Fishing Rods - 10 Tips Before You Buy

It important before you start buying tools and go to fishing.

If you've decided to take up fishing, and don't really know where to start, and are too scared to go into a fishing shop because you think that you'll be patronised, or sold the wrong fishing tackle, why not know a few things before you start? If you're an experienced angler, then you might also want to know exactly what you need your rod to do. This will help you to decide what you do and don't want or need, and can make choosing the right rod much easier, as you won't be sidetracked, and won't be overwhelmed with fishing jargon.

1. If you know what you are fishing, then you can decide what sort of rod you need. Different sorts of rods are often used for catching trout and salmon, and you might want a rod for going see fishing, or perhaps just to use as a holiday rod.

2. By working out how much use your rod will get, you can determine how much you will use it, and so much you want to spend in order to get something appropriate. You will probably not want to spend a lot of money on a holiday rod, but will want to make sure that your everyday rod is as good as you can afford.

3. The places where you will be fishing can help you to decide what sort of rod you want. If you're fishing at sea you'll be catching big fish, and want a strong rod. If you're sitting by the side of a lake just waiting for the fish to bite, you'll not mind if your rod isn't the lightest.

4. The size of rod can make a huge difference as to its suitability. You might be fishing in a river, with overhanging trees, which means that a small rod will be most effective. Alternatively, you might be fishing a huge lake, and want a longer rod.

5. The weight of a rod can also make a difference. A lightweight rod will be suitable if you're going to be stood in a fast moving river all day, and have to keep tight hold of your rod, whereas if you're sat on the edge of a lake, it won't matter if your fishing rod isn't the lightest model available.

6. If you're going to be spending a lot of time fishing, then you'll want to make sure that your rod is still going to be as comfortable at the end of a cold wet day, as at the beginning of the day.

7. You might already have a couple of brands in mind, or have used a few rods already, and know what features are important to you. If not, make sure that you try lots of different rods, and choose the one that feels the most comfortable and right for you.

8. You'll want to make sure that any rod you use is easy to use, even when you're cold and wet. If you're not sure what you should be looking for, and the features you need, why not ask friends or on a fishing forum?

9. If you're an experienced angler, you may want to know whether your new rod is going to be compatible with your other fishing tackle. Will you need new reels or lines if you're going to be catching different sorts of fish?

10. Try your rods in store, and then buy online if you want to save money. However, there is definitely something to be said for having a knowledgeable fishing shop. Why not buy online from an experienced fishing shopping shop that will be able to give you all the advice and information you need?

Now you know more about buying fishing rods, what's stopping you from getting a new rod and going fishing again?

The Perfect Starter Fish

Fishing is a sport that you can learn and enjoy regardless of when you decide to start. If you are just starting to take up fishing, I recommend that you decide first what species of fish you are going to learn to catch. This will determine the gear you buy, the bait or lures you use and the type of access to the water you need.

If you are lucky enough to be in proximity to well known game fish, then by all means go for it. For example, if you live within a few blocks of a good surf fishing shore, then I can think of no better form of fishing to learn. If you have a home on a great bass lake, and you want to turn your pleasure boat into a fisherman's craft a few hours each week, fantastic. If you can drive 10 minutes to a top producing trout stream, then be most grateful.

However, if you are like most of us, when you decide to start fishing you are landlocked without a boat and without a clue as to where to start practicing the craft to really learn it - and upon what fish to start with.

For a beginner in this typical situation, I suggest the following criteria be used to choose the type of fish you are going after while you're learning:

1. The "starter" fish should give you the same fight as the more popular game fishes but on lighter, less expensive gear. Otherwise, it's not fun and you don't learn how to land a fish that fights.

2. The "starter" fish should bite well on all fishing methods that use live bait and artificial lures. This way, you can learn the variations of these methods with basic techniques that can be applied to other game fish later on.

3. The older lunkers among the "starter" fish should be just as wary and hard to catch as the ones from the more popular game fishes.

4. You should be able to practice fishing with a good chance of success from the bank, shore, boat or dock. It does no good to start out learning to fish if the species you are learning on requires a boat you don't have to get to them.

5. Last but certainly not least, the "starter" fish should be good to eat and enjoyable to the taste. While catch and release philosophies certainly have their place, the old-time "cleaning-and-cooking-what-you-catch" ethos is both a good and enjoyable aspect of the sport. (Ask anybody who has cooked and eaten freshly caught fish and all the fixings while camping on a lake or river).

The fish that meets all of the above criteria and is my recommendation for the perfect "starter" fish is the bluegill, or bream as they are called in the South.

1. Pound for pound, the bluegill is a good fighter that can be caught on lightweight, inexpensive rod and reel combinations and fly-rods. You can pick up a workable rod and reel combination for less than 20 dollars at most superstores. The tackle is light and inexpensive too.

2. Bluegills love crickets, worms and even white bread pellets. They'll hit artificial baits like jigs, spinners and popping bugs.

