Fishing in NIER question?

Okay, so I'm at the point in the game where you first go fishing and I've just about had it. I'm so fed up, you don't even get a second to see the direction the damn fish is going before it gets away. After a full half hour I finally drained its hp and caught it and it was AN AQUATIC PLANT. >:( I'm about to give up. Can anyone help me in ANY WAY??