Got the boat, paddle and PFD. Want to know about rods,reels,and stuff for basic fishing. I haven't used them much but I like spinning reels.
I will most likely be fishing for pan fish and bass along shore lines and in trees.
Do not want to spend a fortune on a maybe hobby.
Thanks.
getting started
You can get a rod and reel for under $10.00 at thrift stores, garage sales, and even antique stores.d
Worms and a hook, sinkers, and bobber are all you need to catch bluegill, bass, northern, walleye, trout, catfish, and many other variety.
Small hooks will catch small fish AND big fish
Look up bargain fishing lures and gear online to find all kinds of tacklebfor cheap
Evil Empire of shopping
WalMart has basic intro packages. For a total of $30, you can get rod/reel/tackle and some extras to get you started. Minimal up-front costs in case you’re not hooked…pun definitely intended…
however, you reel in your first keeper fish and it’s difficult to walk away. Not unlike golf, once you hit that first beautiful drive, you want to do it again…
Hey - Good to see you over here.
For panfish and bass from a kayak or canoe, my recommendation is to get a 6’ or 6’6" M spinning rod, with a reel that balances.
The rod should fit your hand well. The reel should be of good quality, but doesn’t have to break the bank. It will probably be the more expensive item. I like Diawa and Okuma for freshwater reels. They tend to be a bit heavier than the Shimano and other higher end reels, but I find that they are reliable and durable. I don’t keep up with the model names, but you can usually find reels in the 1500 size around $40. Also, Bass Pro Shops has a model called the Excel, which is very good and goes on sale often. I have beaten the heck out of mine for ten years and it still works very well.
For rods, I have no brand preference. If you want absolute and total durability, then get an Ugly Stick. I have a Falcon brand rod that I really like. It feels good, was affordable, and it’s sensitive. I think I paid $40 for the rod with a reel attached.
For tackle, size matters. Smaller lures for bluegill. Larger lures for bass. The same rod/reel combo will cast them both.
For bass, I get 3/0 EWG worm hooks, slip sinkers, and glass beads (I prefer red for some reason). Another easy/peasy thing are 1/8 or 1/4 oz long shaft jigs. For the lures, I love soft plastics. You can fish the entire water column with them, and change colors easily and cheaply. A few things to always have with you are (1) white grubs, (2) chartreuse grubs, (3) Case Plastics Jacks Worms in the same color as the river bottom. Tubes are good too, and you can get a Venom tube assortment at Wal-Mart for under $10.
For bluegills, I go super simple. I put a styrofoam bobber with a built in weight to keep it upright, leave about 18" of line out (adjusting it as conditions dictate), then I tie on a nymph fly. The best seem to be stone fly nymphs, which are available cheaply in a variety of sizes, and hare’s ear nymphs, also available cheaply in a variety of sizes. It’s the easiest danged fishing you’ll ever have. You don’t even need live bait but it will remind you of sitting on a dock when you’re three years old fishing with your grand-dad. Even if you never did that.
For tools, have some needle nose pliers, a pair of hemostats - preferably with a curved tip, and a knife. I generally use the pliers to pinch down the barbs on my hooks to make unhooking easier.
For line, if you like braided line then I prefer FireLine or P-Line. If you like monofilament line, then I prefer Trilene XL. 8 lb test mono would be good. I usually use 4/10 braided line.
Keep a close eye on these on-line retailers for sales on tackle, terminal tackle, lures, and flies: Cabelas, Bass Pro Shops, Academy, Sierra Trading Company, Orvis.
I keep my terminal tackle in a small Plano over/under and strap it to the center support of my kayak. I keep the soft plastics in the bags they’re sold in, and toss those in a small dry bag. Low tech, effective, and simple.
Good luck. Have fun. Stay safe.
That is what I was looking for.
Thanks Big D.
Looked at Bass Pro Shops on-line
You’re welcome. It seems y prices are a bit out of date, but you can still find bargains.
This would be a good combination for you.
http://www.cabelas.com/product/Fishing/Rod-Reel-Combos/Spinning-Combos%7C/pc/104793480/c/104762880/sc/105791580/Pfluegerreg-Presidentreg-Spinning-Combo/1308567.uts?destination=%2Fcatalog%2Fbrowse%2Fspinning-combos%2F_%2FN-1102843%2FNs-CATEGORY_SEQ_105791580%3FWTz_l%3DUnknown%253Bcat104793480%253Bcat104762880&WTz_l=Unknown%3Bcat104793480%3Bcat104762880%3Bcat105791580
$80 for both a rod and reel, from a reliable manufacturer. I’d recommend the 6930 size, but the one next size up could be good too.
I was in Cabelas yesterday and
overwhelmed by the plethora of fishing gear.
Chunk n wind
Big D gave you some solid advice. I too believe it best to start with small lures and light tackle. This approach is somewhat mathematical or statistical. There are more small fish than big fish, but small fish typically don’t eat large lures. Once you get tired of catching small fish, then start using larger lures. The other thing you can do to improve your odds of catching fish is to “chunk n wind”. Keep you lure in the water and cover lots of area. About 90% of the fish will be located in 10% of the water. If you learn to read the water and identify the ambush points where fish are located, then you’ll catch more fish. I try to fish cheap. My all time favorites are a 1/16 oz jig head with white curly tail grub or a rooster tail in white or colors that match baitfish. It pays to learn how to keep your lures from snagging and how to get lures free from snags. Keep lures moving and if you get snagged paddle over to free the lure. In some cases I reel down to the lure underwater and push it off with the rod tip. Another statistic, single hooks snag less than treble hooks and are easier to free when snagged. If you mash down the barb on the hook it is even easier to remove. Experience is the best teacher.
fishing equip
Find someone that knows your kind of fishing and bring them along to help you.