Want to Learn Fishing Best Practices

C_Kyle

C_Kyle

Joined
Feb 7, 2005
Messages
1,086
I want to get into casual fishing, freshwater and saltwater, and I don't know where to begin. Here's where I'm at so far:

I know some of the knots used in fishing.
I sort of understand what the different rod shapes and action weights are for.
I know that the reel should be matched to the rod, and the line weight to the rod/reel.

I have no idea what all the different lures/jigs/baits/etc work on what fish. I don't really understand what the different bobbers/hooks/sinkers/and everything else that has a ton of variations are for.

Here's what I have for equipment so far:

UglyStick Medium action rod
Okuma spinning reel (I am comfortable with a spinner)
Currently it's wound with 20lb SpyderWire (I went out to the Gulf last weekend and figured that would handle anything I caught (which was nothing))
An assortment of round sinkers.
An assortment of bobbers, weighted/unweighted, spherical, eliptical, and the kind with the stick through the center.
2, 3, 4 size hooks.
3 lures that I have no idea what they're for.

I'd like to learn what to do with this stuff, and what works best for what type of fish. After swapping out hook for lure several times last weekend, I think people must make like a quick release setup (I think this is called a leader).

I was thinking about looking for a book at the book store this weekend. I looked around the net and shockingly didn't find much.

Anyone have any ideas or recommend a decent beginner's book with pictures?:)
 
Fishing is not super easy. It takes time to learn and not catching fish is not a good way to keep your intrest. I dont know where you are from and what kinda water you are fishing but here are a few tips. Use live bait whenever possible. If fishing saltwater my personal favorite is live shrimp. dead shrimp and cut bait work as well but not as good IMO. For freash water its hard to beat crickets, minnows, and earthworms. Your set up seems a little much for pan fish but would work well for Bass and inland salt water.

For artifical bait well I never fish artificial in salt water but freash water I do a good bit. If fishing for Bass the good old plastic worm is hard to beat. I personally like red shad and motoroil colors for murkery water and a chartruse or blue worm for clear water. Also get a few Rapala broke back minnows they are the $h!t. i also like the tiny torpedo. For pan fish i like small beetle spins like the spindanndy and regular old flip-Os. anyways hope this helps. Find Dancing lessons its a how to flim in a couple of parts by Bill dance. It will teach you alot about freash water bass fishing. also watch all the fishing shows on sunday like jimmy huston outdoors. hope this helps man. good luck.
 
Being pretty early in narrowing this down, I can say this:

There are many different types of fish and many different lures. You can read lots of books and ask questions to help but there will be no substitute for real, on the water experience. So get out there by yourself and try stuff! Go to a local stream, lake, or pond and try to catch something, anything. You will learn way faster by experience than by any other method. That shouldn't discourage you from reading or asking questions though. Maybe get a cable subscription that has an outdoor channel. They will often have shows in all parts of the country for all different kinds of fish.

In a very general way of speaking, the feeding and territorial habbits of gamefish are not all that different from one another. So you'll be employing many of the same basic principals.

Maybe saying where you live or have a certain species of fish to target at first will be a help.:thumbup:
 
The first thing you need to do is figure out what species of fish you are going to target the most, in what type of water, and whether you will be in a boat or on shore.

Fishing for bass in a lake on a boat, is entirely different than fishing for trout in a stream from shore. Everything is different from rods, to lures, etc. Even if you are trolling for trout on a lake, it will be entirely different than soaking worms on the bank.

Some of your staple lures though for bass and trout would be, the castmaster, Rapala's, and roostertails. Also, fishing with nightcrawlers works well for both. And power bait works well for trout. Using small snap swivals will help when you are switching lures alot. If you are bait fishing don't change your setup, be patient, and wait, even for hours.

For bait fishing: Powerbait for trout or nightcrawlers for bass, same system. Slide an egg sinker on your line, looks like a football with a hole going longways. Tie on a suitable sized hook, larger for the bass, smaller 10 or 12 for the powerbait trout. About 2 feet from the hook, pinch a splitshot in front of the egg sinker so it doesn't slide down to the hook. Pinch it hard, with your teeth or pliers. Powerbait should be sufficient to float your hook, and no hook should be showing. Worm for bass will sit on the bottom, or you can inflate it with a needle to get it off the ground some.

