If you’ve decided to take your kids fishing this summer but don’t have much fishing or boating knowledge, get started at Take Me Fishing. Sponsored by the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation, a nonprofit group whose aim is to increase participation in recreational angling and boating, the site has select-your-state sections on getting a fishing license and boating and fishing, along with the all-important guide on how to fish and a “fishopedia,” which lists and describes many types of fish. Once you’ve garnered some basic knowledge, you’ll need some equipment. Happily, Cabela’s currently has an online sale for fishing gear, such as the four-piece travel spinning rod (now $40, down from $50) and the more advanced Fish Eagle XML casting rods ($70, down from $140). For the kids, a Pirates of the Caribbean spincast kit includes rod, reel and small tackle box ($7). A good fishing trip wouldn’t be complete without the right apparel. Orvis’s “fishing best-sellers” include a classic fishing vest called the Super Tac-L-Pak ($89; pictured). Real fly fishermen always wear waders; these Silver Label Stockingfoot waders have neoprene gravel guards and an inside storage pouch ($189). Finally, a tackle box will keep your flies, hooks and other materials clean and organized. This classic Wheatley metal fly box , is handmade in England and can be personalizedand ($59 to $98). If that’s too steep for you, Wal-mart has a perfectly serviceable six-tray tackle box ($20).

City cyclists have worries enough during daylight — dodging cars, potholes, and roving dogs — that it’s a wonder any are daring enough to ride the streets at night. For those who do, Puma would love to supply a high-tech advantage: Although its name sounds like an oxymoron to us, the Stealth Visibility bike (pictured) aims to make riders hard to miss with a glow-in-the-dark paint job. Eager customers should note that it won’t glow all night and that you can’t keep it in a dark garage if you want it to soak up enough lumens to work. There’s also a frightening $1,600 price tag, though that does buy some features (tricky anti-theft and portability measures, for instance) in addition to the paint job. If you have any cash left, Puma offers a coordinating line of Urban Mobility Transit gear. Safety-minded riders on more restricted budgets can go the low-tech route with something like the Jogalite reflective yield symbol ($15) or buy a bit more flash with a pair of Pedalites ($80), the wide array of handlebar lights out there or battery-free packages made by Reelight that generate their own electricity from your pedal power ($40 to $65).

Saddle up, ladies: May is National Bike Month and the League of American Bicyclists is promoting May 16 as Bike-to-Work Day. Haven’t got a thing to ride? Fortunately there many bikes made for female contours. The appropriately named Susan B from Terry ($680; pictured) features the all-important comfortable saddle and a stem that brings the handlebars closer to you. Terry’s Fast Woman is lightweight but strong and reliable and offers options like pink rims ($1,000 to $3,000). For top-of-the-line bikes, cruise by Specialized, where you’ll find 2008 Designs for Women Road Models, including the top-of-the-line Ruby SL, touted as the “lightest, fastest and best fitting partner on the road” ($6,300). The Cannondale Six13 Feminine 3 is constructed to dampen vibrations and offers a velvety-smooth ride ($1,800). It is equipped with puncture-resistant Michelins and a Fizik Vitesse Tri saddle, designed specifically for the female physique with a narrow front and wider back. In line with the trend commuting via bicycle in urban areas is Specialized’s Langster line of cycles named after cities, such as the Seattle Langster in an apropos emerald green ($740). Bike with the one you love on the Mocha & Mocha tandem ($5,725). If your best friend is a toy breed, attach this wicker basket ($80) to your handlebars. The Walky Dog attachment ($40) would work for a large dog that wants to run alongside you. Oh, but what to wear on that speed racer? Got you covered. Bike short are so ho-hum. Get revved up in Terry’s black padded flare skort ($90; also available in three prints) topped off with the blue Sheila Moon bolero ($39) and the matching tank top in quick-dry fabric ($54). Combine safety and style with the Giro Skyla helmet with a floral design ($38). Upscale riders will go for Giro Atmos helmet said to be lighter than smoke at nine ounces, with 26 air vents to help keep your scalp cool ($175).

