Billions of fish are killed every year for human consumption. There’s little consideration given to the pain inflicted on the animals and the impact on the environment. Even with this, fishing is an excellent activity. A big chunk of our planet is covered by water. This means the seas and oceans are filled by vast fish species of all sizes – big or small. Fish is nature’s fantastic creation since they come in different colors and sizes. If you’re new to fishing, you need to understand how the craft operates. Fishing may seem complicated for beginners. Generally, most people are held back by a lack of specialized knowledge and experience in fishing. This guide is here to eliminate this roadblock. Here are six tips to get you fishing in no time.
1. Prepare Your Gear
As a beginner, you’ll need to have your gear ready before you begin fishing. Typically, a rod combo and spinning reel are your best bet. When buying your gear, ensure the reel and rod are sold together. This way, says fishmasters.com, it makes it easier to set them up. At the tackle shop, ask the assistant to point you to a good beginner rod. Once you have your rod and reel in place, you’ll need lures and baits. Keep it simple and go for live worms. You can also choose PowerBait – a scented material that you form around a hook. Lures are decoys designed to attract a fish’s attention. They’re an easy option to work with once you get comfortable using bait. Additionally, you’ll require some bobbers: These small floating balls sink when something hits your lure, which indicates you have fish on.
2. How to Cast
How you cast is what determines if you’ll catch fish or not. Learning how to cast a spinning rod and bait perfectly is a craft that takes time to master. In the beginning, don’t push yourself too hard if you’re unable to cast flawlessly. In most cases, you’ll need to put the bait within a few feet of the strike zone. Try and learn how to cast flawlessly. Otherwise, it may result in missed opportunities and lost lures. If you are using plastic baits like worms, avoid jerking. It’s common to find many beginners doing this. Why? Most don’t distinguish between a bite and a snag. This results in the bait moving from the striking zone. If you want to determine a bite, try and hold the rod steady. Apply a little tension and feel if there’s pulsation. If there’s one, then jerk.
3. Switch Tactics
Most beginners enjoy topwater because they can see both the bait and the bite. However, if nothing is happening, you’ll need to change your tactics. The best tactical change is to cast your bait deeper. You can also do it higher if you’re drift fishing. Whatever case, do it until you discover where the fish are. If you’re bait fishing, add or subtract weight. Next, go to a sink tip or sinking line when fly fishing. You can use a jig, spoon, or a metal-tipped jerk bait. If different depths don’t improve your situation, your other choice is to move a bit. Move to new areas to find fish. Try and cover the water with a fan cast. Next, make a few casts in the area to your left, right, and out in front. If you do all the above and still nothing, move to a new fishing spot.
4. Hold Onto the Rod!
If you are fishing with kids, they can easily get distracted. If they get bored, they’ll end up putting the rods down. This is an excellent chance for the fish to strike and rip the rod and reel into the water. Start counting your losses if this happens. If you’ll be fishing with your little ones, have a piece of VB cord and secure the rod. Ensure you leave enough VB cord so you can move around a bit. Having a VB cord piece can make or break your whole fishing expedition. When choosing your line, most people seem to disagree between Braid or Mono lines. With Braid, you can cast further, and it cuts through the water better. Mono lines are designed to take abrasion but can be less responsive.
5. Rules and Safety
Like every practice, you’ll need to abide by safety requirements during fishing. Once you decide to become a professional angler, you need to be aware of your state’s fishing regulations. These regulations differ with every state. Major restrictions focus on the minimum allowed size and quantity of your catch. Some states will even require you to have a recreational fishing license. To avoid issues with law enforcement agencies, ensure you’re aware of your requirements. Visit your fisheries department website of the state you reside in to learn more.
On the other hand, ensure you put safety first when fishing. Even though this is a no-brainer, most people end up forgetting the basics. If you’re going out fishing, be wary of the weather, tidal, and swell conditions. Next, wear light-colored and stocky material. Finally, never go fishing alone – anything can happen.
6. Freshwater vs. Saltwater
Many people have a basic understanding of freshwater and saltwater bodies. However, there are some scientific considerations you’ll need to make. If you’re fishing in freshwater, the water has less than 0.05 percent salinity. The species of fish found in freshwater bodies are also different from saltwater breeds. There’s the exception of fish like Salmon. They’re born in freshwater, spend a small duration at sea, and will return in the same freshwater body they came from. What you want to keep in mind during fishing is the creel limit; The amount of fish, and the size of fish you’re allowed to remove from a specific water body per day.
There you have it! Six of the best tips about fishing you didn’t know. Hopefully, the information above will help you become a better angler. Fishing is a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be. Also, ensure you do your research well before heading out. Landing a catch requires more than just a reel and rod. It’s the preparation you take, your skills, and your commitment to learning the craft.
Photo by Jonathan Zerger on Unsplash
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