Posts tagged fishing
A Novice’s Guide to Carp Fishing Equipment
Oct 24th
One of the most popular freshwater fish for anglers is the carp, which gets a lot of attention in Europe, but is still struggling to catch on in the United States. Carp fishing is a popular outdoor activity, and the large size and good fight of these fish is sure to help the growth of this sport continue. One thing every would be carper needs, however, is good fishing equipment.
The first piece of fishing gear to look at is a good carp fishing rod. A suitable fishing rod should be at least six feet long (more is okay), and also medium action. This is the best combination of strength and flexibility to make carp fishing a challenge, but give you a good chance to lead even the trophy sized fish.
Next is the reel. A good reel for carp fishing is one that is open faced. You don't want tangles inside a closed face reel screwing up everything. The reel should also be able to hold 150 yards or more of 12 pound test line.
Obviously you'll want to know what kind of bait to use. While carp will hit about anything, the preferred bait seems to be sticky smelly stuff. Think of the kind of bait that catfish would like, and you're on the right track.
More advanced carpers will often use racks with several rods, or "pods," and set them all up with bait and wait for any carp to show. These rod holders can be very expensive, but also free up the hands for anglers who don't mind catching up on a good book while waiting for the trophy carp to show.
Without the right fishing line, the rest is moot. For carp the absolute "lightest" fishing line you want is 12 pound test line. Heavier line isn't a bad idea, either.
While advanced fishing tackle and gear is going to cost more, the good news is that beginners can get started for pretty cheap. While fishing might not be the least expensive of hobbies, learning to carp fish is a deeply rewarding hobby that provides hours more entertainment than a movie or night out to an expensive bar.
These are some of the basic things you will want to look at when looking at some beginner's gear for carp fishing. Follow the guidelines in this article and you will be looking at some serious success carping in no time.
If you would like to learn more about carp angling gear, feel free to check out that article, or take a look at this carp tackle article. Thanks for reading
Fishing 101
Aug 15th
So, you think you want to learn a new hobby and it's going to be fishing. There are several ways of finding out how to fish, the hardest one being trial and error, however, the best way is to find an instructor for one-on-one lessons.
1. Buy seasickness medication: If you're going to fish on the water, nothing is worse than having your fishing ruined by seasickness. Most seasickness medication e.g. Bonine is very good. Even seasoned fishermen are known to take some on rough days. Take one before you go to sleep, another when you wake up and a third one before you go on board.
2. Get a decent reference book: There are a lot of very good books available at your local bookshops or online. The book should give you instructions as well as the terms and definitions. There are some things you may not immediately understand but that you have to know anyway. One good thing is to learn how to tie different kinds of knots. This useful knowledge will also be invaluable for other purposes throughout your whole life.
3. Go to a party: There are party boats that carry from five to as many as sixty anglers. The boat provides everything you need such as bait, rod, reel, weights and hooks. They assist you in fishing and even take the fish off the hook for you as well. You will make new fishing mates and they will help and advise you. Party boats will generally cost you between $25 - $70 a day and the fish are yours to keep. The party boat is a bargain for beginners.
4. Pick your pier: Assuming you have already acquired the skills to use a rod and reel, you need to look for a fishing pier. The majority of coastal cities have a public pier or pay-to-fish pier. You can rent tackle and buy bait at these piers. If you do have trouble, there are many pier anglers around to help and give you tips.
5. Party or pier?: You may want to do either step three or four times or both at the same time at this point. The best thing to do is to practise both ways several times to really learn them.
6. The reel affair: The traditional reel is probably what you've got up to this point. The traditional reel is designed to take loads of wear and tear. However, perhaps you now want to consider buying another type or / and make of reel. Hopefully, you have already met other anglers and perhaps made a friend or two who can assist you in choosing a reel. You could even ask a fishing equipment store owner for tips.
Firstly, you ought to learn the mechanics of the reel and the other equipment. Learning how to cast, tie knots and bait a hook is not really all that complicated. Secondly, you must learn where to go fishing. Successful fishermen know where the fish are located. Fish move from location to location and knowledgeable anglers know these patterns and are able to anticipate where the fish are likely to be swimming.
