Fishing: The Complete Guide for Anglers, Parents and Coaches

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A dock at sunrise, a red-and-white bobber sitting still on glassy water, and a kid who can’t stop staring at it. A bass boat idling out of a marina in the dark before a tournament blast-off. A fly line unrolling over a trout riffle in the mountains, or a flats skiff poling along a mangrove shoreline looking for redfish tails. Fishing is the outdoor sport almost everyone has tried, and in 2024 a record 57.9 million Americans aged six and up went fishing at least once, about 19% of the country, according to the Recreational Boating & Fishing Foundation (RBFF).

This page is sport fishing for anglers and the people who fish with them: how it works, what it looks like at every level from a kids’ fishing derby to the Bassmaster Classic, and, most of all, how to stay healthy and safe doing it. Fishing looks gentle, but the water, the weather and the hooks deserve respect: drowning, lightning, sun and fishhook injuries are the real risks, and long days on a boat take a toll on backs and shoulders. Then come training, recovery and the gear you actually need.

Fishing at a glance

Main kinds	Freshwater (bass, panfish, catfish, walleye, trout), fly fishing, saltwater inshore and offshore, and ice fishing in the northern winter.
How many people fish	57.9 million Americans aged 6+ in 2024 (RBFF): more than 43 million freshwater anglers, 15.1 million saltwater and more than 8 million fly anglers.
What you need	A state fishing license (in most states from age 16), a rod and reel, line, hooks and bait or lures, and for boats and wading a Coast Guard-approved life jacket.
Who runs it	State fish and wildlife agencies set licenses, seasons and limits (NOAA Fisheries in federal ocean waters). B.A.S.S. and Major League Fishing run the big bass tours; the IGFA keeps world records.
Main physical demands	Repeated casting (shoulder, elbow, wrist), standing and balance on a moving boat, long days in sun, heat or cold, and fighting big fish (back and arms).
Biggest health risks	Drowning when people fall overboard without a life jacket, lightning, sunburn and heat, fishhook injuries (including to the eye), cold water and thin ice.

How sport fishing works

At its simplest, you put a bait or lure where fish live, get a bite, set the hook and bring the fish in on a rod, reel and line. The skill is in everything around that: reading water and weather, knowing what a species eats and where it holds at each season, matching your tackle to the fish, and landing it without breaking off. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s beginner list is short: a rod and reel, 4- to 12-pound monofilament line, some weights, size 6 to 10 hooks, a bobber and live bait or lures.

• Bass fishing: largemouth and smallmouth bass on lakes, reservoirs and rivers, usually with artificial lures. It’s the backbone of US tournament fishing.
• Fly fishing: a weighted line carries a nearly weightless fly. Trout streams are the classic setting, but fly anglers chase everything from bluegill to tarpon.
• Saltwater and inshore: redfish, speckled trout, snook, striped bass and flounder in bays, marshes and surf; offshore trips go after reef fish, tuna and billfish.
• Ice fishing: short rods through holes drilled in frozen lakes, often in a shelter, for panfish, walleye, perch and pike.

Every state sets its own rules: who needs a license, which species you can keep, minimum sizes, daily limits and open seasons. Many anglers release most of what they catch, and how you handle a fish decides whether it survives. Our fishing licenses, regulations and etiquette page explains licenses, limits, catch-and-release and the boating rules that apply to every angler on a boat.

Fishing at every level

Kids and families

Most anglers start as kids, on a pond bank or a pier with a parent or grandparent. In many states children under 16 fish without a license, and many states also hold free fishing days when nobody needs one. Simple spincast or small spinning combos, worms and a bobber, and a pond full of sunfish are the recipe. A life jacket on every child near the water and on every boat comes first. Our fishing with kids page covers ages, gear, hook safety and keeping it fun.

High school

High school bass fishing has grown fast. Illinois was the first state association to hold a sanctioned high school bass fishing championship (the IHSA, starting in 2008 to 2009), and Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Mississippi, Louisiana and others followed; the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) lists bass fishing among its emerging sports. Outside the state associations, school clubs fish the Bassmaster High School Series and Major League Fishing’s Abu Garcia High School Fishing events through the Student Angler Federation (SAF). Events are two-angler team tournaments.

College

Fishing isn’t an NCAA sport, but college bass clubs compete on two big circuits: the Bassmaster College Series and Major League Fishing’s college fishing circuit. MLF says its college events offer prizes, scholarships and a path to fish REDCREST against the pros. Many schools field club teams that travel to both.

