I'm sure most men have taken a fishing trip at some point in their lives, however in today's society many men have grown up in cities and either haven't had the chance or the interest to learn how to be an angler.
For me, my childhood consisted of weekly trips to the trailer where Saturdays were either spent fishing (if you were a man) or shopping at garage sales (if you were a woman). Having a plethora of fishing knowledge under my belt seems normal to me, and knowing how to feed your family should you ever become stranded in the wilderness is something a man shouldn't take lightly.
Many people who fish use a casting reel and spoons or spinners and fish right off the end of the dock or shore. My experiences have been fishing for Walleye and Northern Pike primarily on a boat using a jig and live bait, so that is the method I will teach in this post.
Gear
- Fishing rod
- Spinning reel
- Quality fishing line
- Jigs
- Bait (live minnows, leeches, or worms)
- Needle nose pliers
- Patience
- More patience
Prep
Now the first thing you need to do is get your rod ready for use. If it is brand new you will have to assemble it and wind the spool with new fishing line. This is quite easy and you should be able to figure this out using the instructions even if you are a woman or small child. Make sure you adjust the drag on your line to be loose enough for the fish to run and take some line but not so loose that reeling in will be difficult.
Once you are ready to start fishing you will have to tie your hook onto the line. I recommend the simple and effective Palomar knot. It is quick and easy. Great for anglers who go through lots of hooks.
 |
| Palomar Knot |
With your hook now attached to your line you are now ready to put your bait on the hook. (Most states or provinces have laws regarding the usage of barbed hooks to catch fish. The penalties for using barbs can be very steep so I would consider using needle nose pliers to crimp the barb back onto the shaft of the hook) Make sure your bait is securely attached to the hook and for good measure you can even cut a small piece of rubber band and attach it to the hook to make sure the bait won't slip off. There are also many different fish attractant scents on the market. These do work but if you're using live bait these scents aren't necessary.
Caution: Avoid using any type of lotions or aftershave on your hands. Fish have a very delicate sense of smell and will be easily put off by uncommon scents, resulting in no fish for you.
The Fishing Part
Finally we are ready to actually start fishing. Now finding the best location of a lake (where the fish are) I will cover in a later post, but the thing to know is that the best spots for catching fish are in the shallows for Springtime (while the fish spawn) and in about 20 - 25ft of water in the Summer months. Don't just drop your line in 100ft of water and expect to catch anything but a sunburn.
To fish using a jig you must release the catch on your reel and let the line go into the watery abyss. Let the line out just until you feel the hook touch the bottom and reel in about 1 to 2ft. In lakes that have a lot of rock or trees on the bottom it is important to get off the bottom as soon as possible to avoid a snag. Better yet with practice and knowledge of the depth you can stop the line before it touches bottom. If you do end up getting snagged on the bottom you may have to literally cut your losses and retie another jig.
with your line now out you will want to "jig" the line every once in a while. nothing too forceful but enough to make the bait move and not just sit there still. It's as simple as just lifting the rod slightly.
Now on to the fun part of fishing,
waiting...
jigging...
waiting...
jigging...
contemplating life...
nibble?
nope...
oh look that seagull just shit on my lunch...
waiting...
eventually, with any luck you will feel a nibble on your rod. It's hard to accurately describe but you will know it when it happens. Now the important thing to remember is to not panic and scare the fish off. The best way to convert the fish from browser to buyer is to let the fish take the bait on it's own. You will feel when the fish has it and when it does "set" the rod (give it a good hard pull upward). This is honestly the hardest part and the one with the most room for error and lost fish.
With the fish on it will run and when it does let it go. To a point. As soon as you feel the fish start to let up start reeling in at a steady pace until you feel the fish start to run again. This is a push and pull battle that may take seconds, minutes, or even hours depending on the size of the fish. Just be sure to have your buddy get that net ready for when you get that fish close to the boat.
Take the fish off the hook and carefully remove the hook from the mouth. (you may need the pliers for this) and put the fish on the stringer or in the livewell if you plan to keep it or gently place it back in the water if you aren't. Later you will fillet the fish and get it ready to be dinner. Make sure you only keep fish that fit into the guidelines of your fishing license and know your limits.
Rinse hands.
Repeat fishing.
No comments:
Post a Comment