angler

An angler is a person who fishes with a rod, line, and hook, using bait or lures to catch fish. Angling is practiced worldwide as a recreational activity and sport, with methods such as fly fishing, spin fishing, and bait fishing. Equipment includes a rod, reel, line, hooks, and appropriate baits or lures tailored to the target species and water.

Anglerfish are a group of marine fishes in the order Lophiiformes, named for their characteristic lure. They have a specialized dorsal spine, the illicium, tipped with a luminescent or enticing esca, used to attract prey in deep, dimly lit waters. They are ambush predators with large mouths and often globose bodies; many species bioluminesce. Reproduction varies; in many ceratioids, males are dwarfed and some species fuse to females for fertilization.

Etymology and usage: The term angler comes from the practice of angling, the act of fishing with a hook. In addition to people, the word is used for the fish known as anglerfish, and it appears in various cultural and geographic contexts related to fishing.