Since I started biking I have hardly been fishing, but I used to love it. Less spare time means a tricky decision on biking or fishing.
Kit to start depends on where you want to fish or what you want to catch. If you are starting from scratch then a canal or local lake is best for starters rather than a river. Mostly because fishing rivers needs competent casting and more watercraft. Once you’ve learnt the basics on canals or lakes, then tackle the rivers, I’d say.
Rods – something like a 12 to 14ft match rod will be ample
Reels – shimano make great reels, 2500 spool size up to 4000 would be best
6lb mono main line
If you want to make things easy hooks to nylon simplify things, as they re already ties, hook sized from 14 to 20 should do for smaller fish, barbless.
Then some floats, shot to weigh the line down off you go.
Maggots, bread, sweetcorn, luncheon meat for bait. You’ll need a landing net and maybe a chair and some rod rests. The rest of the kit can come when you want it.
Fish on the bottom to start, feed a little but often. Once the bites come then shallow up a bit at a time and the bigger fish should move in.
Ofcourse this makes it sound easy, but it isnt and it takes years to learn, thats the best part.
Buy Anglers Mail, read maggotdrowning forum and just give it a go.
Ebay for 2nd hand gear is great too, loads of bargains on their from people who give up or change gear regularly, also the for sale section of maggotdrowners.