Perhaps you have watched other people have fun while fishing, and you want to experience it yourself. You might be thinking about how to start fishing.
However, starting fishing is not that hard. You can follow the guide given below to get started.
Keeping it Simple
If you have no idea about fishing, keep it as simple as possible. Take it just one step at a time. For example, you can learn how a clinch knot is tied. After you are done with that, you can understand how to bait your hook. Hence, it is easy to build up your fishing knowledge if you go about it gradually.
Find a Good Fishing Spot
Find a body of water where you can go fishing. Fishing is similar to going to the gym because you will be more regular with your practice if you keep visiting the same suitable location.
Hence, you should look for good fishing areas close to your residence. You can think of choosing public beaches, fishing piers, ponds, rivers and lakes. Pick a fishing spot that is most convenient for you.
Get a Fishing License
Once you have made up your mind on where to go fishing regularly, you can think of obtaining a fishing license.
Do you plan on saltwater fishing or freshwater fishing? You must make up your mind because it will determine the kind of fishing license that you will need.
Identify Different Species of Fish
You should be able to identify the different species of fish that are available in your area. This will help you to stay on the right side of fishing rules.
Make sure that you follow all the rules. There may be rules specific to waterways and seasons.
Buy a Rod and Reel
You should get yourself a rod and reel combo that has a fishing line pre-spooled. You can get one for the an outdoor retailer or tackle shop. At the store, you can ask the available fishing expert about the best recommended fishing gear for absolute beginners. They will be happy to explain what you need on your first fishing expedition. For example, they can tell you about the best gear and tackle for your needs.
Fishing Gear
Before you can set out on your first fishing trip, you will have to get the necessary gear. There are a lot of different ways to fish. Hence, there are various kinds of fishing equipment that you can make use of. But you will not want to try them all especially at the beginning.
You should begin with the simplest fishing gear. A simple rod and reel is enough for a beginner. Even with something as simple as a rod and reel, you can catch many kinds of fish.
Rod and Reel
You can begin with spinning rod that measures 6 to 7 inches in length.
The advantage of having a rod like this is that you can use it together with a reel. You can choose to use either a bait or a lure.
Many beginners tend to begin with a cane pole. This is a rod that has no reel. Hence, it is not recommended to begin with this equipment.
Getting yourself a 2 piece rod may be better than buying a telescopic rod. The 2 piece rod can handle tougher fish without failing.
Beginner rods often come in combination with a reel to match. If you pick the right one, you can have a rod of good quality.
For the rod you should have a spinning reel that has a matching size and weight. The gear ratio should be around 4 or 5:1.
A reel size ranging from 20 to 30 will prove to be adequate for catching most kinds of freshwater fish when you start out. You can try catching species like zander, walleye, northern pike, crappie, bream, bluegill, bass, perch, tench, rudd and minnow.
It is not recommended to go along with a bait caster early on. This is an advanced reel that most beginners don’t really need.
Line
When you start fishing, you can start with a line that can withstand 6 to 8 pounds. The line strength should roughly correspond to the weight of the fish species that you intend to catch.
However, the line strength is just a rough measure of the approximate weight that it can handle. If you handle the fish properly, you can also catch heavier fish.
Bobbers and Floats
As the name implies, floats remain on the water surface to attract fish. Floats are also called bobbers.
Make sure that you choose a float that is neither too big nor too small. It will be hard to see in dim lighting if it is too small. If it is too big, then you may not get a visible bite indication. Fish may have trouble coping with a floating body that is too heavy and big.
Hooks
You should choose hook sizes that correspond to the size of the fish that you will be catching. If the hook is too big, then it may not fit into the mouth of smaller fish. If it is too small, then the hook will not catch bigger fish.
When you are just starting out, you can go fishing with a hook size ranging from 6 to 10. Remember, a greater number size means smaller hooks. In this range, you will get medium-sized hooks that are neither too big nor too small. Hooks within this limit can catch fish quite nicely and carry baits with ease.
Bottom Line
If you have even wondered about starting fishing, you can start with the steps outlined above.
