Fishing Gear For The Amateur
The numbers of anglers is on an increase as fish becomes a delicacy across the world, not to forget fishing competitions where there are a lot of prizes to be won. The best part about fishing is that fishes can be found in almost all water bodies. Be it lakes, streams, rivers or the seas, you name a water body and it will contain fishes. Coming back to the topic, the new anglers have a lot of queries which need answering. Queries include where to fish, what equipment to buy and how to maintain them. Depending upon which fish has to be caught, the fishing gear may vary significantly. A general view of what should be bought by an amateur is as mentioned below:
a) The Fishing Rod: While the low end fishing rods are as good as junk, do not spend a lot of money on it either. Remember that you are not an expert and would not need the high end equipment for the time being. The golden rule of the fishing rod is that it should be strong and heavy to catch big fishes like pikes and vice versa. Some good brands to choose from include Quantum and Shimano.
b) Line: Buying a good line is very important. The last thing you would want after catching a fish to lose it because of a broken line or for instance trying to resolve a messed line. As a tip, buy a heavier line than average as it would be less susceptible to problems. If you have money to spare, Florocarbon line is the best option else opt for Barkley, Seaguar or Vanish Transition (they are great value for money).
c) Reel: A spinning real works the best. They can hold a larger amount of line and are very easy to maintain and use. Because it is a spinning real we are talking about, the best way to differentiate them would be on the basis of the total ball bearings (buy a reel which has at least 5). Some reels also come with lines pre-spooled on them. Do not expect these lines to work for more than one season (this too if you are lucky).
d) Hooks: This is one item that needs to be sharp. The one I recommend is Eagle Claw Lazer Sharp. This is not only better than the others in its league and the leader is integrated into the hook. You may choose from a variety of numbers ranging from #4 to #8.
There are a number of other items that get included to make the fishing gear complete. Things like swivels, sinkers, bobbers, flies, baits and lures. Take advice from the shopkeeper while buying them. For someone who is just beginning, it is always better to buy a guide book to refer to whenever in doubt.
Another important thing to mention here is never to go for combo packages. If you do, be very careful. This is for your own benefit as most combo schemes are made available by shopkeepers to do away with their junk products.