Swivels, and Floats 141 CHAPTER 10: Going Ahab: Fishing from Boats 161 CHAPTER 11: Angling Tech: What's New and What's Necessary 177 PART 3: WHAT'S ON THE END OF YOUR LINE? FISHING WITH BAIT OR LURES 191 CHAPTER 12: Real Food for Real Fish: Using Bait 193 CHAPTER 13: It Only Acts Alive: Tricking Fish with Lures 211 PART 4: NOW YOU'RE FISHING 229 CHAPTER 14: Tying Popular Fishing Knots and Rigs 231 CHAPTER 15: Choreographing Your Cast 255 CHAPTER 16: Exploring Different Fishing Techniques 271 CHAPTER 17: The Fun Part: Getting That Fish into Your Hands 289 PART 5: AFTER THE CATCH 307 CHAPTER 18: Photographing and Preserving Fish: Thanks for the Memories! 309 CHAPTER 19: Biting Back: Dispatching, Cleaning, and Cooking Your Catch 321 PART 6: THE PART OF TENS 331 CHAPTER 20: Ten Fishing Lessons You Don't Have to Learn the Hard Way 333 CHAPTER 21: Ten Fun Ways to Get Kids Fishing 337 INDEX 343.