So you’re ready to start your fishing adventure. Perhaps you’ve never tried it before, or you had such a good time out on a boat with your father as a kid trying to catch some fish that you’ve decided to give it a whirl for yourself.
The only problem is that since you’re only just getting started, you may not actually have a lot of fishing gear. Sure, you can see some recommendations for the best spincast reels on websites like all fishing gear, for instance. But what exactly do you need in order to make your fishing trip a success? Here’s everything that you need to know.
Fishing License
Before you even think about buying that perfect rod and reel from your nearest fishing store, the first thing that you need to get is a fishing license. You won’t need to worry about this if you’re under the age of 16, but if you’re any older than that you will need to get a fishing license. Purchase your fishing license, and before you go out on the water make sure that you familiarize yourself with the rules and regulations. You may need to know things such as limits to size and bags, and what sorts of fishing methods you can use.
Rod and Reel
There are many different fishing methods out there. The most popular way of fishing though requires a fishing rod and a wheel. You will need to make sure that you buy a durable rod that is still flexible enough to work well for fishing. Fiberglass and graphite are good options for this. You need to make sure that the rod is strong, responsive, has good action and taper.
When you’re first starting, medium strength rods are your best friends. You should be looking for a rod that’s around 11.8 inches longer than your height.
Once you’ve got your rod, you then need to get your reel. This is a thing that you wind up in order to draw in the line so you can claim your big catch. You should be looking for an affordable reel that’s lightweight and can be handled with ease. You don’t want to get anything overly complicated when you’re first starting out. A spinning reel could be helpful.
Hook and Sinker
Hook, line and sinker! That’s right – in order to catch your fish, you’re going to need a hook and a sinker to do it. After all, that fish isn’t going to just hang onto your line – it’ll want to escape once it’s got the bait that you’ve put onto it. You should be looking to get a couple of different hook types, since different things will work for different fish. Consider the main types of fish that you’re looking to catch, and choose hooks based on that information. Other things worth getting include sliding sinkers and split shots, as these will keep the bait down.
Pliers
Once you’ve caught your fish you’re going to need to get it off the hook. Sometimes this doesn’t always happen easily, in which case you may need to invest in some pliers. Look at getting some needle nose pliers, and keep them on you at all times while you’re out on the water.
Bait
The fish isn’t just going to come and attach itself on the hook for no reason. You need to entice the fish so that you can reel it in. How do you do this? Why, by getting bait of course!
Now it’s important to mention that it isn’t a one size catch all situation with bait (get it? Catch all?). Different fish will like different types of bait. For this reason, you should think about the type of fish you’re looking to catch and plan accordingly. Otherwise, go with some of the most common types of bait. Get some worms and some minnows. You can also get corn, grubs, bread that has been squashed up or even little bits of hot dog.
You can buy your bait directly from an angling store. Alternatively, you can also dig up the bait from the ground if you’re getting worms. Make sure you put the container of worms into a tin can with soil, then put them into a dark and cold place before you take them out onto the water with you. If you’re getting things like maggots though, just make sure that you check they haven’t turned into flies by the time you go fishing.
Conclusion
And you’re all set! Grab yourself the gear mentioned above and you should be good to go on your fishing endeavors. Eventually, you can take one of those photos where you’re posing with a big fish to show off to your friends!