Fishing 101: The Tips to Get You Hooked

The fast paced society we live in is certainly taking its toll on our bodies and minds. Stress, depression, chronic fatigue and back pain are just some of the negative consequences that we experience due to our hectic ways of life. That’s why many people turn to hobbies which relax their bodies, put their minds at ease and help them get rid of negative energy. For me, that blow-some-steam kind of activity is fishing. I’ve been practicing it for many years and I simply love the feeling it gives me. If you too want to try out this amazing hobby, here are some tips to kickstart your journey.

Get Informed

Knowledge is power and before you do anything else, you need to learn the basic fishing techniques. One way to do this is to get an experienced angler to take you with him on a fishing trip. Observe how he ties the lure and how he moves the rod. Most importantly, ask him all the fishing-related questions that you want to know the answers to so that you learn as much as possible.

However, not everyone knows an angler they can ask for help. Luckily, in this modern age of information, with a quick Google search, you can find everything you need. There are a lot of websites devoted to fishing enthusiasts, free PDF guides and interesting articles – there’s just no limit to what you can find. I personally found fishing video clips the most helpful in mastering certain techniques. They offer a unique look inside fishing step by step. I even dare to say that fishing video clips are way better than observing in person. While you cannot actually record all the movements of the angler, these clips make it possible for you to pause and rewind in order to focus better on key moments that interest you. Moreover, if you forget how a particular technique or some rod movement is done, you can always re-watch it.

Gear Up

Congratulations! You’ve learned the basics of fishing and now you are ready to buy your first fishing equipment. How exciting! Here’s what you’re going to need.

Rod and reel – The rod you pick should be around 30 cm longer than your height, made from a flexible material and strong enough to withstand the weight of heavier fish. For a beginner, the easiest reals to use are the spincasting ones. More specifically, the spincasting reels of closed variety as these can be operated with a single push of a button. Once you become more confident you can move to a bait-casting reel.

Hook and Line – To increase your chances of catching fish, go for a smaller hook and line. There are many types of hooks, but circle hooks are best because they don’t end up in the fish’s stomach, but instead get caught up in the corner of their mouths so they are easier to remove afterwards. Furthermore, monofilament line is more durable and flexible than the other types. Pay attention to its “test” value because this measures how strong the line is. For smaller fish try 1-3 kg test line, and for the bigger ones a 5 – 10 kg test will be enough to support their weight without tearing.

Baits – Different species fall for different bait. Catfish respond best to artificial plastic baits specifically designed for them, whereas bream fish enjoy the taste of crickets. Read more about the preferences of the type of fish you want to catch.

After you went over some informative fishing video clips, perfected the techniques and loaded your fishing backpack with all the right equipment, it’s finally time to go. But not so fast, you can’t just throw the rod in the nearest pond. For an even better experience, find out where the best fishing spots in Australia are and enjoy the thrill of fishing while being surrounded by the wonders of the great outdoors. Good luck!