For many, the word “vacation” and the thought of lying on a pristine beach taking it easy don’t go together at all. Given how many hours we spend at our computers, sitting in offices where perhaps the most exciting thing that can happen is the arrival of a box of Krispy Kreme doughnuts, is it any wonder we yearn for the jaw-dropping sights and pulse-quickening adventures of the great outdoors? If you dream of using your senses as they were meant to be used and maybe even seeing great creatures in the wild, you need to visit Big Animals Photography Expeditions. Started by photographer Amos Nachoum, whose explorations have been featured in National Geographic and on the Discovery Channel, this travel company limits the number of guests to give each participant the chance to move about and take pictures (under Nachoum’s expert tutelage, if desired) and, most important, to leave the wildlife and their habitat undisturbed: “Our goal is to see, photograph and interact with the most imposing inhabitants of the animal kingdom, and to observe special behavior such as predation, migration, nursing, and parenting.” Choose from scuba diving and wildlife adventures in Antarctica ($9,950 and up, plus airfare); a once-a-year month-long expedition to Africa, which includes an encounter with the great white and the whale shark, in addition to the traditional “big five” (lions, leopards, cheetahs, rhinos and elephants) for $40K plus airfare: or witness a 1,000-mile sardine run over the Wild Coast (east coast) of South Africa ($5,900, plus airfare). Even if you aren’t a photographer or long-time diver, you are welcome. All you need, says Nachoum, is a passion for nature, the spirit of adventure and a desire to step beyond the typical experiences offered by the usual travel agency. Large sums of disposable income are also helpful. If you go, we suggest taking a pair of focus-free Bushnell binoculars (sale price: $59 to $83) because you don’t want to waste a second focusing. An excellent photography book to get you ready for the trip is The New Complete Guide to Wildlife Photography: How to Get Close and Capture Animals on Film.

You may have read stories, such as one at National Geographic News or another in The New York Times recently, about extreme sportsters who really want to fly — folks with special gear that they hope will let them jump from an airplane and get to the ground safely without the use of a parachute. So far, the suit that will actually perform this feat hasn’t quite been created, so for now those who take the leap still have to use a parachute. But they’re pinning their hopes on a “wing suit” that has parachute-like material webbed between the legs and between the torso and arms, turning wearers into flying squirrels and letting them glide peacefully through the sky. We saw a flurry of blog entries the other day about a “luxury gift” merchant who was offering these things for sale, albeit only to “seasoned” sky divers. Call us prejudiced, but we’d rather not entrust our lives to folks who sell designer dog houses and gold-plated cigar cutters. Instead, we prefer to go to the experts: Were we bold enough, we’d look to somebody like Matter Clothing or Birdman, both of which offer high-tech getups (Birdman’s Tengu is pictured) that can range as high as 900-plus Euros ($1,400-ish) or as low as 500 (currently under $800). The latter option is only two-thirds of the price of the version currently making the blog rounds — not that jumping out of airplanes is the first place you should economize when you’re feeling like getting the household budget slimmed down.

It’s the time of year when a waterproof watch is a must-have. Swimmers are training for upcoming meets, children are enrolling in swim lessons, and families are planning vacations which may include snorkeling or diving. Men have lots of water-resistant watches to pick from, depending on what type of activity they’re doing. At Timex.com, the ironman triathlon 50-lap sleek watch ($70, pictured) is water-resistant to a depth of 100 meters, can track up to 50 laps and includes two interval timers. It’s well-suited for competitive swimmers. The freestyle USA hammerhead sport watch, $99.95 from Backcountry.com, has a stainless-steel case and resists water to depths of 200 meters. It’s a better choice for snorkelers and divers, although it costs more. For hunters, Basspro.com sells the bass pro sportsman watch ($39.88) for men. It features information on the tide, moon phases and times for sunset and sunrise. It’s handy for hunters, fishermen and other outdoorsmen and resists water to a depth of 100 meters. For women, Diveusa.com carries a waterproof freestyle watch – Betty Shark XCuba Surf, for $45.95. It is waterproof up to 100 meters deep has a glow-in-the-dark feature and a stainless steel case. Timex.com’s ironman triathlon sleek 50-lap watch for women comes in powder blue and costs $60, and has features similar to the Ironman men’s watch. Teenagers of either gender would probably enjoy the waterproof Speedo junior fashion watch, which comes in a rainbow of available colors, for $24.99 from Speedousa.com. If you have unlimited funds, consider the Oyster perpetual sea-dweller 4000, at Rolex.com. It’s designed for professional divers, is made of steel and is guaranteed waterproof to 1,220 meters. The site does not list a price – you’ll have to call your local Rolex dealer to find out.