People, of all ages, love to go fishing. What a peaceful way to spend your day. Many of us have very stressful jobs. Even if you can get away, for at least part of day, it is a nice way to relax. When you are out there fishing there are so many thing to see such as loons popping up for air then diving down for fish, sea gulls swooping overheard, frogs jumping in, turtles laying in the sun on a nearby rock, water snakes gliding smoothing through the water, watching fish weave their way effortlessly through the seaweed and dragon flies skimming by close to the water’s surface. There are just so many wondrous sights.

The basic things that a fisherman needs are a good rod and reel, a hook and worms. You do not need to know a lot about fishing to have fun. Sure there are so many types of tackle/gear that you could purchase if you want. But if you really want to, you can easily pack your tackle box full with a good selection of reels, hooks, spinners and bait.

The Reel and Rod:

My grandparents only used a stick and a line to fish for their dinners. Fish was plenty back then. They are not seen anymore. Now with, modern technology the shelves in the stores are packed with great equipment. You can buy a rod and reel from between $10 and $10,000.

If you choose to spin fish then you require a reel that lays line around a fixed spool. The will let the spool end point toward the guides on the rod, and when the line is cast the line falls off in loops.

Closed faced and Open faced are the two main types of spin reels.

The easiest to work with is the closed-face spinning reel. It is operated with a push button and protects from getting your line tangled into bird nests when you are casting.

It is also best for people just learning to fish and for children.

Open Faced Spinning Reels have a spool that has the line wound around it. These reels have a semicircular metal device which is called a bail. This bail leads the line onto the spool when closed and lets the line be released when open. You can buy a combination of a good all purpose (all-round rod and reel) that is great to catch fish in many sizes.

Medium Light Rods: 5.5 to 6.6 feet long with a reel that matches can hold lines from 4-pound test to 12 pound test are good mainly for fishing in ponds, small lakes and rivers

Line: The best line to start out with is the 8-pound test monofilament line, which is lighter and casts father. It is also good because you get more bites from skittish fish and the heavier lines to pull out of snags. Read the instructions when you buy your reel and line to see how much 8 pound line can be held. Most of the time, a 100-yard spool is big enough to fill up a medium-light reel. You know it is full when the wrapped line is about 1.16 inch from the outer edge of the spool. Always check for knots in the line. The knots make it harder to cast and the knots make the line weaker.

Fish Equipment (Gear): Going to a sporting goods store for the first time is quite the eye-opener. You will find bins of hundreds of lures, artificial bates, hooks, sinkers, bobbers, etc. You can easily start to think that you will need to buy a wide variety of items.

But if you are just starting out, then this is all you need.

Beginners Shopping List:

• One package of Size 6 hooks -A “wheel” of split shot in assorted sizes.
• One package of Three bell sinkers,1/2 -ounce.
• One small plastic tackle box.
• Two or three bobbers, sizes small and medium
• Monofilament line, 8-pound test.
• Stringer. -Bucket.
• Landing net (optional).
• A Fishing License.
• Baited Hooks: Fresh live bait- important for lot of bites from fish

This list could go on and on but if you start with the basics then you can build up as needs and time build up. By: Kathryn Ali Copyright http://boating.actual-facts.com 2007
About the Author

Kathryn Ali is the Author and Owner of http://www.boating.actual-facts.com

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