How to Fish Guide: Licenses, Tackle, and Techniques for Beginners

How to Fish Guide: Licenses, Tackle, and Techniques for Beginners

HOW TO FISH GUIDE

We've put this guide together to help folks get going, giving you the basics to start fishing and have fun with it. Once you're into it, you'll find tons of books, websites, and stores that can boost your know-how and skills.

WHAT KIND OF FISHING LICENSE DO YOU NEED?

In most countries, you'll need a fishing license, which you can find at the post office. Rules differ from country to country. You don't need a permit for tidal waters or the sea. Licenses for recreational fishing are required in every state in the United States. While all states more or less follow the same rules, licenses are only nationwide in some cases. Check online to see if there's a "Closed season" for fishing. This means you can't fish in certain areas during specific times. You can find this information online. 

PLACES TO FISH

First, avoid buying extra fishing permits until you've got the hang of fishing. You'll find plenty of places to fish for free when you're starting out. You can fish in rivers, streams, canals, lakes, ponds, harbors, and from the shore or boats in the sea. These spots give you lots of options. If you're not sure where to go, check online. Small ponds, lakes, and canals are great for fishing in the US. When you're on vacation abroad, try fishing from harbors or your holiday beach for some quick fun.

SET UP YOUR ROD

Putting your rod together the right way helps it last longer.

  1. First, arrange the rod sections from biggest to smallest, starting with the handle and ending with the tip.
  2. Next, join the matching male and female ferrules with care.
  3. Push the ferrules together, rotating the rod parts in both directions to secure them.
  4. Additionally, apply gentle pressure until the female section stops moving.
  5. Align the guides on the rod, turning the sections in both directions so the line runs through them.
  6. To disassemble, follow these steps in reverse order.

KNOW THE REEL

The reel lets you cast your line and bring it back in.

  • REEL FOOT: Attaches to the rod handle with a screw thread on the handle.
  • REEL HANDLE: Works for both lefties and righties. Spinning it forward reels in the line. You can unscrew it and flip it around to fit left or right-handed folks.
  • LINE SPOOL: This part holds the fishing line. You need to tie the line to the spool.
  • LINE ROLLER: The line goes from the spool, under the roller, and then down the rod guides.
  • BAIL ARM: Stays open when you cast, then snaps back on its own to wind in the line.
  • ANTI-REWIND: When you turn this on, it stops the reel from spinning backward.
  • DRAG ADJUSTMENT: Make sure the line from the reel will come out before it breaks.
  • SEA FISHING: Wash the reel with fresh water after you fish in the sea to prevent salt from rusting it. It's best to oil the reel again with a product like WD 40.

ATTACHING LINE

  • Open the bail arm.
  • Wrap the line around the reel spool.
  • Make a tight knot of your choice to secure the line to the spool.
  • Trim the excess line to ensure the knot stays in place.
  • Close the bail arm.
  • Grab the line about 50 cm (1 foot) from the reel.
  • Turn the reel handle while keeping the line taut until it's on the reel.
  • Make sure the line sits just below the spool's edge for easier casting.
  • Open the bail arm again and feed the line through the fishing guides.

You'll find the line strength and diameter printed on the reel spool.

LEFT OR RIGHT WIND

You can switch all spinning reels from left to right wind without much effort. You can unscrew either the handle or the nut on the opposite side of the handle. This lets you put the handle on the other side of the reel.

KNOTS AND LINE SETTING

  • Next, attach your hook, lure, or terminal tackle (hook and weight/sinker)
  • Anglers use hundreds of knots to tie tackle. Here are two knots that work for most nylon line needs.

Once you've attached your tackle, you need to adjust the line drag correctly to prevent the line from snapping. You can tweak this so the line flows out when pulled, even when the handle isn't moving. This helps to avoid line breakage if you hook a large fish. 

PRACTICE THE CAST

  • Grab the reel with your stronger hand at the reel foot where it connects to the rod.
  • Make sure your pointer finger can touch just above the bail arm. (Picture 1)
  • Shift the bail arm so the line roller and line are near your pointer finger. Use your pointer finger to wrap around the line, keeping the bail arm closed.
  • Look at the tackle at the line's end. It shouldn't touch the rod tip. Also, don't leave too much line away from the tip (50 cm between the tackle and rod tip works best).
  • Keep your pointer finger on the line, and then open the bail arm (If you let go of the line, it'll come off the spool).
  • Face forward and pull the rod back behind you at a slow pace.
  • Move the rod forward more, letting go of the line from your index finger when the rod is in front of you.
  • The tackle will then fly, pulling the line off the spool until it lands in the water (you'll need to practice getting the timing right).
  • You can pick up the overhand cast, sidearm, underarm, flipping, and skip cast. (Practice will help you learn.) If you want more tips, check out YouTube.

BASIC TACKLE YOU NEED

You'll find most of these in your combination tackle pack (except the scissors, bait box, and landing net)

  • Hooks+line - You need a pack of barbless hooks size 14 or 16 tied to the fishing line.
  • Floats - Simple floats do the job. Get floats with line, weights, and a hook already attached.
  • Disgorger - You'll use this to take the hook out of the fish's mouth after you catch one.
  • Split shot - You can squeeze these onto the line using pliers, forceps, or even your teeth.
  • Weights - You'll need to fish with bait on the bottom. 1/4-ounce bomb sinkers work well.
  • Scissors - These help you cut the fishing line when you tie your hook length to the main line.
  • Bait box - A takeaway container works well. Just make sure you poke lots of little holes in the lid.
  • Landing net - Bringing in your catch is maybe the most crucial part of fishing. For tiny fish, you can lift them out of the water. You might grab bigger ones by hand, but using a net is the simplest way to go. You don't need to spend a lot on these nets.

