6 Items Every Fisher Must Own

​Here are 6 items that every fisher must own:

1. A Fishing Rod and Reel

It goes without saying, that this is the most important gear to any fishing enthusiast or hobbyist. As a matter of fact, the rod, line, and hook is the basic thing that comes to anyone’s mind when they think about or hear the word fishing. The basic fishing gear of this caliber comprises of a rod, a line, and reel, along with a hook that will catch your fish. This makes it important to be very keen when choosing a fishing rod from the shelves. As a matter of fact, your fishing experience literally starts here if you’re a beginner. In other words, your first very essential task is to fish for a good fishing rod!

But then again, the fishing rod and reel you select should be capable of both bait fishing and lure fishing. The ability to perform these functions will improve your chances of bringing fish to the shore and home. It is important to pick a rod and reel that you can comfortably use depending on whether you’re a beginner, intermediate or experienced fisher. While some spinning reels are easy to use even for a beginner, some are designed with the convenience of the experienced fisher in mind. Some of the most common types of fishing rods include the following:

• Casting Rods
• Spinning Rods
• Ultra-Light Rods
• Fly Rods
• Telescopic Fishing Rods
• Surf Rods
• Trolling Rods

Each of these types of fishing rods is designed differently. When choosing a fishing rod, you’ll want to consider a number of things. For instance, length and weight will be important factors to consider depending on the depth of waters you intend to go fishing in as well as the size, weight, and type of fish you’re targeting. Additionally, the cost of your fishing rod will depend on the material it is made of, along with its sizes and features. Despite the fact that the fishing reel is just an attachment on a fishing rod, some people like to categorize fishing reels the same as fishing rods, even though the reel type is what most often determines the rod type.

Needless to mention, most of today’s fishing rods come along with a reel and a line. Some of them even come with lures and baits. But then again, it is important to note that some types of fish are stronger and more agile than others. And precisely, the job doesn’t end when the fish is caught at your rod’s point of the hook. Some fish are so strong that they can even overpower you as you try to spin your reel towards the shore or your boat. At the same time, an advanced fisher should comfortably fish using a Baitcasting Reel. A reliable line will depend on the type of fish being targeted.

2. Fishing Line

You may already know that you’ll need a fishing line too. When buying a fishing rod package, it is important to consider the type of fishing line it comes with. Some of the most common types of fishing lines include the following:

a/ Monofilament lines: This is a type of nylon-based lines that have been around for more than half a century. Generally, these lines are soft and supple. Their knots draw tight and secure, with minimal burning or slippage. However, these lines are known to lose their strength with time, meaning that if you’re a long-term fisher, you might want to look for more durable options.

b/ Fluorocarbon lines: While monofilament lines also have the ability to stretch, fluorocarbon lines have more benefits. For starters, they do not absorb as much as monofilament lines and they are also less pliable. They’re also less prone to damage by cold temperatures, not forgetting that they are also repellant to UV. They are heavier and generally sink faster, making them a more convenient option for anglers. Most importantly, the material refracts light meaning that fluorocarbon lines are less visible to totally invisible to fish underwater. As a matter of fact, this is one of the reasons for its huge rise in popularity of use by anglers since the 90’s to date. Nonetheless, fluorocarbon fishing lines tend to be more troublesome for fishers when it comes to tying knots.

c/ Braid Lines: Ask the expert anglers, and they’ll tell you that braid lines are the newest fishing lines in town. These lines basically use a synthetic substance by the name of polyethylene. Using a braiding machine, this material is then spun into ultra-strong razor-like fibers that are referred to as Dyneema through the gel-spinning process. These braids are then coated with a substance that makes them extremely strong and durable.

As you can see, there are various angling lines available, including braided fishing lines that are perfect for large fish, and fluorocarbon lines suitable for smaller fish. All the same, an extra rod, reel, and line should always be included when packing to go fishing. This is because you never know what your bait will attract, and in some cases when the catch is too strong for your rod, reel, and line, the results could be catastrophic. It’s not a new thing to reach a point where you let your catch swim away with your fishing arsenal.

3. Baits and Lures

To catch a fish, you must entice it and attract it toward your fishing arsenal. As a matter of fact, you can spend dozens of hours in a pond, lake, or river and not come out with anything if you don’t have the right lure or bait for the fish you’re targeting. And needless to mention, selecting baits and lures purely depends on a fisher. Lures and baits commonly used in fishing include live bait, plastic worms, bass jigs, and hard baits. In most cases, live baits are ideal for freshwater fishing. For, marine, and deep-sea fishing, however, you may want to use artificial lures and baits to improve your chances of making a catch or magnify your fishing experience.

Additionally, some lures and baits are designed to suit certain specific fishing techniques. While using a spinning reel, for instance, fishing lures can improve your catch. These lures are designed to float on water and attract fish to your bait. Some lures will also make a special noise that will effectively attract fish. In other words, there are many types of fishing lures and baits. Some use sound to attract the target fish whereas some use motion or color. The most basic models are designed to mimic the target fish’s common prey in terms of appearance, movement and build. This makes it important to have a clue about the various types of natural and commercial fishing baits you can use. Some of these include the following:

a/ Live Bait: These include the various natural prey of fish such as Worms, Leeches, Minnows, and Crickets. The earth worth is one of the best performers among the live baits. The major challenge is that getting these live creatures can be a hell of a challenge, especially when you’re not a patient angler.

b/ Artificial Bait: In essence, artificial fishing baits are what should be referred to as fishing lures. This is because they are designed to look like potential prey for the targeted fish. While they’ll cost you some bucks more than fishing with live baits, artificial baits will always save you the time and frustration. There are many options to choose from when it comes to artificial baits or fishing lures. Some of them include the following:

• Jigs – These are lures with hairs, feathers, or other features designed to grab the attention of fish. They come with a weighted head, making it easy for them to get sunk if they don’t attract fish in time.
• Spinners – They make certain sounds and vibrations that attract specific kinds of fish. They also contain spinning blades that can be effective in muddy or dirty waters where the visual attraction aspect is less effective.
• Spoons – They assume a curved figure, which produces movements in water that mimic that of injured prey.
• Plastic Baits – These are simply plastic versions of live baits and are precisely effective in catching small fish.
• Plugs – These are plastic or wooden lures that mimic frogs or small fish and other prey to attract larger fish. Some are made to sink whereas others are designed to float.
• Flies – These are lightweight artificial lures that mimic insects that float above water, such as flies, wasps, butterflies, and the like.  

4. Floats and Weights

Floats or bobbers keeps the bait afloat and away from the lake bottom. This is essential in ensuring that fish get attracted to the bait. Weights, on the other hand, improve your casting distance and keep the bait underwater. When a fish bites your bait, floaters will clearly indicate this. Floats and weights are therefore vital in ensuring that you catch some fish. With this combo, fish will barely eat your bait without alerting you and sticking on the hook.

5. Fishing Hooks

For fishers using live bait, hooks will have to be used. There are various fishing hooks available depending on your need. These include straight and curved hooks which may be barbed or barbless. Barbed hooks increase the chances of catching fish and therefore preferred by many fishers. Barbless hooks may catch and release fish easily before you reel it in. It is also advisable to include extra hooks while packing.

6. First Aid Kit  

Fishing can be fun until you have to pull a hook from your skin. A first aid kit will be essential in countering minor injuries that may arise while fishing. This kit should be waterproof in order to protect its contents. Basic first aid, medical gear including waterproof medical tape will do for a fishing trip. This is one of the vital things that every fisher should have, age and experience notwithstanding.