Worms or eggs for trout: Tie on suitable hook, small egg hook for an egg. Then about 2-3 feet from the hook, put on a regular round red and white bobber. White towards the hook.

Learn how to tie the uni-knot. It is the only knot I use, other than and overhand loop.

I hope this helps you get started. Your best bet is to find a fishing buddy who has been fishing for a long time for the same species you want to fish for. Also, a magazine subscription to a fishing magazine that specilizes in your type of fishing will help.
 
90% of the fish are in 10% of the water.
10% of the fisherman catch 90% of the fish.
Finding the first ten percent will help you get into the second ten percent.

7' spinning rod is a good all around start.
I like the palomar knot for superlines and the trilene knot for monofiliment.

Back to that 10% of the water...
All of mother natures critters love edges. Deer on the edge of a field, mouse on the edge of the floor, fish on the edge of the weed line.
Learn to look for edges. Shallow to deep. Crossing currents. Weeds. Rocks. Trees.
All make/have/are edges.
One of the biggest edges is a point.
Find a point, then find some of the above bits on that point and you'll have a productive spot to fish.
Could be a hole at the end of a sandbar or a submerged rock on the end of a finger of land sticking into the lake.

The technical stuff is easy. You can practice your knots at home and cast in the yard or ball field.
Learn to tie good knots that don't fail.
Learn to cast sidearm, overhead and underhand.

If you fish with bait, make sure it is fresh and change it often.

Learn about the fish you want to catch.
Where they feed and what they feed on.

Every fish you catch is telling you something.
You have to ask yourself why was he there?
What was I doing? (especially important with artificials)

Read up on your local regulations.
Eat what you kill.
Release the ones you don't intend to eat.

Tight lines :D

Oh and one more thing. That superline will cut you like a knife if you wrap it around your hand to land a large fish or free a snag.
I like a piece of dowel to wrap the line around to free snags and a heavy mono leader to land large fish.
 
Like the others stated, its not easy. Specially when you don't know what your targeting.

Lures can catch almost any fish; as long as you use the right lure, at the right time, for the right fish.

You said you went out to the gulf, so I am assuming you went Saltwater fishing. If you tell us your location we will be able to help you better. When salt water fishing the tide is very important. The incoming and outgoing tide will be much more productive than slack tide.

Please tell us your location and we can better help you. If you have access to charter boats, get on them. The mates will be very knowlegable and helpful. They will supply you with what you need and you can slowly learn from there. Pay attention when they're rigging up the rods and ask question when they are NOT busy.

I look forward to hearing back from you,

Tony
 
stingray4540 said:
The first thing you need to do is figure out what species of fish you are going to target the most, in what type of water, and whether you will be in a boat or on shore.
Click to expand...

That's the most important thing! What type of fish are you going after? Everything else depends on that.

A particular species of fish is found in certain types of water or habitat, and will respond to certain types of baits or lures. You've got to do your homework or scouting, much like hunting, if you're going to have much chance of success.

Best idea is to find a local person who is a good fisherman who will take you out for the kind of fishing you want to do, and show you how to do it.

Apart from that, be more specific about what kind of fish and where, and we'll try to give you better information.
 
tonym said:
Listen to him:thumbup:

Ebbtide, we need to go fishing sometime bro!
Click to expand...

Thanx :thumbup:
Sounds like fun.
I excercised the solo angler's "rollover option" way too many times last summer.

I almost forgot fishing rule #1
"Sometimes the fish bite, sometimes they don't."
:D
 
Ebbtide said:
90% of the fish are in 10% of the water.
10% of the fisherman catch 90% of the fish.
Finding the first ten percent will help you get into the second ten percent.


One of the biggest edges is a point.
Find a point...
Click to expand...


Very Good advise! :thumbup:

Listen to what he has to say.