Pro tours

Ray Scott founded the Bass Anglers Sportsman Society (B.A.S.S.) in 1968 and held the first Bassmaster Classic in 1971 on Lake Mead. As of the 2026 season, the Bassmaster Elite Series has 101 anglers and nine regular-season events, and the 2026 Classic on the Tennessee River at Knoxville (March 13 to 15) was won by Dylan Nutt. Major League Fishing’s top league, the Bass Pro Tour, has 51 pros in 2026 and scores every bass above a minimum weight with its catch, weigh and immediate release format; below it sit the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit, the Toyota Series and the Phoenix Bass Fishing League. More on our tournaments and organizations page.

International, records and conservation groups

Fishing isn’t an Olympic sport. Internationally, the International Game Fish Association (IGFA), founded in 1939, writes the International Angling Rules and keeps world records for fish caught on rod and reel. Fly Fishers International (founded 1965) teaches and certifies fly casting instructors, and Trout Unlimited, started by 16 anglers on Michigan’s Au Sable River in 1959, now counts about 300,000 members and supporters in more than 400 chapters and councils working on cold-water habitat.

Adult and recreational

Almost everyone who fishes does it for fun: weekend trips, a cooler on the dock, a guided day on vacation. It’s a sport for life. Women are a growing share (21.3 million in 2024, a record, per RBFF), and 5.1 million people fished for the first time that year. A 2025 review of fishing research found clear mental health benefits, including less stress, better mood and fewer PTSD symptoms in therapeutic fly fishing programs.

Sports health for anglers

The biggest dangers in fishing aren’t sprains; they’re the water and the weather. This section is general information, not medical advice. If you’re hurt, see a sports medicine doctor, physical therapist or athletic trainer, and in an emergency call 911.

Life jackets and drowning

Many anglers fish from boats, kayaks and slippery banks, and falls overboard happen fast. In the U.S. Coast Guard’s 2024 recreational boating statistics, there were 556 boating deaths; three-quarters of the people who died drowned, and 87% of those who drowned weren’t wearing a life jacket. Alcohol was the leading known factor in fatal accidents (20% of deaths). Federal rules require a Coast Guard-approved wearable life jacket for everyone on board, and children under 13 must wear one while the boat is underway unless a state rule differs. The Fish and Wildlife Service advises wearing one when wading, too. Pick one you’ll actually keep on all day; fishing vests like the Onyx Air Span Angler (about $90) have tackle pockets and a rod holder.

Lightning

In National Weather Service analyses of US lightning deaths since 2006, fishing has topped the list of leisure activities: 41 of the 480 lightning deaths from 2006 to 2023 happened while fishing, more than three times as many as golf. A boat on open water is one of the worst places to be in a storm. Check the forecast, watch the sky, and head in early: “When thunder roars, go indoors” (NWS).

Fishhooks and eyes

Hooks are made to grab, and they grab people too. In a study of US emergency room data from 2013 to 2022, fishhooks caused 84.6% of fishing-related head and neck injuries in children, most often in the face. A separate study estimated about 6,800 fishing-related eye injuries treated in US emergency rooms from 2014 to 2023, many in children, mostly from poles, lines, hooks and nets; the authors call for routine protective eyewear. Look behind you before you cast, wear sunglasses or safety glasses, and use pliers to remove hooks. MedlinePlus says not to try to remove a hook that’s in or near an eye, in a joint or deep in muscle: get medical care, and make sure your tetanus shot is current.

Sun and heat

Water reflects sun, and fishing means hours in it. The American Academy of Dermatology recommends a broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen of SPF 30 or higher, reapplied every two hours and after swimming or sweating. Long-sleeve sun shirts, a wide-brim hat, a neck gaiter and polarized sunglasses do much of the work. Polarized lenses cut glare off the water so you can see into it, says the American Academy of Ophthalmology; look for 100% UV protection too. Drink water through the day; summer tournament days on a reservoir are long and hot.

Cold water and ice

Early spring and late fall anglers face cold water, where a fall overboard is far more dangerous; that’s when a life jacket matters most. On the ice, the Minnesota DNR advises staying off until there are at least 4 inches of new, clear ice for walking, doubling that for white or snow-covered ice, and measuring every 150 feet. A US study of emergency visits found ice fishing injuries were more often severe than open-water fishing injuries (11% admitted or transferred vs 3%), with more burns from heaters and more immersion. Fish with a buddy and wear ice picks around your neck or in your sleeves.

