Fishing is one of the worlds most popular pastimes, and its not hard to see why.

Millions of people worldwide have caught the bug and once youre hooked, theres no going back. From canal banks and reservoir car parks to remote highland lochs and tropical blue water, fishing has a way of getting under your skin like nothing else.

Its a sport with more opinions than a tackle shop on a Saturday morning, a rich cast of characters, and enough tall tales to fill a library. Whether youre a fly purist who wouldnt be seen dead near a tin of maggots, or a carp angler whos practically moved into a bivvy on the bank, one thing unites every angler on the planet the belief that today might just be the day.

Here are 101 reasons why the world loves fishing.