Welcome to The New Angler, a fishing blog built for people who are just starting out and want real, practical advice without the jargon.
Cole Samuels grew up chasing bass and catfish across the lakes and red-dirt creek banks of Oklahoma. He was a kid with a hand-me-down rod, a beat-up tackle box, and more ambition than skill. Fishing wasn’t a hobby in his family. It was just what you did on weekends.
What Cole didn’t have growing up was anyone to explain the why behind it all: which lure for which water, why the bass weren’t biting, and how to read a lake like a map. He picked it up piece by piece through curiosity, stubbornness, and the occasional generous stranger at the boat ramp.
That experience shaped The New Angler. Cole writes the guides he wished he’d had: practical, plain-spoken advice for people who are just getting started and don’t want to feel lost every time they pick up a rod.
He still fishes Oklahoma’s lakes whenever he can, mostly targeting largemouth bass. He’s not a tournament angler, doesn’t have sponsors, and won’t pretend a $400 rod is a beginner essential. Just honest advice from someone who’s been in your boots.
The New Angler covers beginner fishing guides, affordable gear recommendations, bass and catfish basics, fishing knots, bait and lure selection, and beginner-friendly fishing spots.
Have a question, a topic you’d like us to cover, or just want to say hi? Email support@thenewangler.com.