Backs, shoulders and elbows

Thousands of casts a day, standing on a rocking deck and fighting heavy fish add up. A 2025 review of recreational and sport fishing found low back pain and repetitive strain of the shoulder, elbow and wrist were common in regular anglers. Head injuries happen too, from falls on boats and docks; anyone who hits their head and seems dazed, confused or has a headache should stop for the day and get checked, following the CDC’s HEADS UP advice. Our fishing injuries page goes deeper.

When to see a doctor, physical therapist or athletic trainer

See a professional for a hook in or near the eye or deep in tissue, a cut that won’t stop bleeding or shows signs of infection (spreading redness, warmth, swelling, pus or fever), shoulder or elbow pain that lasts more than a couple of weeks or wakes you at night, back pain with numbness or leg weakness, or any head injury with confusion, vomiting or a worsening headache (call 911 for the last one).

Training and conditioning for fishing

Long days of casting, running a boat over chop and standing on a deck are real work. A simple plan for any serious angler:

• Shoulders and upper back: rows, band pull-aparts and external rotations to balance thousands of forward casts. The best resistance bands for athletes make this easy at home.
• Core and hips: planks, carries and hip hinges for standing balance and fighting fish without straining the low back.
• Grip and forearms: light grip and wrist work, plus breaks to stretch during long casting days.
• Aerobic base: walking, hiking or cycling. Wading a river or walking a shoreline all day is endurance work.

Our fishing training page has routines, and the fishing day and tournament day page covers fueling, hydration and heat on the water.

Recovery after a day on the water

After a long day, rehydrate and eat, rinse off sunscreen and check your skin for burns and small cuts, and loosen up your back, shoulders and forearms. Many anglers use a foam roller or a small massage gun such as the Theragun Mini (about $220) on the upper back and forearms, and recovery slides like the OOFOS OOahh (about $60) after hours standing on a deck. These are comfort tools, not treatment. Sleep matters most before an early start. More on our fishing recovery page, in our athlete recovery routine and our best massage guns guide.

Gear for fishing

Prices change often. The prices below are what we saw at the maker or a major retailer in October 2026; check the current price before you buy.

A 6 ft medium spinning combo covers most freshwater fishing. The Ugly Stik GX2 spinning combo (about $80) pairs a 2-piece graphite and fiberglass rod rated for 6 to 15 lb line with a size 30 reel. Add KastKing Skidaway polarized sunglasses (about $25, blocks 100% of UVA and UVB per the maker), a Coast Guard-approved life jacket and a water-resistant sunscreen such as Badger Sport Mineral SPF 40 (about $18). Rods and reels by type, line, tackle and the rest are on our fishing gear page.

Fishing FAQs

Do I need a fishing license?

Usually, yes, if you’re an adult. Licenses are sold by your state fish and wildlife agency, and in many states (California, Colorado and New York among them) anglers 16 and older need one. Kids under the cutoff usually fish free, and many states hold free fishing days. Check your state’s rules before you go.

Is fishing a sport?

Yes. Bass fishing has pro tours with six-figure prizes, college circuits and sanctioned high school championships in several states, and competitive anglers train for strength and endurance. For most people it’s also a relaxing outdoor activity, and both are fine.

What is the most dangerous part of fishing?

The water and the weather. Most boating deaths are drownings of people not wearing life jackets, and fishing has the most lightning deaths of any leisure activity in NWS analyses since 2006. Wear a life jacket, skip alcohol on the boat, and get off the water before storms.

What should I do if a fishhook gets stuck in skin?

If it’s in or near the eye, in a joint or deep, don’t pull it out; get medical care. For a shallow hook, many people go to urgent care rather than try it themselves. Clean the wound well, watch for signs of infection, and check that your tetanus shot is up to date.

Why do anglers wear polarized sunglasses?

Polarized lenses cut the glare bouncing off the water, so you can see fish, weeds and structure below the surface. Choose a pair that also blocks 100% of UV rays, and remember that any glasses help shield your eyes from hooks and flying sinkers.

How thick does ice need to be for ice fishing?

The Minnesota DNR’s guideline is at least 4 inches of new, clear ice to walk on, and double that for white or snow-covered ice. Ice is never uniform, so measure as you go, fish with a buddy and carry ice picks.

Fishing gives back for a lifetime: quiet mornings, big fish stories and days you remember for decades. Wear the life jacket, respect the weather, look after your back and shoulders, and take a kid along. Next: licenses and regulations, tournaments and organizations, fishing gear, or compare with our surfing section for more time on the water.