The Choice of Fishing Tackle Can Make or Break Your Day

Remember the days when almost anything like a cork could be used as angling equipment? Well, those days are pretty much gone, we have so much information available to us now it’s hard to know what is the right types of fishing tackle to use. You can still use handline around a cork if you want to, but some prize winning fish require tackle that is worth hundreds of dollars. So really it depends on what types of fish you really want to catch and what you want to get out of your fishing experience. The right types of fishing tackle can make your day out on the water.

Yes, all you need is a line and a hook to catch a fish but did you know that using the right rod will greatly increase your chances? You want to pick a rod that is light and strong, but still powerful enough to cast the sinker you’ve chosen and powerful enough to battle it out with the fish you might hook on to. You should choose your rod depending on your location and where you intend to fish. A heavy rod is better suited for casting on beaches or rocks whereas light rods are best intended for freshwater fishing.

The second type of tackle is called a reel and it is great for casual fishing like dropping a line off a jetty or if you want to fish in the short distance. All you will need is a handline and a handcaster. The most common type of handcaster you are most likely to see is called a Cuban yo-yo – you will recognize it as a ring-shaped spool. If you are a beginner and have just bought your first fishing rod, the best reel for you is a fixed spool which you can get in a large variety of sizes, they are effective and easy enough to use.

Next on the list are fishing lines. The most common ones are made from nylon and they are put in different classes depending on their breaking strength. The way this system works is by seeing how much weight a line will hold while it is unknotted. This is important to know so you can reference it to the type of fish you want to catch so you can make sure your line won’t break. Most of the common fish can be caught on a line that has a breaking point of 25 kilograms.

Hooks are next. Like anything else in fishing, hooks are put into certain categories and this is mainly by the size of the hook with the smallest starting in the 20’s and getting bigger as the number decreases. There are hooks that go even lower than one and these hooks are really large mainly used for catching sharks or anything else that big. The most commonly purchased hooks are between 24 and 12 which will do the job just fine for regular fish.

Sinkers are important if you want your line to go out properly. They are a great way to cast weight and sink your line down to a level where fish usually feed. Try choosing a sinker that will float discreet in the water and not spook the fish off, all while giving you the proper weight you need.

Floats are used for fish that feed on the surface of the water. Now in calm waters this isn’t necessary, but if you’re trying to catch fish in the ocean that are on the surface, then you need floats. They come in all different shapes and sizes to attract fish in different ways. Some of the most popular designs are shaped like quill, pencil, stemmed, bubble, and much more.

The last types of fishing tackle we will discuss are knots which are used to fasten the hook to the line, or a line to the reel, or even a line to another line. Knots help strengthen the line so you can avoid weak spots that might snap under pressure. There are so many ways to tie knots and you can find books, websites and more, all dedicated to knots.

Hopefully after reading through this quick guide on what types of fishing tackle there is, you can make an informed decision on what you need for your next fishing trip.