# I want to go fishing.....



## Laura Zone 5 (Jan 13, 2010)

It has been YEARS since I have gone fishin'.

This summer, I'd like to start fishin' again.
I remember how peaceful and centering fishing was....and a bonus: my daughter knows how to deconstruct a fish properly, so we can have fresh fish for dinner!!

I own nothing.

I need to buy rods and reels, tackle box, and all the stuff that goes in the box.

I don't want to walk into Gander and say "hey, I wana go fishin'" and end up with a ton of stuff I don't need.

Will you provide me with some guidance on what I need to buy?
Thanks!!


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## Darren (May 10, 2002)

What kind of fishing? Where are you going? Ocean, stream, pond? What are you trying to catch?


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## Laura Zone 5 (Jan 13, 2010)

Lake, Central Indiana.
I love me some catfish.....but I don't know what other 'native' fish are good to eat.
Top or bottom fishing (would like to have tackle to do both)

Eventually we will be Gulf fishing!!


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

Sunfish are good eating. If you have a boat or a dock you can catch them with a telescoping "cane" pole. Find or make a leaf pile and dig some worms and you are set. For hooks get some with a long shank because if the fish swallows the bait it will be easier to reach the hook. Some needle nose pliers or a hemostat works well in that case.


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## EDDIE BUCK (Jul 17, 2005)

fishhead said:


> Sunfish are good eating. If you have a boat or a dock you can catch them with a telescoping "cane" pole. Find or make a leaf pile and dig some worms and you are set. For hooks get some with a long shank because if the fish swallows the bait it will be easier to reach the hook. Some needle nose pliers or a hemostat works well in that case.


Mighty right!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!And leave those tails on for a real treat..


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## Nimrod (Jun 8, 2010)

Can you get a local mentor? Tackle suitable for one species may not be suitable for another. The lures and rigs that catch fish will vary from place to place.

Fleet Farm has rod and reel combos of decent quality for around $30. A rod about 6 feet long and medium action will work for most species. I like an open face spinning reel. Beginners sometimes prefer a closed face spinning reel. Use a good quality monofilement line like Trilene XL in about 6 pound test for a variety of species.

You should ask at the store what to use for terminal tackle for the species you are going after.

Sun fish are easy and fun. I like a number 8 hook, a split shot about a foot above the hook, and a bobber. Worms are a good bait. 

I have never fished for catfish on purpose. They can grow to enormous sizes and you need some seriously heavy duty equipment to have a chance of landing one. As a youngster I fished the Mississippi river. I usually caught carp and suckers but one time I hooked a really big fish. It just slowly swam away and peeled all the line off the reel, broke the rod in half, and then broke the line. It was probably a hugh catfish. 

Everyone has different experience in what works for them so I'm sure you will get a whole lot of diffent opinions. Your best bet is to just get out there and see what works for you.


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## Marthas_minis (Jan 28, 2014)

Laura, 

I just started fishing again about a month ago and am so happy I did! I hadn't fished since my early 20s. DS loves to fish so it's become our Mom & Son time. Beware: it's addicting! I find myself wanting to fish several times a week. We have a stocked pond so sometimes I just go out for 30 minutes or so just to get a fix! 

I just picked up a rod & open reel combo and a small pre-packaged box of tackle from Wally-world until I learn what I like best. I spent less than $40 total for equipment and bought my fishing license for a year for another $45. 

Good luck & have fun!
MM


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## 1shotwade (Jul 9, 2013)

go to this link and in the search box at the top type in "becoming an outdoors women"
The State has some really great programs promoting women in the wild. You'll learn more than I could ever teach ya'! Have fun!

Wade


http://www.state.in.us/dnr/


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## simi-steading (Sep 27, 2012)

Catfishing is easy... put a heavy sinker on your line about a foot and a half to two feet or so above a treble hook. Say link an ounce or so... Then find something the catfish like in your area... It may be a stink bait, or could be chicken livers, or even worms... Just depends for the area.. 

Anyway, toss that the line out, let it sink, then reel in slowly until the line is somewhat tight... then clamp a little small bell on your rod tip..

Then get your chair, a beer and a pillow, and either read or take a nap until you hear the bell jingle.. evening time and early morning are the best fishing times or catfish..

