- the sport or business of catching fish
- They often go fishing.
- We enjoyed a day's fishing by the river.
- deep-sea fishing
- trout/salmon/tuna fishing
- a fishing boat/vessel
- the fishing industry
- Do you want to go on a fishing trip this summer?
- the rich fishing grounds off the coast of Namibia
- the picturesque fishing village of Polperro
Culture field sportsfield sportsThe main field sports are hunting, shooting and fishing. They are often also called blood sports because they involve killing animals. In Britain all three sports were associated in the past with the upper classes, although today they all, especially fishing, attract a much wider group of people.Fox-hunting, usually called just 'hunting' in Britain, was until recently the most common form of hunting. A pack of trained dogs (called foxhounds) chased after and killed a fox while a group of people followed on horseback, wearing pink (= red jackets) and blowing horns. Fox-hunting, together with stag -hunting (= the hunting of male deer with dogs), hare coursing, in which greyhounds chase after a hare are now illegal, as are other blood sports such as badger baiting and cockfighting.The ban on hunting was an important political issue in Britain. Many people believe hunting is cruel and should be stopped, but some people living in the country see the ban as an attack on their way of life. The ban came into effect in 2005. Riding with hounds is still legal, using an artificial scent (= smell) for the dogs to follow. Organizations opposed to hunting with dogs include the League Against Cruel Sports and the RSPCA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals). The main organization in favour is the Countryside Alliance.Shooting game birds, such as pheasant and grouse, is a sport mainly of the upper and middle classes. Grouse shooting begins each year on 12 August, the Glorious Twelfth, and takes place mainly in Scotland. The hunters often use beaters to drive the birds towards their guns. Those who do not want to shoot at live birds do clay pigeon shooting (= shooting at discs fired into the air).Fishing, often called angling, is a very popular sport and there are many angling clubs. Three main types of angling take place: coarse fishing, fly fishing and sea fishing. Coarse fishing is the most popular form of fishing in the UK. It means fishing in rivers and lakes for fish other than salmon and trout. The most common fish to catch are carp and roach. Fly fishing is fishing for salmon, trout and other fish in fast-flowing rivers, using special hooks that are made to look like flies. On the coast people may fish with a rod and line from a boat or from the beach.The US probably has more hunting organizations than any other country. This is mainly because of two strong traditions: the Constitution gives all Americans the right to own guns, and Americans have always hunted animals for food. The first Europeans who settled America hunted deer, bears, foxes, turkeys and ducks to survive, and many Americans still eat what they shoot. For these reasons, hunting is a sport for all classes and many people own hunting rifles. Americans do not use the name field sports. Instead they say outdoor sports or, because that can include camping, walking and boating, simply hunting and fishing. Bird hunting is often used instead of shooting, because that can also mean shooting at targets made of wood.Many other Americans are against hunting, but animal rights groups have little power against organizations like the National Rifle Association, which has more than 4 million members, and other groups that support hunting and fishing. Conservation organizations sometimes also use their influence to protect the rights of people to hunt and fish.Rather than foxes, Americans generally hunt deer, elk (= a type of deer), bear, antelope, mountain lion, raccoon and wild birds. The US Fish and Wildlife Service is in charge of fishing and hunting laws. States have their own wildlife departments and sometimes both national and state permission is needed to hunt.Fishing is the most popular outdoor sport in America. River fish caught in the US include trout, bass and salmon. Saltwater (= sea) fish include flounder, mackerel, shark, snapper and tuna.Extra ExamplesTopics Hobbiesa2- Ecuador announced a ban on fishing for shrimp.
- Fishing rights are held by the local angling club.
- Just below that bridge is a good fishing spot.
- One of his hobbies was fly-fishing.
- She has been big game fishing off the coast of Florida.
- The two countries have signed a new fishing agreement.
- This stretch of the river is renowned for its good fishing.
- You need a fishing licence to fish in the lake.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- good
- coarse
- deep-sea
- …
- go
- equipment
- gear
- line
- …
- fishing for
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fishing