Reddit reviews Fishing for Dummies

Honestly if you have zero experience I suggest getting one of those how to books.

http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Idiots-Fishing-Basics-Edition/dp/0028638840

http://www.amazon.com/Fishing-Dummies-Peter-Kaminsky-ebook/dp/B004X75OMA

They may seem silly, but they have all the information a beginner would need, like basic equipment information, fishing knots, and species specific info. Being from SF you will more than likely will have more saltwater opportunities than freshwater (I am from CA but not from SF so I am not 100% sure about that). This allows for some interesting opportunities. You go can use a charter service which often provide everything you need (so you are not stuck with a bunch of fishing tackle if this isn't the hobby for you) or you can use one of the many piers in CA. The cool thing about piers is that many of them have bait shops that rent out gear (again no permanent investment on your part) , they also usually do not require a fishing license which is a bonus. A regular fishing license currently runs $47.01.

If you are interested in buying you own gear and going the whole 9 yards there are a few things to keep in mind. One rod and reel set up will not covering everything. Set ups need to correspond with the types of fish you targeting. Things can get very expensive too. Rods and reels can easy cost $100s. However I believe that the cheap gear of today is generally much better than than it was 20 years ago. A casual fisherman can get good use out of 40/50 dollar setups. Now if I were starting out I would get something like a 6 1/2 to 7 foot medium action spinning rod. I like Berkley Cherrywood rods, they usually run just over 20 buck they seem to be available at any old walmart. For a reel I would get either a 2500 or 4000 Shimano. You can spend as little as $20 bucks to several $100 on Shimanos. The $20 to $40 ones should serve you just fine. Fill the spool with 8 to 10 lb test line and you got a budget light tackle set up. I should note that going after steelheads is not what I would consider casual fishing.

Now that set up I mention would serve you fine for casual fishing for trout, bass, even eating size catfish, but I had another purpose in mind. Out here on the west coast we have surf perch which offer year round fishing. The best part is that it is probably some of the easiest fishing there is. They hold on just about every beach and they do not require fancy techniques. Sandy beaches usually lack the kind of structure that would cause a fisherman to break off, so re tying your hooks becomes less of an issue. Its is probably a good place to learn how to cast as there is plenty of room for error. Small soft plastics are the preferred "bait" used for surf perch which is another bonus because it will not stink or be messing like natural bait. The "technique" is nothing more than casting out and reeling in slowly. You will have to learn how to set a hook, but using very sharp hooks can help with that as the fish can hook themselves. The only bad thing is the salt water and sand. Do you best to keep you reel out of both and rinse of the entire reel in fresh water when you get home. I love this kind of surf fishing because it is so simple. In the summer it can be fun just get in the water to your knees and have a nice day fishing. If you catch nothing then you still spent your day at the beach.

Sorry if I "talked your ear off". I really like fishing. Feel free to come over to r/fishing.

“Fishing for Dummies” is a really good basic overview and used copies are really cheap online.