Beginners Guide to How to Fish

As with trying out anything new, fishing can be a daunting experience as you worry about what type of fishing rod you need, how to set a rig and bait and what to do if you actually catch a fish. Shoreline fishing is a great option if you just want to get out to a lake, pond or river and catch some fish by trying out different rigs and techniques without spending a lot of money.

To get you started on how to fish from a shoreline, you will need know some common terms and have some basic gear to get out there.

Common terms that will help you out when talking other fisherman or buying fish product include what it means to set the hook. When a fish takes your line and you get that definite tug, jerk your rod back quickly and bring that catch in. There are two types of hooking: shallow and deep hook sets. Shallow hooking is when you set the hook in the fish’s mouth. Deep hooking is when you set the hook deep into the fish’s throat or body. Deep hooking is traumatic to the fish and will most likely kill it so if this occurs- plan to keep it. Avoid deep hooking by setting the hook when you feel the tug on your line. If you let the fish run with your line by giving it plenty of line freedom, most likely the fish will have swallowed the bait by the time you set the hook.

Other terms you may need to know are more related to types of fishing rods and reels and rig configurations. A Leader line is usually made up of heavier test line and is the connecting line of your hook to your main line by a type of swivel. The leader line will vary in length and test based on the conditions you are fishing in and type of fish you are going after. A type of fishing technique is to use a lure and lures come in a variety of shapes and styles and each have a unique swim pattern. Lures are made to look like an injured, dying or fast moving fish and are retrieved immediately after casting out. Common types of lures are jigs, spoons, crankbait, spinnerbait and swimbait. Often when talking about the type of fishing rod, the term action will come up. Action is the responsiveness of the rod to bending force and the speed of which the rod returns to its natural position. Actions may be slow, medium, fast or a combination of two (slow‐medium, medium‐fast). Another critical component of the fishing rod is the reel. There are three different types of reels in the market. Spin cast reel have a pushbutton line release for casting and an enclosed nose‐cone. This kind is mounted on top of the rod. Typically, the spin cast reel is used by casual anglers as they are good for catching small to medium size fish and they are inexpensive. Spinning reels are the most used type of reel as it is excellent for casting light lures and bait. The line capacity is much higher than a spin cast reel so fishing for salmon or trout is possible. These reels have a smooth drag. Spinning reels are more difficult to use than Spin cast reels and comes in a wider variety of sizes. Spinning reels attach to the bottom of a rod. Bait casting reels are the most difficult to use. These reels are designed for heavy lines, heavy lures and big fish and fishing in heavy cover. Bait Casting reels come in the widest variety of sizes and can take a beating day after day. Bait Casting reels mount to the top of a bait rod.

To learn how to fish you will need the following items to get started in addition to whatever your local fishing regulation requirements call out for such as a fishing license.

The Fishing Rod
There is no need to go out and buy the most expensive fishing rod on the market. There are some great fishing combos you can purchase for $20 or less which includes all the beginning tackle you may need. I started off with a Shakespeare medium action fishing combo that still does a good job today. Be prepared to purchase a different type of monofilament line as the line that comes spooled on the reel is not usually good quality. As you improve over time I would also encourage you to buy a smoother type spinning reel as it will make a difference in catching more fish but the reel that comes with these combo kits will suffice as you get started.

Tackle
Most starter combo kits come with a small amount of tackle that is usually enough. The pieces of tackle you should have within your arsenal are:
• Split shot weights: have some raisin size and some BB size split shot weight
• Bullet or Barrel sinkers: I would recommend having some of each
• 2‐way and 3‐way small swivels
• Size 4 and 8 hooks – I have caught channel catfish and a variety of trout species including cutthroats with these sizes.
• Floats: get a package of the round or slim‐bodied floats that come in different sizes. A package of water bobbers won’t go to waste either and is my preferred type of bobber.
• Purchase long‐needle nose hook removal pliers in addition to having the standard needle nose pliers available. I do not recommend using the standard needle nose pliers as your primary means of removing hooks, especially from smaller fish. The standard pliers are beneficial when removing hooks from catfish or from other tough jawed type fish.
• Additional test: I recommend replacing the line that comes with the rod & reel combo as it is usually not the best type of line. There is nothing worse than hooking your first fish and the line breaks. I recommend purchasing some 6lb or 8lb monofilament line to start off with.

Bait
Over time, your bait inventory will increase as you explore more methods to attract fish to your hook. I would recommend starting off with live bait such as Night crawlers as they can be easily purchased and most fish will go after a tasty, slithering worm. I would include some type of PowerBait that you can play around with. Most come in a variety of colors and smells for specific fish species.

Go prepared
Make your time around the lake enjoyable. Bring a folding chair, snacks, paper towels and the openness to learn and to try different things out. Practice reeling at different speeds, casting out and trying different rigs. Although catching a fish is the purpose of being out there, make learning and getting used to your fishing equipment a primary focus. Becoming proficient at how to fish different depths and fish species is the difference between catching one fish and catching a bunch of fish. Learn more about the different fishing rigs by visiting my site and downloading An Introduction and Practical Guide to Fishing