An angler is a person who catches fish with a hook and fishing line, using a fishing rod or other techniques such as handlining. When angling, the angler will throw the hook to a chosen area of water and wait for fish to approach and devour the hookbait. Sometimes, the angler will scatter some loose bait around the target area before casting the hook to better attract distant fish with scents. Lure fishing is a popular style of recreational fishing where the angler repeatedly casts out the lure afar and then methodically retrieves the line, pulling the lure through the water and creating vibrations, turbulent splashes, and/or a popping action in the process, which imitates a small aquatic prey such as a baitfish, a drowning insect, or a frog. Anglers can also compete for prizes based on the total length or weight of a fish, usually of a pre-determined species, caught within a specified time, in fishing tournaments. Professional anglers are not engaged in commercial fishing, even though they gain an economic reward.

In summary, an angler is a person who catches fish using a hook and fishing line, and there are different techniques and styles of angling.