I'll never forget the day I reeled in a 38lb flathead... took me almost an hour... I was using 12lb test line... No idea how I didn't lose him, but I worked him for a long time and wore him out before I could even think about landing him..


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## driftwood (Jun 29, 2013)

maybe ask friends-co workers for some of there old stuff....maybe one of the same would take you first time or so....
yard sales but ,you have to check if they work or not.....
kids and grankids leave there old stuff here for me to keep for them-fix up.....
would send you a kit for postage but box would be hard to find.


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## rhaige9 (Oct 31, 2010)

I went to wallyworld and bought a cheapo fishing pole. I wanna say I spent like $15 on it. Went to the clearance section and bought a few different sized hooks, smaller ones, I just pictured the size of the mouth on the fish I knew were in the lake. A small package of bobbers and a little container of different sized weights. Oh, and a bag of mini marshmallows. That was the beginnings of my tackle box. I took that out to Crystal Pond and just kept throwing it in till I was outta worms. My next purchase was a few small spinner lure for fishing in the spillway from the spring into the Snake River. Some days I catch one fish that I have to throw back in, and some days I catch a few trout to bring home for dinner. I didn't spend over $50. It's all about the worms, the marshmallows and the water.


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## robsdak (Feb 2, 2014)

Laura Zone 5 said:


> It has been YEARS since I have gone fishin'.
> 
> This summer, I'd like to start fishin' again.
> I remember how peaceful and centering fishing was....and a bonus: my daughter knows how to deconstruct a fish properly, so we can have fresh fish for dinner!!
> ...


just let me know when or if your coming this way to look at some property/house and plan a few hours. be more than happy to take you to a buddies private lake. you need nothing, i have all the gear. : )

rob


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## alleyyooper (Apr 22, 2005)

A 5 to 7ft rod(ugly sticks are good ones.) a spin cast reel (I like close faced zebco for starting persons.) 6 to 10 pound test line on the reel. A few small sinkers, a couple bobbers ( I like the spring clip stick type.) some mustard hooks size 12 to 8 for blue gills sun fish, crappie a little smaller. Rapellas are a good starting lure as is a crank bait. No leader needed unless going after northern pike.

That should get you off to a good start. I also like plastic tackle boxes of good quality over metal ones as they are less noisy. A 5 gallon bucket about 3/4 full of water is good to put the catch in.

 Al


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## JJ Grandits (Nov 10, 2002)

God does not subtract from a mans life the time that he spends fishing. 

one of my favorite rigs is an 8' fly rod with an ulralight fishing reel duct taped to it. I load it with 4# test. A 1/32 to 1/16 charteuse jig with a 1-2" piece of worm floated under a european slip bobber has caught Bluegill, perch, Rock Bass, trout, walleye, carp, suckers, Bullhead, Tons of large and smallmouth Bass, and to date, three Northerns. This one gets the most use. Next is a 9' medium action ugly stick with a Shimano TX130 reel loaded with 17# braided line. It's primarily my Carp rod But does well on Bass and Northerns and large trout. That 17# line has the diameter of 2# mono and is bad wicked tough. 
I especially like small jigs. If it can't be caught on a jig, it can't be caught. They are great for fishing with kids. The jig head prevents a lot of swallowed hooks. If you sharpen them up, open the gap a little and twist the point off center they will hook up very easily. 

Like I've alway said, the best thing about living in New York is that the fishing is probably the best in the world. It would take several lifetimes to exhaust the possibilities.


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

Some states allow set lines for catfish. You don't even need a rod for that kind of fishing although be warned that you might catch a turtle.

Just tie your line to a sturdy tree and bait the hook with liver or a small sunfish and toss it out as far as you can in the evening. Then check it in the morning.


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## SueMc (Jan 10, 2010)

You don't need much to enjoy fishing. Most of the time I end up fishing with my granddaughter's little bitty Cinderella rod and reel set because she's done fishing after about 15 minutes! I've caught more large mouth bass with that pole and a little chartreuse jig and single tail than the rest of my bunch using their fancy rods and reels. Problem is, I usually have to net the bass because you can't reel one of any size all the way in with the kiddy pole.
We catfish fish in our pond. We feed them pellets so I kind of feel guilty fishing for them, but do well with worms and a bobber. We already have several in the freezer.


