The people most eager to talk fishing are the beginners or those that are relatively inexperienced. The questions they ask are good questions, to the point and relevant. They want, appreciate, and deserve answers that are direct and honest. In trying to answer all these questions over the years, I have noticed that the most commonly asked questions are related to inshore fishing and specifically to tackle, the tools of the sport. I have my theories about this observation.
Fishing involves a lot more than just having the right tackle.
Knowledge of areas to fish, techniques to apply, bait to use, tides, weather and numerous other things all are involved in the sport to some extent, but are not as frequently asked about as is tackle. I believe that having the correct tackle is the best starting point for the beginner and he probably feels the same. It is something that can be immediately achieved with a modest investment of time and money. Amassing the proper assortment of tackle and related equipment provides a feeling of accomplishment and a firm base with which to begin the real job of learning how to fish. I think the beginner accepts the fact that such knowledge will come slowly with time and experience.