Why Is It Called Angling?

[BassyiusMaximus]

I may be wrong however, I believe angling is about the angle of the line from the rod or rod's tip down to the fishes mouth, and in order to sucessfully get the fish to the fisherman, one had to change the "angles." That is, by pulling one way, then pulling the other, that by changing the angles, one can turn the fish and change the angle.

There are almost no angles on a hook save for the barb, only decreasing or increasing radii, math. There is math in fishing???

[JohnR]

My guess would be since English is based mostly on French and German that it might have root in the German word Angeln (Krispy can correct me if I'm wrong) - Angeln = Fishing.