Hey guys... I'm trying to get into fishing, mainly trout, crappie, catfish, and maybe bass... nothing big. I'll be fishin mostly in lakes and small rivers, casting off the shore.
I'm wondering what a good gear setup (Rod/Reel) would be. What's some quality brands? Not too expensive but not crap either.
I have always used UglySticks (Shakespear, I think makes it). They're great, I have had other poles break plenty of times, but never an UglyStick. You can usually just get them at Wal-Mart and they're not that expensive. Been a while since I bought one though (that's a good thing). I have a St. Croix too, the UglyStick doesn't have as good of action but it's more then enough or most fishing.
As far as reel goes, don't get something too cheep, get something middle of the road. Bate casters are not for beginners they tend to get back lash if you don't adjust it right and are harder to cast. Open face is what I prefer, it takes a bit of getting use to but once you do it has a great cast and tangles much less then a bate caster. You can also you a closed face, which is what most people think of when the think of a fishing reel. They'll be better for cat fishing where you're not casting very often. Also, make sure that you poll will fit the rod, they all use different polls (some closed face work with bate casters).
And for line, use what ever. 6 or 8 pound test should be enought. I like the expensive braided stuff, but good old mono filament would do just fine. If you aren't using live bate you could catch 3/4 of those fish with Mepps spinners (of the appropriate size) , it's a tackle box staple as far as I'm concerned.
Ugly Sticks are great rods, and I have never had trouble with Shakespeare reels. The Shimano should be all right too, make sure you're getting a medium-action rod (light action is okay if you want every tiny fish to feel like a whale). I don't get the super long fishing rods (I'm not terribly tall), and I like the ones that come apart in the middle for easier transport. I've got a collapsible rod that I like too (but the reel that came with it is garbage).
If you're just starting out, I think it's better to get a closed-face reel. You decrease your likelihood of getting the line tangled. Once you get used to how the casting process works, you can switch over to open-faced.
As far as line weight, 6 to 8lb should be sufficient, 10lb test on the outside. Mono-filament won't stretch as much, so definitely start there.
For lures, my one go to is THIS ONE (color #1, the purple with an orange spot). Bass eat them up and you can even catch sunfish on the tail hook. The Mepps spinners are good too (they've even got a lure selection guide on their website). Northland tackle has some good stuff to (I'm partial to the Mimic minnows).
I don't know if the DNR where you are has a website where you can look up lakes and rivers to see what's in them, but that's always a good thing to look at. Get an idea of what you might possibly catch before you head out.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
I liek Phelddagrifs.
Official Knitter of the Crafters.
Currently knitting: It's a surprise!
Went to the local Bass Pro Shop... and impulse just took over I guess.
I ended up with a 6'6'' St Croix Medium Fast Action Rod with a Shimano SN4000FD reel. The reel feels quiet heavy on the Rod but it's pretty smooth reeling (I think it would have been better with the slightly smaller SN2500FD), I should be able to test it on some Crappy or Bass this weekend!
Something my dad taught me decades ago, fishing gear catch fishermen. You dont need real expensive stuff to fish and do well at it. I still fish with a hand line now and then to piss off my friends who just spent $300 on a rod and another $200 on a reel.
Learn rigging and techniques for the different fish you want to fish. Learn to tie different knots.
The rig you bought is a good middle of the road rig. Might be a little much for the crappie, but might be a bit under sized for the catfish depending where you are fishing.
Dont get frustrated. Its called fishing, not catching. There are days you may not catch anything.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
I'm wondering what a good gear setup (Rod/Reel) would be. What's some quality brands? Not too expensive but not crap either.
Casual
RGBeatz | BPauper MBC | 0Cheeri0s | BVampires
Competitive
RBurn | GWMaverick | WURPatriot | BWGJunkBlade | BPOX
As far as reel goes, don't get something too cheep, get something middle of the road. Bate casters are not for beginners they tend to get back lash if you don't adjust it right and are harder to cast. Open face is what I prefer, it takes a bit of getting use to but once you do it has a great cast and tangles much less then a bate caster. You can also you a closed face, which is what most people think of when the think of a fishing reel. They'll be better for cat fishing where you're not casting very often. Also, make sure that you poll will fit the rod, they all use different polls (some closed face work with bate casters).
And for line, use what ever. 6 or 8 pound test should be enought. I like the expensive braided stuff, but good old mono filament would do just fine. If you aren't using live bate you could catch 3/4 of those fish with Mepps spinners (of the appropriate size) , it's a tackle box staple as far as I'm concerned.
Right now, I've got my eyes on a 6'6" Ulgy Stick combo or a 7' Shimano combo at walmart...
Casual
RGBeatz | BPauper MBC | 0Cheeri0s | BVampires
Competitive
RBurn | GWMaverick | WURPatriot | BWGJunkBlade | BPOX
If you're just starting out, I think it's better to get a closed-face reel. You decrease your likelihood of getting the line tangled. Once you get used to how the casting process works, you can switch over to open-faced.
As far as line weight, 6 to 8lb should be sufficient, 10lb test on the outside. Mono-filament won't stretch as much, so definitely start there.
For lures, my one go to is THIS ONE (color #1, the purple with an orange spot). Bass eat them up and you can even catch sunfish on the tail hook. The Mepps spinners are good too (they've even got a lure selection guide on their website). Northland tackle has some good stuff to (I'm partial to the Mimic minnows).
I don't know if the DNR where you are has a website where you can look up lakes and rivers to see what's in them, but that's always a good thing to look at. Get an idea of what you might possibly catch before you head out.
Official Knitter of the Crafters.
Currently knitting: It's a surprise!
I ended up with a 6'6'' St Croix Medium Fast Action Rod with a Shimano SN4000FD reel. The reel feels quiet heavy on the Rod but it's pretty smooth reeling (I think it would have been better with the slightly smaller SN2500FD), I should be able to test it on some Crappy or Bass this weekend!
Casual
RGBeatz | BPauper MBC | 0Cheeri0s | BVampires
Competitive
RBurn | GWMaverick | WURPatriot | BWGJunkBlade | BPOX
Learn rigging and techniques for the different fish you want to fish. Learn to tie different knots.
The rig you bought is a good middle of the road rig. Might be a little much for the crappie, but might be a bit under sized for the catfish depending where you are fishing.
Dont get frustrated. Its called fishing, not catching. There are days you may not catch anything.