The great thing about fishing is that every single person’s motivation for the experience is different, but the expected outcome is the same: ENJOYMENT! That enjoyment may come from spending the day on the water with a loved one, winning a local jackpot tournament, catching a bunch of fish, catching a monster fish, feeding the family or an exponential amount of other reasons. Regardless, the path to that enjoyment starts with purchasing the right equipment for your needs and understanding how that equipment works.

Whether you’re looking to go fishing for the first time or looking to take your interest in the activity to the next level, in Oklahoma your route to purchasing fishing equipment likely goes through two channels: big box retail and online shopping.

For most, Walmart is where you are likely to purchase fishing equipment. For those who live in and around Oklahoma City or Tulsa, you may also go to a Bass Pro Shops, Cabela’s, Atwoods, Academy or Dick’s Sporting Goods. In rural areas, local farm stores, gas stations, bait shops or specialty stores might be your easiest access to fishing equipment.

The top online places to purchase fishing equipment are Lurenet, Bass Pro Shops, Cabela’s, Tackle Warehouse, Amazon, Fish USA and Discount Tackle.

No matter where you shop, there’s a few important things to know when purchasing fishing equipment.

Fishing is composed of four elements: ROD, REEL, LINE and TACKLE. Each plays an important role in successfully catching fish. For the majority of the people who fish (1-7 days spent fishing a year), the fishing equipment industry is not tailored around your needs. It grows and advances based on the needs of professional anglers, guide services and avid anglers (20+ days spent fishing a year). This can create confusion for those just looking to wet a line and maybe catch a fish or two.

Fortunately you do not need to memorize the Bass Pro catalogue to get yourself the right equipment that will best suit your needs and get you value economically. If you can follow these simple steps, you will be well on your way to a lifetime of fishing memories needing nothing more. But if the fishing bug strikes you along the way and you want to advance to the intermediate, avid or professional category, these steps will build you the best foundation possible to grow on.