BEGINNERS GUIDE TO FISHING

Ready to Learn to Fish?

Fishing is a fun hobby, and is super easy to learn the basics to start down the path to move from fishing to catching, and then to upgrade your fishing skills to catching trophy fish. Fishing is a great weekend activity to spend quality time with your family, teaching your kids how to fish while enjoying a picnic at your favorite lake.

Where to Begin in Planning Your First Fishing Trip?

The first thing to do is to do your homework. It’s time to start thinking about the first basic questions.

Planning Your First Fishing Trip

• What type of fish would you like to catch? • Where would you like to fish? • How would you like to fish?

What type of fish would you like to catch?

For learning how to fish, I would recommend fishing for largemouth bass, crappie, perch, bluegill, or rainbow trout. Largemouth bass are tough fighters, and fun to catch. Crappie, perch, and bluegill are plentiful, so when you find them, you will get a lot of action. They are also perfect for fishing with kids using bobbers. Kids love watching their bobber get pulled under, it is so fun to watch their excitement. Rainbow trout are good fighters, and a lot of fun. To me, they are the best tasting of this group, so I would recommend trout fishing if you plan to keep them. Though I haven’t found a species of fish that I don’t enjoy eating.

Where would you like to fish?

If you are going trout fishing, you could go to a stream, creek, river, or lake. I enjoy taking my kids to the local well stocked lakes, for some hot and heavy trout action. Bass, crappie, perch, and bluegill are also a good bet for most lakes. Trout fishing is also fun camping in the mountains by a small stream. Small community lakes and ponds are also good bets for learning how to fish for bass, crappie, perch, and bluegill.

How would you like to fish?

Would you like to use lures, bait, rubber worms. If you are fishing at a small community lake, I would recommend using rubber worms, or live worms for bait. If you are fishing for crappie, perch, or bluegill, I recommend using some panfish lures, or small live worms, like redworms. If you want to fish for trout in a creek, I would also recommend small live worms, or trout spoons. If you want to fish for bass in a larger lake, there are some great hard bait lures that will do the trick, or you can also use rubber worms, or softbait lures. If you would like to fish for trout in a lake, I would recommend trout mini jigs, live worms, or powerbait.

Next Step is to Get a Fishing License

Now that you got the basics out of the way, the next step is to figure out what you need for your fishing trip. The first thing you need is a fishing license, and to read the regulations so you understand the rules. Fishing license can sometimes be bought online, or at a local store like CVS, Walgreens, etc., as well as at your fish and wildlife office.

Next You Will Need Some Fishing Gear

For learning how to fish, for most lakes, creeks, and river fishing, I would recommend a medium sized spinning rod and reel setup. I would go with the ugly stik, as it has a great warranty and are sturdy and durable. For fishing line, I would go with six or eight pound test monofilament line, as it is easy to cast and won’t cause any fuss as you learn how to cast. If you are going to be bait fishing, you will need some bobber, or sinkers, and some hooks. If you are going to fish with lures, you need to select which lures you would like to use, and get several different colors and types so you can switch lures until you find the best one to get the most bites. Next you will need a fish measurer and a scale, if you plan to measure your catch. I would also recommend a good set of pliers, and line cutters, to cut your line, and to get the hook out of any fish that you catch. You may also want a stringer, to keep your catch. For cleaning your catch, you will need a fillet knife. A good tackle bag or tackle box is perfect for storing and organizing your fishing gear.

What Else to Bring on Your First Fishing Trip

I would recommend a good camping chair to bring with you for comfort. Some sunblock to protect the kids from getting a sun burn. A nice picnic lunch, some drinks. An ice chest is good, to keep your drinks cold, and if you clean your fish you can throw the fish fillets in a ziplock and store them in the ice chest to keep them fresh. About The Author Mike Mendenhall is the the founder of Mendenhall Outdoors. This website is an extension of the Mendenhall family’s lifestyle and passion for the great outdoors. Everything that they learn, and experience, along the way that they find may be valuable to our website visitors is on the site for you to enjoy. We highlight products and services that you might find interesting. We frequently receive free products from manufacturers to test. This does not drive our decision as to whether or not a product is featured or recommended. If you click a link on this page, then go on to make a purchase, we might receive a commission – at no extra cost to you, and does not impact the purchase price of any products that you may purchase. The Best Beginners Fishing Experience Awaits!