Stocking your tackle box is not nearly as complicated as it might seem, perusing the aisles of your local sporting goods shop. All you really have to have is a hook, line and bait. Today's fishing enthusiasts have a vast array of tools and high tech gadgets, all designed for specific tpyes of fish and conditions. Whether the fish care about all the advances is open to deliberate!
As terrific as all the toys are, let's maintain the focus on the fundamentals for now. The basic necessities include: fishing pole, hooks, a weighted floater, bait and a tackle box.
Rod & Reel
A straight forward, lightweight rod and reel combo is a good starting place. I like the telescoping ones. They expand and contract from a matter of inches to six or seven feet. Hikers, campers and bikers prize their portability. They are easy to carry, store or keep in the car. You can fasten it to, or perhaps even fit it within, your tackle box.
Hooks
Fish hooks have to be small and sharp. Fish won't bite if the hook is too large. It makes the bait seem to be unfamiliar, and they sense that something is not right. Large or dull hooks don't penetrate as easily as sharp small ones, allowing fish to get away more readily. A good rule of thumb (literally) for knowing whether your fish hook is sharp enough is to lightly run it along your thumbnail. If it leave a scratch, it's sharp enough. If it leaves a scratch, it's sharp.
Depending on the quality of steel used to make them, even new fish hooks may need to be sharpened. All fish hooks will become dull with use. You can use a sharpening stone or a fish hook file to hone your hooks.
There are two systems for idendifying the sizes of fish hooks.
1) Fish hooks are sized 1 to 32, with 1 being the largest and 32, the smallest.
2) Other hooks are sized as fractions. The smallest is 1/0, and the largest is 19/0, pronounced nineteen-aught.
Bottom line:
1) The smaller the fish, the smaller the hook you should use.
2) Always use the smallest hook possible for the type of fish you are going after.
3) Always make sure your fish hook is sharp.
Bait
Bait is highly individualized and hotly debated. In truth, bait needs to look like a tastey treat to the fish, but with a hook embedded. Rubber worms, live worms and crickets are perrenniel favorites.
Weighted Bobber
The bobber has a small weight attached, which descends into the water, while the bobber itselft rests on the surface of the water. The bobber, the weight and the hook are all attached to the same fishing line. When a fish bites, you floater will bob up and down in the water to let you know.
Fishing weights, made from steel and lead, can be tied onto your line, pinched on or twisted on with a rubber insert. Another type of weight looks like a button and allows the line to pass through. It is called a slider. The weight needs to be just heavy enough to allow you to detect fish strikes.
Tackle Box
Tackle boxes should be made of a strong material and contain assorted compartments for organization. Organizational compartments help you to keep your gear in order, as well as protect your fingers from fish hooks! A pre-filled tackle box may be a good choice for beginning anglers. They carry the basice, and you can expand on them later.
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