3. While a lot of people find it easy to catch small bluegills, most people have never seen the size of a real "slab". These fish got old for a reason, they are wary and take skill beyond just wetting a hook from the bank. While the specifics may differ, learning how to find and catch the big bluegills provides you with the basics of starting to think like the big ones.

4. The bluegill is your best bet in most places to catch a stringer full of keepers from the dock or bank. If you have access to a boat, your possibilities are endless to find the really big ones (provided you learn how to outsmart them).

5. Dredge a fresh, cleaned mess of bluegills in a mixture of flour, corn meal, salt, and pepper. Deep fry them until golden brown. Serve them up hot with french fries, cold slaw and beer (or iced tea if you prefer). You get the picture. There are few wild caught fish that are as good deep fried than the bluegill - a clean white meat that tastes great by itself or with your favorite condiment (ketchup for me please) for dipping.

Want to start fishing? Start with the bluegill. Get good at all the ways of catching it, especially the really big ones, and you'll be ready to "graduate" to trout, bass, and redfish before you know it. Or, you may discover that you found your favorite game fish "right from the start".

How to Throw a Cast Net

Compared to fishing with a rod or a pole, cast net fishing requires quite a bit more effort than just sitting and waiting for the fish to bite. One doesn't just throw the net in the water in any way they want; there are proper ways of how to throw a cast net that should be learned.

When using a smaller-sized cast net, in particular one with a radius of 5 feet, the single arm throw method of how to throw a cast net works best. Assuming one is right-handed, the right arm is to be used to throw the net. The hand loop is tightened on the right wrist, after which a number of loose loops are coiled from the throw line and are held with the throwing hand.

After the loops have been made, the cast net ring is grasped by the free hand while the throwing hand holds it palm down. The lead line is then taken into the non-throwing hand and then grabbed with the throwing palm.

The net-thrower's body turns back away from the chosen target, then rotates smoothly as the net is finally cast off. If done correctly, the cast net will hit the water in a circular shape. Once the target is in the net, the line is pulled in order to close the net.

The two-arm throw method teaches how to throw a cast net of larger size (having a radius of 6 feet and above) using both arms. This procedures of this technique is very much similar to those of the single arm method, but this instruction will use a left-handed point of perspective.

Again, loose loops are made from the throw line, but are this time held by the left hand. The loops are made continuously until the thrower is able to take hold of the cast net by its horn. The thrower then raises up the net and grasps it with the free hand at pocket height.

The end of the net is transferred to the throwing hand while the other holds the whole net. With the lead line now lying on the ground, the net is then divided in half, between where the left thumb and left forefinger convene. The half of the net with the lead line is grabbed by the right hand and the other half of the net are held with the horn and hand line in the left hand.

The net held by the right hand is rolled over the left thumb and allowed to hang lose. The right hand then grabs hold of the lead line where the high and low clumps of the lead line meet. The lead line is then placed either on the thrower's front teeth or over the shoulder.

The lead line hanging from either the teeth or the shoulder is gathered up using the thumb and forefinger of the right hand. With the right palm held up, the net that hangs over the left thumb is folded into the right hand. With both hands held palm up, the net is then thrown in much the same manner as previously described.

For a number of people, cast net fishing is a preferable alternative to the tedium of stting all day with fishing pole in hand. Once one has learned to overcome the intricacies of how to throw a cast net, this mode of catching fish can only get much easier and much more enjoyable.

Useful Tips on Using Small Fish As Bait

Fish as bait look difficult for beginner .

The art of of fishing smaller fish for bait is no big secret but you need to learn what bait fish work best and how to use them for different game fish. Small fish are probably the most popular and widely used type of live bait world wide used for both freshwater and saltwater fishing. Freshwater Anglers use bait fish to catch small 6 inch freshwater pan fish such as bluegills or yellow perch on up to large sturgeon. Saltwater anglers use bait fish to catch marlin, sailfish and Spanish mackerel just to name a few. Most all saltwater predator game fish can be caught using a combination of some type of small fish. Most freshwater fisherman use smaller fish as a live bait, but these baits can be cut into pieces called cut bait also. This is a very good method of fishing for multiple sub species of the catfish. Many saltwater fisherman use live bait fish also but using bait fish as cut bait is very common and preferred by many saltwater anglers.

Many of the bigger predator game fish with feed mainly on smaller game fish for example bluegills or yellow perch, or even small fish in their own species. As the game fish grow to trophy size, their food diet reaches nearly 100 percent smaller game fish. The reason we mention this is because you can use thus information to your advantage. You need to make your bait selection based on the size of game fish you want to catch. Most game fish will go after baits that are close to the size of bait fish they normally eat in their natural food chain. One thing we need to mention is to check with your local state or providence department of natural resources to see if it legal to use game fish such as bluegills, sunfish or yellow perch as live bait. In some states and provinces it is not legal. Another factor when selecting your bait is the liveliness and hardiness. You are probably wondering why this makes a difference but this is a very important factor because most game fish, especially predator game fish will not strike dead baits.

