| Recently, a friend asked me what gear he needs | | | | Florocarbon line is a solid all-around choice. For my |
| to start fishing the many lakes, streams, and | | | | money, Berkley Vanish Transition, Seaguar, and |
| rivers of Idaho. I have known him for years, and | | | | P-Line Halo are the best on the market. I typically |
| it never occurred to me that although he is an | | | | use a little heavier than recommended. For smaller |
| accomplished hunter, an expert skier, and a | | | | poles and kids poles, I use 6lb test, and 8lb for |
| genuine all-around outdoorsman, he didn't start | | | | the longer rods. I prefer colored line, because it is |
| fishing until his children showed an interest. Many | | | | easier to see when you're tying on a hook or |
| avid fishermen pick up the habit as children, | | | | casting and kids don't seem to trip over it as |
| through weekend trips with family and friends. | | | | often. |
| Some of my earliest outdoor memories stem | | | | Hooks: Hands down, the only bait hooks I buy are |
| from fishing with my grandmother. She loved to | | | | Eagle Claw Lazer Sharp. They are markedly |
| fish, and would set out on a fishing adventure at | | | | sharper than other hooks, and the leader is |
| a moment's notice. Although her techniques were | | | | integrated into the hook so you don't get the |
| somewhat antiquated (8' Ugly Stik, 12 pound test, | | | | abrasion that comes with knots. I try to keep |
| 3 oz sinker, lawn chair and a pole holder), she | | | | packages of #4, #6, and #8 hooks in my tackle |
| almost always managed to produce fish. My | | | | box all of the time, and typically use the #6. |
| friend's request got me thinking - there are | | | | Swivels: Using small swivels helps to keep from |
| probably an abundance of people out there who | | | | getting your line tangled, and they work great to |
| would love to fish, but don't know where to start. | | | | change out hooks and lures quickly. Most people |
| Most sporting goods stores will either attempt sell | | | | make the mistake of using large swivels; I try to |
| you a $20 fishing combo that would be better | | | | buy the smallest barrel or ball bearing swivels I |
| served as an instrument of torture, or an | | | | can find - and make sure they have snaps on one |
| expensive specialty rod and reel. The fact is, if | | | | end. It's also a good idea to keep some 3-way |
| you are just starting out what you need is | | | | swivels on hand. |
| somewhere in between. Use my advice as a | | | | Sinkers: I keep an assortment of egg sinkers, bell |
| starting point, and do your own research. Like | | | | sinkers, removable split shot, and rubber core |
| anything else, fishing gear is diverse and unique, | | | | sinkers. If I had to pick one type of sinker to |
| and should reflect your specific needs and style of | | | | keep with me at all times, it would be removable |
| fishing. The gear I have listed is best suited for | | | | split shot. Buy the round package of assorted |
| general fishing in Southern, Eastern, and Central | | | | sizes, and you will be covered in almost any |
| Idaho waters. Here's an excerpt of the e-mail I | | | | situation. |
| returned to my friend. | | | | Bobbers: They don't work well for me. I don't |
| Hey- | | | | know why, because from time to time I see |
| So which fishing line did you say to get again? I'm | | | | people catching fish using bobbers. I saw an |
| revamping all my fishing gear and need a laundry | | | | elderly gentleman hook into at least a 5lb trout |
| list of line and tackle basics that I need to | | | | about four feet from the dock using a steelhead |
| purchase. Hit me with a list you think every tackle | | | | bobber a couple of weeks ago. The only bobbers |
| box needs. Lures aren't as important as the basic | | | | that I use and keep on hand are steelhead |
| equipment. Send it to me when you can. | | | | bobbers, and the clear cigar-shaped bobbers that |
| Re: | | | | are used when fishing with flies. |
| Here you go buddy. Hope this helps. | | | | Flies: I haven't fly-fished in years, but I keep an |
| Fishing Rod: You don't have to spend a lot of | | | | assortment of dry flies in my tackle box. If there |
| money, but the extremely low-end fishing rods | | | | is a hatch and fish are surfacing, it is effective to |
| are junk. I've had trouble with broken poles, poles | | | | use a clear cigar-shaped bobber and about 4' to 6' |
| coming apart when I cast, and bent and broken | | | | of leader with your spinning rod. |
| eyes with the low-end rods. It usually happens | | | | Bait: My wife loves Powerbait, and it works ok, |
| when you have a big fish on. A good rule of | | | | but it is incredibly messy and doesn't float well. I |
| thumb is to look for a pole with a cork handle | | | | can typically catch fish almost anywhere with |
