| The term ultra light fishing may conjure up | | | | catching more fish, but it adds to the sporty as |
| pictures of a fishing rod and reel that would | | | | well. Catching a four pound smallmouth on the |
| compare with the snoopy setup that you have | | | | setup mentioned above is much more fun than |
| for your kids. I'm here to dispute that argument | | | | catching the same smallmouth on a rod a reel |
| once and for all. Ultra Light fishing simply means | | | | setup that's heavier (and most anglers use) isn't |
| using fishing gear that's smaller than you may be | | | | nearly as much fun. I speak from experience on |
| accustomed to. Actually, it's using equipment that's | | | | that one. |
| actually matched to what you're fishing for. | | | | I'll give you a real life example of how line |
| Lets take fishing line as an example. When is the | | | | diameter specifically relates to our subject. I was |
| last time a fish actually broke your line? That is, | | | | out fishing a couple of years ago with gang hooks |
| you reeled in your line after having a fish on and | | | | tied on six pound test monofilament. I used |
| the line was broken from the fight of the fish. | | | | heavier line because I thought I had a big fish |
| Obviously I'm not referring to the line braking | | | | located. In any case I fished for three hours |
| from abrasion. I'm referring to the line breaking | | | | without a bite. This was highly unusual for the |
| from the weight of the fish. I've been fishing | | | | area I fish in Montana, but I figured that the moon |
| twenty years, and ultralight fishing for eighteen of | | | | or weather must have had something to do with |
| those years. I can count on one hand the number | | | | it. I was about to call it a day, when I got |
| of times a fish has broken my line, without the | | | | snagged and lost my last pre tied gang hook. As I |
| help of abrasive surfaces. Yet many people use | | | | was walking away, I remembered that I normally |
| fishing line that's double the weight of the fish | | | | use gang hooks tied on four pound test |
| they are attempting to catch. Do you realize that | | | | monofilament. I of course had spare line and |
| four pound test fishing line will withstand four | | | | hooks with me, so I quickly tied a set of gang |
| pounds of weight without breaking? Yet very few | | | | hooks on four pound test, baited it with a worm |
| people use fishing line as light as four pound test. | | | | (just as I had been all day), and cast out my line. |
| They consider four pound test to be ultralight. | | | | Half way through my drift, FISH ON. I fished for |
| For the most part, your fishing line should match | | | | another thirty minutes and caught four more nice |
| the size of your fishing rod and reel. My point is | | | | trout. The only difference was the size of the line |
| that if you use a medium action rod and reel, | | | | that my gang hooks were tied on, that was it. |
| spooled with six pound test monofilament, and | | | | The bottom line is that ultralight fishing isn't |
| you're fishing for nice walleye and smallmouth | | | | necessarily what you may be thinking. If you've |
| bass, this setup could be considered ultra light. And | | | | never matched your fishing gear to what you're |
| this is not at all a bad thing. In fact, it's a good | | | | fishing for, give it a shot. You won't be |
| thing. Using a rod, reel, and line that match each | | | | disappointed. And never forget what Don Marquis |
| other will result is you getting more bites and | | | | said about fishing, "Fishing is a delusion entirely |
| catching more fish. Not only will it result in you | | | | surrounded by liars in old clothes. |