[Grammar] Fishing at!

[RoseSpring]

I went fishing at Lake Michigan last spring.

Is the usage of the preposition correct?

 

[zubeyir]

I would say yes.

I went hiking to the lake.
I went cycling around the lake.
I went fishing at the lake.

 

[TheParser]

I went fishing at Lake Michigan last spring.

Is the usage of the preposition correct?

NOT A TEACHER



I think that many Americans would prefer on -- especially

since you mentioned the name of a specific lake.

 

[Ouisch]

In most cases, TheParser's advice is corrrect - in AmE it's more common to say that you went swimming, fishing or boating on Xxxx Lake. However, I live in Michigan (the Great Lake State) and we have a peculiar quirk of saying "at" Lake Erie, or Lake Huron, etc. It's not necessarily typical usage elsewhere, but then again we Michiganders have some odd ways of saying things. For example, anyone who works for the Ford Motor Company will reply, when asked "where do you work?", "I work at Ford's." Folks who work at Chrysler or Volkswagen or even Wal-Mart do not use the possessive form when referring to their employer. In fact, I'm not sure if Ford employees outside of Michigan use the possessive. But it's traditional here, probably because of the impact Henry Ford and his descendants have had on industry in this area over the decades. :-D

 

[Pedroski]

I like prepositions. 'at' is very old. It comes from the PIE root *ad- to, near, at (or ad, as an American would pronounce it). Looked at thus, you could read ' I went fishing at Lake Michigan last spring.' as:

I went to Lake Michigan fishing last spring.

In your original sentence, you then have 'at' in two meanings: 'to' and 'in, on or near'. A lot of meaning in a little word!

One question: what is a Michigan?

 

[anishjp]

I like prepositions. 'at' is very old. It comes from the PIE root *ad- to, near, at (or ad, as an American would pronounce it). Looked at thus, you could read ' I went fishing at Lake Michigan last spring.' as:

I went to Lake Michigan for fishing last spring.

In your original sentence, you then have 'at' in two meanings: 'to' and 'in, on or near'. A lot of meaning in a little word!

Hi,

Is it right without adding for?.

I think "I went fishing at/on Lake Michigan last spring" sounds more natural!.

Kindly advice.

Regards,
Anish
(Not a teacher)