Basic Fishing Tackle - Stick With The Basics And Learn To Fish Like A Pro
Fishing is a great hobby, giving you the chance to be out in the fresh air and sunshine while you're relaxing. You can get far away from the hustle and bustle of daily life, and be at one with nature.
Like most hobbies, fishing requires some basic equipment. Fishing tackle is the gear you use to get artificial or live bait in front of a fish. You don't need much tackle to get started in fishing, but it's important to get the basics right. You can always add more tackle once your skill level improves, and you're ready to use more advanced tackle.
Rod and Reel
This is probably the most important piece of tackle. It's good to start off with a lightweight rod and spinner reel, because they're easier to handle and make it simpler to tell when you’ve had a bite. Quite often you can purchase this as one unit. If you're just thinking about taking up fishing, borrow one from a friend to try it out. A fishing rod suitable for an adult is usually 6 feet long, and a child's rod 4 to 5 feet long.
Fishing Line
Fishing line is also called filament, and you can buy it in a variety of sizes or strengths. The strength is measured in a unit called pound-test, and the higher the pound-test number, the stronger the fishing line. It's important to choose line that matches your rod and reel, the bait you use and the fish you're planning to catch. If you’ve got a small, lightweight rod, and use spin casting or a spinning reel, you only need line up to 6 pound-test. The most popular line is in the 8 to 16 pound-test range. It's important not to use too heavy a line, though, because it becomes more visible to the fish. Most basic equipment and kids' rods are best used with 8 pound-test fishing line.
Bait
Bait can be either live or artificial, and there are plenty of varieties. You can always use the old favorite from the garden, earthworms, particularly if you have an active compost heap. If you don't have your own worms, you can buy them, or else use mealworms, grubs, kernel corn or bread balls.
Floats
Floats, or bobbers, are attached to the fishing line, and sit on the water surface. When the float dips into the water, you know a fish has taken a bite. It's best to use small floats, with just enough weight to stop the bait dragging it under the water. Pencil shaped bobbers are the most sensitive, but you can also use a round bobber which is generally easier to cast. Slip bobbers are easy to adjust and use, and are great for beginners and children.
Hooks
You can buy fishhooks in a large range of sizes and styles. If you're going to use live bait, you'll probably find it easiest to buy a variety pack, so that you get a range of hooks from size No. 6 to No. 10. If you're after bigger fish, get larger hooks. For catch and release fishing, you need to flatten the barbs on your fishhook, to minimize damage to the inside of the fish's mouth. As a general rule of thumb, work out what type of fish you're planning to catch and use a hook that's compatible with the size of the fish's mouth. If it's too small, the fish will swallow the hook, and if it's too big, the fish won't take the bait.
Sinkers or Weights
You need these to stop your line from floating on the surface of the water. You can get everything from split shot sinkers that range from tiny through to pencil size, right up to sinkers that weight a pound or more. For beginners and children, use split shot. Make sure they're lead free to protect the environment.
Other Gear
# Fishing net. Not essential, but can be handy when landing a fish, and they're good for keeping the kids amused!
# Leaders. You hook these on to your line and use the small pin catch to slip on hooks or lures. Probably better for more experienced anglers or large fish.
# Swivels. This is another type of pin clip you can use to prevent your line from tangling as it moves through the water.
# Fishing Knife. Very handy if you have a snagged or tangled line, as well as for cleaning and scaling fish. Give kids nail clippers rather than a knife to cut their line.
# Needle Nose Pliers. You can use these to remove fishhooks.
# First Aid Kit. Make sure it includes bandages, peroxide and anti-bacterial ointment for cuts and scrapes.
# Tackle Box. With all the bits and pieces you'll rapidly accumulate, a tackle box can be a great way of organizing and storing everything.
Now that you have everything you need, it's time for the best part - going fishing! Head off for a nice shady spot on the bank of a stream, relax, and wait for a fish to nibble on the bait.
