Fishing 101
So, you have decided that you want to learn a new hobby – fishing. There are several ways of finding out how to fish, the hardest way being trial and error. The best way is to find an instructor for one-to-one instruction.
1. Buy seasickness medication: If you’re going to fish on the water, nothing is worse than having your fishing ruined by seasickness. Most seasickness medication e.g. Bonine is very good. Even seasoned fishermen are known to take some on rough days. Take one 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 bookshops or online. The book you select should give you instructions as well as the terminology and definitions. There are some things you may not immediately understand but that you should know anyway. One good thing is to learn how to tie different types of knots. This useful knowledge will also be invaluable for other reasons throughout your whole life.
3. Go to a party: There are party boats that carry from five to as many as sixty anglers. The boat provides everything you need like bait, rod, reel, sinkers and hooks. They assist you in fishing and even take the fish off the hook for you too. You will make new fishing mates and they will help and advise you. Party boats will generally cost you between $25 – $70 a day and the fish are yours to keep. The party boat is a boon for beginners.
4. Select a pier: Assuming you have already acquired the skills to operate a rod and reel, you need to look for a fishing pier. Most coastal 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 will be many pier anglers willing to help and give you tips.
5. Party or pier?: You may want to try either method three or four times or both at the same time at this point. The best thing to do is to practise both ways several times to really learn them.
6. The reel affair: The conventional reel is probably what you’ve got up to this point. The traditional reel is designed to take loads of wear and tear. However, perhaps you now want to consider buying another type or / and make of reel. Hopefully, you have already met other anglers and maybe made a friend or two who can assist you in selecting a reel. You could also ask a fishing equipment store owner for advice.
First off, you ought to understand the mechanism of the reel and the other equipment. Learning to cast, tie knots and bait is not that complicated. Secondly, you need to learn where to fish. Successful fishermen know where the fish are located. Fish move from place to place and knowledgeable fishermen know these patterns and are able to work out where the fish are schooling.