BEST WAYS TO START FISHING

Keep in mind that you don't need to throw your line far to catch fish. They're just as likely to swim near your rod tip as in the middle of the water.

FLOAT FISHING

The simplest way to begin with children and newcomers. This approach allows you to see the bite. It's straightforward and uncomplicated, and the bait is available. Mostly, you're likely to catch fish. They might not be large, but you and your family will enjoy yourselves. The bait should rest on or very close to the water's bottom. You need to fasten the float with tiny weights and then choose how to add weights to sink your bait. The float should have enough weight so its top sits just above the water's surface. A bite shows when the float moves down or up.

LEDGERING

This means fishing at the bottom of the water (on the river, lake, or seabed), letting your bait sink, and watching for the tip of your rod to move or line to pull out to show a bite.

There are many ways to do this, depending on the fishing spot. Still, the idea stays the same - to get your bait to the bottom and make the tackle heavy enough for you to notice when a fish bites. Hook sizes from 16 to 6 work well for this, based on how big the fish are.

Keep in mind the lighter the weight, the less the fish will feel the tackle, so you'll catch more. You can even fish without weights, just using the bait as the weight itself.

LURE FISHING (SPINNING)

METAL & HARD PLASTIC LURES

Your tackle box contains these lures. This method targets fish that eat other fish. Trout salmon, pike, perch, chub, and sea fish fall into this category. It involves pulling a lure through the water to mimic a small fish.

Lure fishing doesn't require much time or gear. The Mepps style spinner, in sizes 1, 2, or 3, works best to start with (we like size 0 for smaller fish). You can also try other metal lures or plastic baits that look like fish.

Anglers have a vast array of lures to pick from - thousands, in fact. When choosing, it's crucial to think about the fish's well-being. That's why we suggest using lures with single barbless hooks. These are kinder to the fish and just as safe for you as an angler. Trust me, getting a barbed hook removed is no picnic - not for the fish and not for you!

  • You can tie lures to the fishing line.
  • For Pike fishing, you'll need a Pike Trace (check online for details).
  • Throw it out, then pull it back at different speeds and depths to locate fish.
  • Don't stick around one spot too long. Keep on the move.
  • Be sure to flatten the hook's barb to remove it from the fish more easily.
  • Have fishing forceps (look them up) ready in case you hook a fish.

SOFT LURES

It's a lot cheaper than spinners but just as effective. These are soft lures fished with a bigger single hook, which may or may not have a weight attached (with weight it's called a jig head). Once more, you can pick from thousands of options that mimic fish, worms, larvae, and crustaceans. You can retrieve these like a spinner, bounce them along the bottom, or move them up and down (jigging) to get fish to bite. Again, think about using single barbless hooks.

BAITS

Fish can see your bait, so you need to make it as attractive as possible. Fish have a lower chance of biting if they spot the line or hook. You can use all the baits mentioned here with floats or at the bottom of the water.

  • White Bread
    •

    This bait costs almost nothing. Almost every fish eats white bread. Begin with small hooks, size 16 or 18, on a float, covering the hook with a small amount of bread. Floating white bread on the surface works great to catch chub and carp. It's also an excellent way to catch mullet in the sea while on vacation.

  • Worms
    •

    Worms of any size work for garden fishing, even small worm pieces. Try to conceal the hook inside the worm as much as you can. Chopped worms attract even minnows. Worms fit on hooks ranging from size 16 to size 6.

  • Maggots
    •

    Most fishing supply shops sell maggots. Start with a half pint of mixed maggots. Push the hook through the maggot's bottom (the thick part). You can also toss in a few maggots (about 6) every 3 casts to keep fish interested.

  • Sweetcorn
    •

    This bait is inexpensive, and ranks among the top fishing lure in use today. The sugary flavor of the corn helps to attract many fish species. 

  • Other Baits
    •

    You can try anything to catch fish, depending on your target. Slugs, bugs, smaller fish, shellfish, shrimp, nuts, dog treats, and potatoes all work. Plus, you'll find tons of factory-made baits. Now's the time to search online to learn more.

    BITE INDICATION

    How can you tell when a fish bites? Floats might rise, sink, or tilt sideways, signaling a bite. With bait fishing, you'll notice the rod tip-tapping. These taps range from noticeable to strong enough to bend the rod. Be careful not to mix them up with your bait hitting the bottom. For lure fishing, you'll feel the line tug or your lure gets hit hard. When this happens, you need to jerk the rod. Through practice, you will get better at spotting these signs.

    STRIKING & PLAYING THE FISH

    Striking means setting the hook in the fish. You do this with a quick, short lift of your rod tip. After you hook the fish, keep steady pressure on it to prevent it from escaping. Raising your rod tip works best for this. The only way to get better is through practice. You're using barbless hooks. You'll lose some fish until you learn how much pressure to apply.

    UNHOOKING A FISH

    Unless you're catching trout or salmon, which is doubtful if you need this guide, all your fish should stay healthy to go back into the water.

    The fish's size decides which end of the disgorger you use. Always keep the line tight as it comes out of the mouth.

    DISGORGER

    If you're unsure about this process, watch a video online first. Keep the line tight and put the disgorger's slot over the line. Slide it along the line until you reach the hook. Push the hook in the opposite direction, the way it went in until it was free, then carefully take it out.

    LOOK AFTER YOUR FISH

    To fish, you need some essential gear. Ensure you have a hook, scissors, forceps, a landing net, and a wet hand towel or unhooking mat for big fish. 

    Keep in mind that all hooks should be barbless, to ensure you can return fish to the water safely.

    If you find this guide useful, then follow Rigged&Ready for more such fishing guides, tips, and safety measures. Make sure to checkout our store to get your hands on the premium fishing rods, tackle, and gears.

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