Fishing 101 - What you Really Need to Start Fishing

GEAR! GEAR! GEAR! Even those of us well versed in the world of fishing can be overwhelmed by the vast array of gear, gadgets, gizmos, and gimmicks being hawked in an attempt to separate us from our money. And it's easy to buy into a lot of it. The draw of a magic lure or technique that is guaranteed to catch more fish is almost irresistible at times. Don't get me wrong, there is a lot of useful, effective gear available on the market. But the latest and greatest is far from necessary if you're considering taking up the sport yourself. 

Keep in mind, for any of these items listed, there are literally thousands of options available.

ABSOLUTE ESSENTIALS:

• Fishing rod and reel

  • Don't get bogged down in the minutiae of rod weight/speed/action, the number of bearings in your reel, etc. If you're just getting started a good all around medium-light action rod with a reel is what you're looking for. We're going to break this down by the reel type as the rod you use will depend on the reel type chosen. For any option you should be able to find rod and reel combos that will save you the hassle of trying to match which rod goes to which reel. There are four basics options to look at. 

    • Spin-cast reels are an iconic and traditional starting place for many fisherman. They are easy to learn and are simple enough to take apart if you need to clean them, untangle line, or put on new line.

    • Spinning setups are the most common among recreational fisherman and even used fairly regularly among the professionals. Slightly more complicated to learn, but not by much. Most of them have the added benefit of being able to swap the reel handle depending on which hand you prefer to use.

    • Bait-casting gear is more difficult to learn. Casting requires you to learn how to apply the "brake" on the reel with your thumb to prevent the spool from over spinning and creating a tangle. It takes time, but once you get the hang of it, bait-casting gear makes some presentations a bit easier than spinning gear.

    • Fly fishing is the most complicated of all, in my opinion. So much so that we're not even going to attempt to break it down here as there's just too much to cover. It's also generally a vastly different experience than the other options if you go that route. 

• Line

  • Just like rods and reels there are a number of options for your fishing ling. If you buy a rod and reel combo, there's a good chance it will come pre-spooled with line. Which leads us to our line types.

    • Monofilament is your basic, all purpose fishing line. It has been in use since the fifties and works in just about any fishing situation. One of its features is that it has a bit of stretch. This can be a benefit or a drawback depending on your preferences and the type of fishing you want to do.

    • Fluorocarbon is similar to monofilament but has more densely packed molecules which reduces the amount of stretch and allows it to sink better.

    • Braided lines are are made of woven strands of synthetic fibers. They are generally the strongest and most abrasion resistant in relation to their diameter.

• Terminal Gear

• This is your hooks, sinkers, lures, etc that you will be using to entice fish to bite. 

• A simple bobber, split shot sinker, and j-hook with a worm is enough to get you into bluegills, perch, crappie, and even catfish and bass in a lot of places. 

• Bottom fishing rigs which utilize a weight and hook with live bait, or other types of bait, can be used in rivers and lakes to catch anything from carp and catfish to walleye and a myriad of others in between. 

• Lures come in so many varieties it's mind boggling. There are lures designed to target every species of game fish. But to keep with our theme of simplicity, the following are some basic options that work on a variety of species. What kind of fish you want to target will help narrow down your options. 

• Spoons

• In-line spinners

• Jigs

• Topwater lures

• A Basic Understanding of Where to Find Fish

• While, at it's core, fishing is simply presenting an attractant in the hopes that a fish will bite, a little bit of knowledge on basic fish behavior will prevent you from wasting time in water that simply doesn't hold fish.
• Cover is key for fish. It can be weeds, trees, or any number of things that give fish a place to hide. Lily pads and other weeds like milfoil in ponds and lakes are often great places to try your luck. Fallen trees or undercut banks are good options in streams and rivers. Just be careful around the trees because snagging your hook in them will likely result in broken line and lost tackle.
• Structure is your other key component. Structure are features of a body of water such as points of land jutting out into the water, reefs, or islands. Doing a bit of research to understand both of these types of features will help immensely in your search for fish.  

• Fishing License

  • Always check your local fishing regulations. Some states offer "free fishing" weekends which allow you to fish those dates without a license, but by and large you'll need one to fish legally.

  • It is also important to be aware of all other regulations that concern fishing in your area. It is very easy to make mistakes if you aren't well versed. Regulations can usually be found online or as free booklets available at most sporting goods stores.

• Somewhere to Fish

  • This part is often overlooked in many articles targeted toward those just getting into fishing. Fortunately, the advances in technology provide much better resources for finding public fishing areas than we could have dreamed of even ten years ago. Apps like Fishbrain are great for finding fishing areas near you. Of course, the best information will always be from someone else that knows what they're doing. If you know people that are already into fishing, most of them will gladly share their knowledge, time, and sometimes (don't get your hopes up) their secret fishing holes. Most of us are only too happy to have a new fishing buddy to hit the water or even just chat about fishing. Don't be afraid to ask as we might not know you're interested.

These really are your true essentials. There are gobs and gobs of accessories that can, and often do, make your trips more successful, comfortable, or enjoyable so don't be afraid to look into them when you're ready. Just don't feel you need them all to get started. We hope you have fun out there. We'll see you outdoors!