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## oldasrocks (Oct 27, 2006)

BE careful. Buying gear gets addictive too. I probably have 30 plus rods and reels from fly fishin to deep sea rods and reels. Last I counted 5 tackle boxes full of whatever. Line from 2# to 100#. Most of it collects dust while I use an old trusty Zebco and catch plenty.

The most fun thing for me to do was run juglines and banklines.


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## JJ Grandits (Nov 10, 2002)

The quality of fishing equipment available is unbelievable. Even the cheap stuff is light years ahead of what was around twenty or thirty years ago. You don't have to spend a fortune to catch fish. You have to learn how to fish to catch fish. I always taught my kids that the fish are always biting. If your not catching its because your not giving them what they want the way they want it. Some years back I had an epiphany. I started fishing like I was hunting. Total focus on the game, the conditions, and the environment I was in. It made a world of difference.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

I rarely get time to fish around home , but when i travel I do so what i have found works well for me and fits in a small space is a 5' 6" rod or a 6' rod that takes down to 2 peices I have a 4 inch pvc pipe about 3 1/2 feet long on the end i just use a piece of card board and several pieces of duct tape to close it off then slide my rods in i usually bring 2 for reels I like spinning reels I take them off my poles and carry them in a bag with a few tools like a pair of needle nose pliers a knife , and a small box with hooks and sinkers and such , when i get where I am going if it isn somewhere outside of the uper midwest I ask a little at a bait store and might by one of the local rigs or the type of hooks they use usualy for 10 15 dollars i have bait and am on the way to fish

actually like some one else said the ugly stick is a very durable rod , in their advertizements they would take it and bend the tip to touch the tail or very close and it would not break , my son has one his uncle bought him , i know my dad has one also , they don't have the best action (action is the sensitivity to feel what is happening at the other end of the line ) but they are very good sturdy general purpose rods and usually sell for 25-30 dollars this is where I fund the curve to be right around that price you can find some very usable rods (reels start right about this price point also) with good action and yes stiff enough to fight a fish I prefer a very sensitive last 6-8 inches with a medium stiffness in the rest of the pole wally has a combo http://www.walmart.com/ip/Shakespeare-Ugly-Stik-GX2-Spinning-Combo/33589323 for a fair price 

that said you can get a cane pole and bank fish just fine for much less money

knot tying is important , there was a thread on that a while back that would be a good read but here is a link to some knot trying http://takemefishing.org/fishing/fishopedia/fishing-knots-and-rigs/?gclid=COHzwq70ir4CFckWMgodAWYAUA instructions 

hooks depend on local species and method of fishing , if you walk into a local fishing tackle store and ask what have they been catching X on in Y body of water they will likely be able to set you up decent , have a budget and buy one of the rigs and give it a try Live bait or bait that was once alive like frozen bait usually does better than artificial

pan fish are where i would start , you catch them on simple rigs like a bobber with a sinker hook and worm , they eat well and you generally catch more of them


I got to try surf fishing on the ocean for the first time last year , I had fun didn't catch a lot but when you get to the coast , I think you will enjoy sitting on the beach or standing in the surf watching the waves roll in feeling the wind blow enjoying the warm sun , when you get done with ocean fishing you rinse your reel off with some bottled water when you get back to the car to rinse the salt off 

one more thing if you get invited to go fishing with someone in a power boat it is sort of unspoken good manners to toss in some gas money , if they know the waters well and you can pick up on their technique and where they are finding fish it may be well worth it 

if you want to get serious and there is a specific type of fish you want to target , it can be worth hiring a guide for a few hours many years ago when i was a kid my dad hired a guide to show him how to fish one of the lakes we had access to a cabin on , the guide actually said how about we fish the next lake on that chain we will do much better and showed him what to use , how to rig it , what vegetation to look for , depth for water temp , bottom structure and such this was probably 30 years ago and a 1/2 day cost something like 60 dollars and a tip , he has now been productively fishing that chain of lakes for 30 more years still using a lot of the same techniques taught that morning and has taken the same techniques to a lot of other lakes in northern Wisconsin , Minnesota and Ontario.

local fishing clubs can also be helpful , I know my dad belongs to one and the have seminars and swap meets so you can get started on used equiptment for less cost and learn more about the fish

or you can just drowned some worms and enjoy the day


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