Many people use the words “fisherman” and “angler” interchangeably, but there are a few big distinctions between the two. Each word has different connotations and meanings that you should learn when picking up the hobby or entering the profession. Here is a look into the difference between a fisherman and an angler.
What Is a Fisherman
Many people have their own images of what a fisherman is, and the interesting thing is that most people are right. “Fisherman” isn’t a specific term but a general concept referring to anyone who hunts fish or sea animals. This includes any hunting method and technique, such as net fishing or trapping. The term “fishermen” relates to anyone who wishes, regardless of method, creed, gender, or nationality.
What is an Angler
An angler is a special kind of fisherman who utilizes specific techniques and gear for their fishing. Generally, they only capture fish one at a time and aren’t trying to make a living from the activity. You can find these fishermen anywhere there are fish to catch, even if it’s not viable for large-scale fishing.
Special Angler Gear
Anglers all use the same type of gear when fishing, namely a hook/angler and a line. Anglers use the hook/angler to bait and catch the fish and use the line to pull them in. Nowadays, most people use a fishing rod to make this a lot easier, along with a fly to catch more fish with their hook. If you need a new fly, you can easily find some in our online fly shop.
Special Angler Techniques
There are many different techniques anglers use when fishing, but it generally comes down to casting techniques and how they reel in the fish. The casting techniques are about getting the line out into the water in the best position possible. Techniques concerned with reeling in the fish are about how the angler can capture the fish when they bite the hook. These techniques are the biggest difference between a fisherman and an angler.
You can often think about their differences like the difference between squares and rectangles. All squares are rectangles, but not all rectangles are squares. It’s the same with anglers and fisherman. All anglers are fishermen, but not all fishermen are anglers.
