Definition
the sport or business of catching fish
Origin and usage
The word fishing is a noun derived from the verb ‘fish’, which comes from the Proto-Germanic ‘fiskaz’ meaning ‘a fish’. Fishing dates back to the 1300s, when it was spelled ‘fysschynge’.
Examples
Fishing refers to catching fish. There are many different kinds of fishing – both as sport and for livelihood – and fishing is done all over the world.
The type of equipment needed for fishing depends largely on the kind of fish a person wants to catch as well as where they’re fishing. Some fish prefer live bait, like worms or small insects, while others will go for artificial bait, like plastic lures or specially tied fly fishing flies. Many people who fish for a living use large nets to trap fish. There are even places where people enjoy ice fishing, which involves drilling a small hole into the frozen surface of a lake or pond and putting bait in to catch fish.
Fishing can be done from the shoreline, standing in the water with special protective clothing to keep clothes dry, or from a boat.
Some of the world’s best places to fish include:
• Lizard Island, Australia for black marlin
• Umba River, Russia for salmon
• Fontenelle Creek, Wyoming USA for trout
• Lough Currane, Ireland for salmon
• Lake Alan Henry, Texas USA for bass
• Halong Bay, Vietnam for octopus
• Acension Bay, Mexico for tarpon and bonefish
• Caples Lake, California USA for ice fishing
Quotations
“The charm of fishing is that it is the pursuit of what is elusive but attainable, a perpetual series of occasions for hope.”
(John Buchan)
“I like fishing. Not actual fishing – I like the peace and quiet of being at sea. It’s different.”
(Rafael Nadal)
View the full definition in the Macmillan Dictionary.