As he said 90% of fish in 10% of the water is absolutely true. I've been skunked while my buddy limited out only 10 feet from me. Then I moved to his spot and limited out myself.
 
I've fished all my life.

You should start bait fishing in a lake until you pick up more skill. Read up on it in magazine'es and books. And ask other fishermen for help when you can. But be warned not all fishermen like to be bugged. I tend to be antisocial when I'm out.

Gear is important, but secondary to knowing the habitat and behavior of the species of fish you go for. And the water systems you fish are important too. Focusing on those will make you a better fishermen.
 
Ebbtide said:
Thanx :thumbup:
Sounds like fun.
I excercised the solo angler's "rollover option" way too many times last summer.

D
Click to expand...

Name the time and place.

I do most of my fishing in the NYCDEP owned reseviors in Westchester, but I can travel. :thumbup:
 
I mostly fish fresh water, high country lakes and rivers. I know I fish for trout.
the things I had to learn was...
water patterns, what is happening underwater to make things happen on the surface.
where fish hang out and why.
feeding patterns..
feeding patterns and water temperature.
life cycles of bugs and what colors the bugs turn during the year.
last but not least how much beer you can drink before you can't actually fish anymore.

P.S. go to your local tackle shop and ask the old crusty guys what they fish and why. old guys will tell you their life story and everything they know about fishing.
 
I have been fishing for many of my 43 yrs. walking this planet. With the internet as a resource for the last 5 yrs. for me, I always do some research on the new area I am fishing. It will put a slope to your learning curve. I also will talk to the dock bait counter help or boat rental person and simply ask, "What are they hittin on?" It will bring your success rate up. Fishing line and leader line should match your game. I use 10 lb on my small poles that will do lake, river or harbor fishing. I then use a leader line on trout or fresh water fish it seems to help. Trout leader I use 2 lb with a swivel to prevent all the tangling. I tie hooks with a figure 8 knot, it is durable easy to do, and holds well.
 
Top the OP

There has been lots of good advice already given but can I highlght the following:

countryboycansurvive said:
There are many different types of fish and many different lures. You can read lots of books and ask questions to help but there will be no substitute for real, on the water experience. So get out there by yourself and try stuff! Go to a local stream, lake, or pond and try to catch something, anything. You will learn way faster by experience than by any other method. That shouldn't discourage you from reading or asking questions though.
Click to expand...

IMO, there is simply no better teacher in life than doing :D

Tight lines.



Kind regards
Mick
 
If you have friends who fish ask their advice or talk to the guys at your local sporting goods store. If you don't have friends who fish, you should make some new friends. I do all fishing except ice fishing and agree with most things that have been said. You can learn from the internet and books but it doesn't compare to learning by doing. If you find the right teacher you will learn much more than a book will ever teach. I grew up freshwater fishing, taught myself to fly-fish, and learned from others about saltwater fishing. Most fishermen will gladly talk to you about most things but all have a few tricks you'll have to learn on your own. I've learned a lot about saltwater by paying attention to the guys who knew what they were doing. When we show up at Avalon Pier now, we are recognized by the locals who share information, conversation, and a cold beer or two. My girlfriend had never fished for trout five years ago and she puts most fishermen to shame on a stream now. She read a few books but learned more by listening, watching, and doing. If there are pay streams nearby that are stocked daily that’s a good way to catch some fish. If you have access to water that has a good population of panfish, they are a good species to learn. The best thing to do is get out and try.
 
Oops, forgot to mention my location: Ocala, FL.

I want catch crappie, pan, and bass in fresh water, and trout and redfish in salt.

Thanks for all the replies. I'm still working on reading everything.
 
OK, I read everything. Thanks for all the info.

I was pretty much leaning in the direction everyone was pointing to, which was get out and try stuff.

I'm asking about where to start because I don't want to develop bad habits. I figured it would be better to start off on the right foot.

I have tons of lakes and rivers just in my county. I'm planning to go fishing Saturday, just not sure where yet. I think I want to fish for crappie or pans on Saturday.

I'll take my camera along just in case!
 
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