| (not the velvety material) and glass eyes (not | | | | night crawlers, marshmallows, and/or Nitro Eggs |
| plain metal). The Ugly Stik Lite is actually a great | | | | (red). Regarding marshmallows: all of the sporting |
| pole for the money ($40). My son had a $100 | | | | goods stores sell them in assorted colors. They |
| Browning rod that he broke last summer I am | | | | cost between $3-$5, depending on brand. I |
| planning to replace with the Ugly Stik Lite. Other | | | | learned the hard way that the name-brand fishing |
| good middle of the road brands are Pflueger, | | | | marshmallows aren't worth the cost. They don't |
| Shimano, and Quantum. | | | | float well, don't stay on the hook, and get sticky |
| Reel: Spinning (open-faced) reels work the best. | | | | when it gets warm. Your best bet is the |
| They hold more line and are easier to work on | | | | old-school small assorted-color marshmallows they |
| and maintain. The key to finding a reliable reel is in | | | | sell in supermarkets. They cost $2 for a huge |
| the number of ball bearings. Any decent reel | | | | bag, stay on the hook, and float like nothing else. |
| should have at least 5. Spincast (closed-faced) | | | | The intended application of marshmallows is to |
| reels work great for kids because they are easier | | | | float your worm up off the bottom of the lake |
| to cast. The main thing to remember with them is | | | | where it will attract more fish. |
| that most come pre-spooled with poor quality line. | | | | Lures: By far, the most effective and versatile |
| The line will be good for one season if you're | | | | lure I have ever used is the Mack's Wedding Ring |
| lucky. My wife and youngest son love spincast | | | | Classic Spinner. I've used them in ponds, lakes, |
| reels, and I usually take them apart 2-3 times per | | | | creeks, and rivers, and caught Walleye, Perch, |
| season to clean and oil them. They are way more | | | | Bass, and Trout. I buy red and/or green with the |
| susceptible to becoming clogged with dirt, moss, | | | | smaller single hooks and tip the hook with 1/4 |
| and debris. The best spincast reels on the market | | | | night crawler. I've also had good luck with green |
| are the Zebco Omega, Pflueger Cetina, and Abu | | | | and/or black Worden's Original Rooster Tails. If |
| Garcia Abumatic. My next (spinning) reel will be a | | | | you are going to fish for walleye or bass (which I |
| Shimano Spirex. Mitchell alsomakes reasonably | | | | strongly recommend), you will need some |
| priced bullet-proof reels. If I was going to | | | | weighted jig heads (assorted sizes) and plastic |
| purchase a solid, inexpensive rod and reel set-up | | | | worms. The florescent green, white, and dark |
| for a friend that was just beginning to fish, it | | | | green colors seem to work the best in the |
| would probably be a 6' 6" Ugly Stik Lite paired | | | | waters we fish, but effective color use (this |
| with a Mitchell 300Xe Classic Series spinning reel. | | | | applies to any lure) varies based on water |
| Both products are tried and true, and have been | | | | temperature and color, and weather conditions. |
| on the market since I was a kid. | | | | We have also done well fishing for bass and |
| Combo Packages: Outside of kids pole set-ups, | | | | walleye with any lure that resembles a minnow. |
| you have to be really careful if you buy a | | | | Misc.: Always keep a small can of WD-40 in your |
| package. Most pair one piece of acceptable | | | | tackle box to clean and lubricate your reel. I also |
| equipment with a piece of junk the manufacturer | | | | keep at least 200 yards of extra line. I can |
| is trying to unload. Shimano, Phlueger, and | | | | guarantee you that if you are camped in a |
| Quantum all put out decent combo packages. I | | | | remote location and your fishing pole is |
| broke down and bought my wife a combo last fall | | | | malfunctioning, the fish will be biting. Also make |
| (I just wanted the reel; it was the best spincast | | | | sure you have 2-3 rope stringers. They are |
| reel on the market and the pole was basically | | | | inexpensive, and it seems like they always get |
| free from Cabelas), and the end eye came off | | | | left in the garage after a successful fishing trip. |
| last weekend when we were fishing. It was the | | | | And keep a net with you at all times, even if it's a |
| 3rd time she had used the pole. | | | | small inexpensive model. If you hook a big fish, |
| Line: I firmly believe that if you are going to | | | | chances are it will break off when you try to land |
| splurge, do it on line. Nothing ruins a day more | | | | it if you don't use a net. The elderly gentleman |
| quickly than breaking off a big fish, or messing | | | | mentioned in the bobber section above lost his big |
| with tangled line while everyone else is fishing. | | | | fish due to the absence of a net. |