Basic Fishing Tackle

Basic Fishing Tackle - Stick With The Basics And Learn To Fish Like A Pro
By Tim Gorman

Fishing is a great hobby, giving you the chance to be out in the fresh air and sunshine while you're relaxing. You can get far away from the hustle and bustle of daily life, and be at one with nature.

Like most hobbies, fishing requires some basic equipment. Fishing tackle is the gear you use to get artificial or live bait in front of a fish. You don't need much tackle to get started in fishing, but it's important to get the basics right. You can always add more tackle once your skill level improves, and you're ready to use more advanced tackle.

Rod and Reel

This is probably the most important piece of tackle. It's good to start off with a lightweight rod and spinner reel, because they're easier to handle and make it simpler to tell when you’ve had a bite. Quite often you can purchase this as one unit. If you're just thinking about taking up fishing, borrow one from a friend to try it out. A fishing rod suitable for an adult is usually 6 feet long, and a child's rod 4 to 5 feet long.

Fishing Line

Fishing line is also called filament, and you can buy it in a variety of sizes or strengths. The strength is measured in a unit called pound-test, and the higher the pound-test number, the stronger the fishing line. It's important to choose line that matches your rod and reel, the bait you use and the fish you're planning to catch. If you’ve got a small, lightweight rod, and use spin casting or a spinning reel, you only need line up to 6 pound-test. The most popular line is in the 8 to 16 pound-test range. It's important not to use too heavy a line, though, because it becomes more visible to the fish. Most basic equipment and kids' rods are best used with 8 pound-test fishing line.