Successful fishing has a common denominator with purchasing lucrative real estate: location, location, location. Not every hole of water will be well-stocked with a supply of fish. If a person is on vacation or new to an area, it is suggested to speak to the natives to find out where the good fishing spots reside. Early morning or late night fishing most often will give the fisherman more opportunities to catch the fish while awake and on the move. In the afternoon, when the sun is shining bright, fish tend to stay near the bottom of the water and less often come to the surface.

Depending on the type of fishing preferred, the correct bait is absolutely necessary. If fishing for bass, plastic worms often do the job. Spinner baits and crank baits also tend to lure in bass fish and many people find these to be effective for catching larger bass. If spending the day hoping to catch catfish, most fishermen have found live baits such as worms, crawdads, grasshoppers, or shrimp to lure in the big ones. Spending a few minutes talking to a local bait shop will assist the fisherman in learning which baits to use on which fish and will make the outing a more successful and enjoyable one.