Quietly watch an angler for a hour or so. be polite to him/her and ask him/her for any tips that may help you to understand a bit more about your new hobby. Understanding the habits of the species of fish that you are trying to catch will help you enormously and most of all you must try and be as QUIET as possible because if the fish sense that you are there, they often wont bite any bait and may even move a way from the area completely.
that is a great answer but i thought i better add onto it as my grandfather is a great fisherman and gave me alot of tips. here's a few:
hope these simple ideas helped.
A fisherman will give it to you in Coumarine City.
A fisherman on a dock on route 209 gives it to you
The good rod is found in Olivine City. Once you arrive, head towards the right side of town. There will be two identical houses. One of them has a fisherman, and he will give you a good rod.
The good rod will be the next one you get, by talking to fisherman on the way to Solaceon from Hearthome City.
i can only remember were you can find the old rod and the good rod old rod:talk to the fisherman in the poke center next to union cave good rod:talk to the fisherman in the house next to the poke mart in olivine city actually its ABOVE the poke CENTER
The San Francisco Marriott Fisherman's Wharf
On the way to Solaceon town from hearthome city, there is a fisherman. If you talk to the fisherman and say yes, you get a good rod.
Talk to fisherman on route 118
fisherman on route 209
A Fisherman gives it to you in Olivine
You go to Olivine city and a fisherman in a house will ask you a question, you answer yes, and he will give you a good rod. There is another fisherman that will trade you a voltorb if you give him a krabby.
A fisherman will give it to you in Coumarine City.
Old Rod: fisherman in the connection tunnel between jubilife city and route 218 Good Rod: fisherman on route 209 Super Rod: fisherman in the fight area
Most fish head upstream so most fisherman fish there
You get the good rod on route 118 where you find Steven, talk to the fisherman.
east of mauville
You get it from some fisherman guy out somewhere