Saturday, July 25, 2009

Learning How to Fish

By Colin Jones

So, you have decided that you want to learn a new hobby - fishing. There are a few ways of learning, the hardest way being trial and error. The best way is to find an instructor for one-on-one lessons.

1. Get seasickness medication: If you're going to fish on the water, nothing is worse than having your fishing trip ruined by seasickness. Most seasickness medicine is very good (e.g. Bonine). Even expert fishermen take some on rough-weather days. Take one tablet before you go to sleep, another when you wake up and a third one before you go on board.

2. Get a good reference manual: There are loads of very good manuals available in your local bookstores and online. The book you select ought to give you instructions as well as the terms and definitions. There are some things you may not immediately understand but that you have to know anyway. One good thing is to know how to tie different types of knots. This useful knowledge will also be invaluable for other purposes throughout your whole life.

3. Get on a party boat: There are party vessels that carry from five to as many as sixty anglers. The boat will usually provide you with everything you need from bait, lures, rod, reel, weights to hooks. They will show you how to fish and even take the fish off the hook for you as well. You will make plenty of new fishing mates on board and they will help and advise you. Party boats will generally cost between $25 - $70 a day per person and the fish you catch are yours to keep. A party boat is a bargain for beginners.

4. Select a pier: Assuming you have already learned the skills to use a rod and reel, you need to look for a fishing pier. Most seaside cities have a public pier or pay-to-fish pier. You can rent tackle and buy bait at these piers and, if you do have problems, there are many pier anglers around to help and give you tips.

5. To do party or pier?: You should do either method three or four times each or both at the same time at this point. The best thing to do is to practise them both ways several times to really learn how to do each method.

6. The reel deal: The conventional reel is probably what you've been using up to this point. The conventional reel is designed for a lot of wear and tear. However, maybe you now want to consider other types or / and makes of reels. Ideally you have already met other fishermen and perhaps made a friend or two who can assist you in choosing a reel. You could even ask a tackle store owner for advice.

Firstly, you need to learn the mechanics of the reel and the other equipment. Learning how to cast, tie knots and bait a hook is not really all that difficult. Secondly, you need to learn where to go fishing. Successful fishermen know where the fish are located. Fish move from location to location and knowledgeable fishermen know these patterns and are able to anticipate where the fish are likely to be located.

About the Author:

0 comments:

Post a Comment