Fishing is one of those activities that sounds appealing to plenty of people, but doesn’t seem so easy to approach. What’s the deal with the gear? Where do you go to look for fish? Now I'm here, how come I'm not catching anything?
"Fishing has what we call 'barriers to entry,'" explains Kevin Blinkoff, of On The Water Magazine. "It's a little difficult to just pick up and get into."
Fortunately, even if you don't have a friend or relative who fishes, there's a straightforward solution.
"I really suggest going out on a charter," Blinkoff says. "You can go out with a captain who has experience, let them know that you're a beginning fishermen, and really get some good lessons and introduced to a good fishery."
Blinkoff suggests fishing for black sea bass. The sea bass bite right now is very good: you don't have to travel far from shore, and you're almost certain to catch something to bring home for dinner. And black seas bass fishing doesn't involve casting, which can be a challenge for new anglers.
So how do you find a charter captain to match what you're looking for? Try going into a local tackle shop, Blinkoff says, and explain your fishing skill level and what kind of experience you'd like to have. They're likely to be able to direct you to a good local captain.
With all the activity in our waters right now, from sea bass to stripers to bluefish and scup, this is a great moment to try fishing for the first time.
We round up the local fishing action in the audio posted below—give it a listen.
