Fishing Tips for Beginners

So you decided to be an angler today but don’t know quite where or how to start? Maybe, you were urged by your friends, maybe it’s a family tradition and you want to help out more than usual. Sometimes fishing skills are innate, but sometimes it’s acquired and learned.

No matter the situation you always need to brush up on the fundamentals to know how to do things right. Fishing is about confidence, it’s about self-reliance, and it’s going to require a lot of patience and determination.

But rest assured that it’s a lot of fun! Here are some fishing tips for beginners.

Table of Contents

License

Before you proceed there are some areas especially in North America where you need to have a license to fish. So, obviously, before anything else, you’re going to have to secure one. Also, know when it’s the season to fish (if there is any), or any local rules and regulations. You would want to stick within the guidelines to be sure you are a responsible angler.

Equipment

Next up is to gather the equipment you’ll need to get a good first-time experience. A rod and spinning reel combo should still be best for beginners. This pair is easier to utilize and very versatile too.

Your next stop should then be to pick up some lures and bait. Live worms and Powerbait should be good bait for a beginner to use. Also, lures attract fish so a combo of the two should also work just fine. Some bobbers, rubber net, long nose pliers, and a small tackle box should come in handy.

So you should be all set from casting to catching and retrieving.

Basic Techniques (Casting, Hooking, Landing)

Basic Fishing Techniques - Fishing Tips For Beginners — Basic Fishing Techniques

At this point, you should know or learn how to cast.

Hold the rod horizontally as you grip the rod using your dominant hand. The reel then should be below the rod facing the ground.
Make sure to have 6 to 12 inches of the line hanging (off the tip of the rod), as you reel the line slowly.
Make sure to align your rod with the line roller.
Using your index finger pull the line off the roller, and hold it against the grip.
Maintain your grip as you use your free but non-dominant hand and flip the reel’s bail going up.
Lastly, bring the rod up and over your head only past vertical. Throw forward as you release the line using your index fingers and your arm should be at 45 degrees.

Next is to learn how to hook your bite and landing it.

Properly hooking your bite is crucial to turn it into a catch. Some things you don’t want to happen or are caused by improper hooking is when the fish spits out your lure, and the line breaks under the power and weight of the fish.
To keep these things from happening then you are going to need to set the hook properly into the fish’s mouth after it has bitten your bait or lure. You can do so by setting it with the right pressure and the right time.
As your bobber jerk or sink, it’s time to point the rod tip up and then pull back with just moderate pressure. This is to as much as possible keep the lure in the fish’s mouth and without ripping a part of its lip. Timing is everything.
Once a proper hookset is established, you’ll need to focus and tire the fish out by keeping the rod tip up. Again cranking immediately after the bite will just oftentimes result to the line breaking off. Tire it out and reel it in!
The next trick to learn is landing the fish! This is where your net should be of help. Use the net to scoop your catch up to make sure it doesn’t hit itself on any rock or something.
Also, don’t squeeze the fish’s stomach or try not to touch its gills plus don’t keep it out of the water for long if you plan to release it.

Familiarize your fishing areas

Naturally, you can fish on several bodies of water. The most common spots are lakes, seas, and rivers. What comes with this are various techniques and a different level of patience when trying to catch fish in different areas.

So, the most important thing here is research. Scout or research valuable information that will help you understand and know the ins and outs of the lake or river you are planning to fish from.

If you’re going saltwater fishing then most likely you are on a boat. Understanding how to fish while on a boat is essential. Also, make sure to pack everything that you need as accessibility on anything should be a bit harder than when in freshwater. Learn how to read the currents and know the fish that’s in the area.

For freshwater fishing what you need is the right bait or lure. Also, map the place out as mentioned above, this is important. Make it a habit to check water temperature as it affects the fish’s behavior. And lastly, pack all the essentials, and keep those hands clean.

Get acquainted with your intended catch

Know your fish is all we mean by this section.

Top saltwater fishes are Blue Marlin, Tarpon, Mako Shark, Black Marlin, and Striped Marlin. While the top freshwater catches are Northern Pike, Musky, Bass, Salmon, and Trout.

For beginners bass fishing is ideal. They’re fast cunning and lots of fun to catch!

Each specie of fish behaves differently and is in turn lured differently from their habitats. So it’s important to know them accordingly to catch a haul.

Safety! Safety! Safety!

Last but not least is Safety! As with anything, we need to be careful with whatever we do. You can get injured fishing minor or major so you must observe proper methods to ensure yours and everyone else’s safety.

We’re talking about minor stuff like bringing proper gear to protect yourself from the elements. A good hat to protect yourself from the sun, maybe sunscreen and some waders. Drink plenty of water and check thoroughly if fishing in wildlife areas.

These fishing tips for beginners should more than help you out to get ahead of the game. Enjoy and reel them in.

Fishing Tips for Beginners – Absolute Guide For Aspiring Anglers!