re: Can someone school me on fishing for beginners?

Take a trip to the Sportsman Show in Gonzales next month. There's a whole pavilion of fishing gear. Talk to the guys working the booths, especially manufacturer reps. They can help set you up with the right kind of gear depending on where and what you'll be fishing for.

And the show will have a separate pavilion full of boats. Even if you're not planning to buy a brand new boat, the variety of boats that'll be there should help you get a better of idea of what you want.