Typically the following bait fish are very hardy as live bait and will stay alive for long periods of time. they include fathead minnows, rosy reds, American eels, and madtoms. The following bait fish are know to be hardy and with a small about of care will last long periods of time too. They include daces, creek chubs, redtail chubs, stonerollers, white suckers, goldfish, sculpin, bluntnose minnows, and bluegill. all of the listed hardy bait fish need to be kept cool and have fresh air aerated to the bait container. The following list is of delicate bait fish and probably a bad choice for live bait unless you catch them and intermediately use them as bait, or have a very good bait tank on your boat that circulates water from the water source you are fishing into your bait tank. They include the common shinner, golden shinner, red shinner, yellow perch, killfish, emerald shinner, spottail shinner, ciscos,shad, and smelt.

Hooking your bait fish the right way is often overlooked and probably the main reason many people have lost fish they thought they had hooked. If you are targeting smaller gam efish such as crappie, bluegill , yellow perch and using small bait fish there are literally dozens of different hooking methods. As a rule of thumb, as your bait fish get larger your rigging options get smaller. Also the body size of your baitcan give you different hooking options. For example a long thin body bait fish such as a sucker give you more hooking options then say a deep body bait fish such as a blue gill. Don't overlook how you hook your bait it is a very important part of using bait fish to catch game fish correctly.

Good Quality Tackle shop

When entering a fishing tackle shop, what should you be looking for to make sure that it is a quality one? Here are some of my criteria for a good quality tackle shop.

Customer Service

If there is a grumpy looking 17yr old behind the counter looking like he has been glued to the chair by his abusive parents it is safe to assume that he doesn't want to be there and you will likely get very poor customer service from this staff member. I like to see smiley, chatty folk behind the counter and out on the shop floor assisting customers with their purchases. If they are unable to help other customers with their queries and problems then they are unlikely to be able to help you. Bare this in mind.

Pictures of their catches

This may seem like a bit of a silly point, but if there are pictures of the staff showing off the fish they have caught over the years then you can be sure that the staff are avid fishermen themselves and likely to be able to advise you on any of your purchases. It also shows that they have enthusiasm for their sport. Staff in these tackle shops are likely to be very friendly and knowledgeable.

Range of Tackle and Brands on Offer

Any good fishing tackle shop has a large selection of brands and different tackle on offer. There are some retailers out there who are tied into selling products from only 1 or 2 brands. These should be avoided if at all possible. Tackle shops like these will not give you the broader picture of the different types of tackle available and try to steer you towards the limited range of stock that they have on offer.

Prices

Another obvious one but well worth mentioning. You want to get the best possible value for money. We all know that fishing tackle is definitely not cheap and we all work hard for our money so we want this money to go far. Any decent fishing tackle shop will have a constant supply of items at sale price as they try to replace past seasons tackle with the new. This is the perfect opportunity to pick up some quality fishing tackle at rock bottom prices.

Which Lures Work Best?

The snappy and glib answer is that the lure that catches fish works the best. This is true but stupid because it provides no answer at all. Whether you are sea fishing or fresh water fishing then the lure which works best is the one which most resembles what the fish are feeding on right now.

The only way you can possibly discover that is by observation. Watch the waters you want to fish and look for the rising fish. What are they rising on? Are they jumping ut of the water? Look for what insects are skimming the surface. Perhaps you can't see any fish jumping, have a close look at the waters edge. Are there any clues such as small fish or crustaceans close to the edge or in the vegetation? These are all potential food, that's why they stay in the shallows.

Ok, that's fine for the creeks, rivers and lakes but what about saltwater fishing? If you know what the species is that frequents the area you want to fish then you can study up their habits. Do they like deep water, active water, rocks, weedy beds? Do they bottom feed, top feed or somewhere in the middle? What type of fish are they? Predators, fast, ambush? All of these things determine where you are most likely to find them and what type of bait or lure to offer them.

Then you need to take into account the light. Dark days need light lures, bright days need darker lures. Should you be casting and retrieving? Using a popper, spinner, spoon, soft lure, plug? Is the water clear or dirty? If it's clear then you can use a bright flashy lure, if it's dirty then you will probably need one which is flashy and noisy.

And then you need to take into account the fact that, if you fish a well as I do, you'll need spares because you can guarantee that you'll lose a couple every time you go out whether you catch any fish or not.

Fishing is an art as well as a science. You can spend many hours researching to learn more about your favorite fish and spend significant money tracking them down, presenting them with the best lures money can buy, tempting them with the freshest, juiciest bait and then that damned kid from down the road catches the fish of the day on a bit of string and a bent pin.

Well not quite but you know what I mean and it can sometimes be frustrating. But you know what? I wouldn't miss it for the world.