>>664404Acquire rod and reel.
Ideally go to fishing shop, try them out.
If buying online, look for brands like Shakespeare, Daiwa, Mitchell, Berkley, Shimano. They can be expensive (like all big brands) but if you look at their budget lines you'll find plenty of cheaper rods and reels that are still of decent quality. The advantage of buying a reputable brand name is that customer service will be like your own personal manservant if anything goes wrong.
Acquire line.
Line strength will vary depending on what you're planning to catch. 10-12lb will cover most situations, when spinning I never go less than 12lb as this gives me the option to pull free of any underwater snags.
Buy quality here.
The line is your direct link to the fish, do not get cheap on it.
Acquire hooks. A dozen is plenty to begin with. Size will depend on your target fish.
Acquire swivels. A dozen is plenty to begin with. Size 6 is a good general size. These stop your line from twisting.
Acquire sinkers. Weight will depend on your rods casting range. Half a dozen is enough to begin with.
Acquire floats (bobbers to some), 2 or 3 is enough to begin with.
Acquire lures. Depending on target species, these can vary from tiny jig head worms to massive representations of fish. You however want to get yourself Mepps spinners. These will catch nearly everything. Get a few because you may lose some to snags. Size 2 or 3 is good.
With the equipment listed above you will be ready for most situations. You can fish on the bottom, fish under a float near the surface, or spin.
Bait will depend on target, but worms are always good.
As far as reading goes, read everything. There are countless general guides offering the same basic information, each has their own little extras that the others lack, and all of them will advance your knowledge of your quarry.
