Want Your Kids To Have Fun Fishing – Use The Right Tackle
I know it has been awhile since my last article and I may not be able to post as often as I did last year. I apologize for that but I really do have a good reason. I busted my right shoulder up pretty good before Thanksgiving. The doctor tried treating it with shots for several months and finally decided on surgery which I had March 17th.
It is now almost two months since the surgery and I am beginning to be able to do some things with my right hand but not much. I am not allowed to lift anything more than a glass of water until June. I am not asking for you to feel sorry for me. My shoulder has caused me pain for years and once I am through rehab that should be gone. I just want you to know why I have been silent for so long.
Fishing is a passion of mine and I enjoy helping others. This brings me to this point. I finally talked the doctor into letting me go fishing. He said ok as long as I stayed on shore and took it easy. I knew I couldn’t use my right hand (and I am right handed) to cast and that I would have to do it left handed. I thought that might be difficult with some of my rod combinations but I thought I would do a test of the three real types:
Bait casting
Spinning
Spin Casting
Now we all know which is harder to use and which is the easiest. I was trying to put myself in the context of a kid trying to learn how to cast each of them. So, off I went to a local pond I know that produces some goods catches.
I decided to try the bait casting combination first because I knew it would be the hardest. My first cast went about 10 feet and gave me a ton of line to untangle. My second wasn’t much better a little further and a little less line to untangle. My third try went way left of my target and again I had a ton of line to untangle.
Honestly, no surprise that the bait casting was the most difficult to use. To be honest I quit trying after the third try and an hour of untangling the fishing line. I definitely wasn’t having any fun at this point. Then I remembered that I was a teenager when my father taught me how to use one and I always had another line in the water to keep me from being frustrated until I got the hang of it. Too late now, I was done with the bait casting reel.
But I also remembered what motivated me as a young boy to learn how to use the bait casting reel. Distance, pure and simple. I wanted to be able to cast further than my father and I couldn’t do it with anything else.
I then tried the spinning reel and it was pretty easy to cast after a time or two but it seemed to have a mind of it’s own about where it wanted to go. The problem might have been because I have never casted left handed and the angle of the release was wrong. But in any case I moved on to the spinning reel. My arm was getting sore and I wanted to catch some fish before I had to go.
I had no problems casting the spin casting reel and proceeded to do my best to get something to bite. I managed one small catfish and a decent sized bass before I had to go home. I released both of them.
I guess the point I want to make is that on this day I had much more fun with the spin casting reel. I hope that when all of you take a kid fishing it is because you want them to have fun. It is great if they can learn the finer points of fishing but let them learn when they want to learn and let them enjoy it so they will continue the tradition and pass it on to someone else.
Picking The Right Catfish Rod
Fishing for Catfish can be fun and exciting if you choose the right catfish rod for the fish you are trying to catch. If the rod is extremely stiff and strong you take all the sport out catching all but the biggest catfish. If the rod is extremely flexible a medium sized catfish will tear it up. Catfish are great fighters which make them fun to catch but they can destroy your gear if you don’t choose correctly.
To make I better choice when buying a new rod there are a few things you should know. When choosing a rod there are 3 main factors that will determine how the rod will perform in actual use.
Action refers to where or how much of the rod will bend. With equal weight a fast action rod will start to bend more toward the tip where as a slow action rod would tend to bend over the entire length of the shaft. A medium action rod would start to bend in the middle. The action is controlled by the taper of the rod itself. A fast or short taper would make a slower action rod and a slow or long taper would make for a faster action rod.
Power or strength is the amount of force needed to bend the rod. The thickness and type of rod material will determine this. A lot of rod manufactures and anglers get this confused with action. Most rods when marked light-action are referring to power not action. The best way to tell the power of a rod is to check the line weight ratings.
Sensitivity is the ability to transmit vibrations from the line through the rod and to your hand. By taping lightly on the tip with your finger you should easily feel the vibrations holding the handle of a sensitive rod. The thickness and density of the rod material will make a difference. Graphite is more sensitive than fiberglass and boron is denser and more sensitive than graphite. The ferrules also make a difference; metal ferrules are far less sensitive than graphite. A one piece rod of course would be the most sensitive. The rod blank should also continue through the lenght of the grip. Single foot guides add less weight and help retain sensitivity verses a double foot guide which is heavier and must also be wrapped in two locations. Also the rod action plays a major role, fast action rods will be more sensitive than a slow action rod of the same material. Don’t confuse a lighter more flexible rod with being more sensitive.
If you are new to catfishing a good inexpensive rod choice is the Shakespeare Ugly Stick. It is a medium action pole that is a favorite among catfish anglers. While this is a good rod to start with you should get to know what the other rod types are capable of. You will have a lot more fun catching a 5 lb channel catfish on a medium action pole than you will on a heavy action pole. Choosing the right catfish rod will make your fishing much more fun.
Get Started Fishing
Fishing is an activity the whole family can share or if you are like me it is the perfect get away. With your family or alone it is great feeling to be outdoors away from the hustle and bustle of our everyday lives. It can be a great time to bond with your family and friends or provide you with the solitude you need to relax and sort out what ever is bugging you. Besides fishing is fun. Just ask any of the millions of anglers who enjoy this sport today.
One of the great things about fishing is you don’t have to be an expert to have fun. All you need is basic tackle, bait and a little information. With all the information available through the internet today finding what you need should be easy.
Once you have decided that you want to try your hand at angling the first thing you will need to do is purchase a fishing license. At the bottom of this page is a link to my site. There you will find a page called “State and Local Resources”. Here you will find links to every state. Be sure to look up the license requirements and fishing laws for you state. Some states will allow you to purchase your fishing license online.
Next go to Wal-Mart and purchase your fishing tackle. You should be able to get everything you need for fewer than thirty dollars. Here is what you will need to fish for Crappie, Bluegill or any other pan fish:
-Get a spin casting rod and reel, 5 to 6 feet in length, with 4 to 6 lb test line already wound. This is the easiest rod and reel combination for a beginner to master. When you get it home put a small weight on the line and practice giving it a toss. You will figure it out very quickly.
-Some small split shots
-Number 6 hooks
-A small plastic or wood bobber
-Visit your local bait store and purchase a couple of dozen night crawlers
You are almost ready to go fishing. Tie your hook on the line using a Palomar knot. Attach the split sinker 8 to 12 inches above the hook and to start out with attach your bobber about 3 ft above the hook. Now that you are ready go to the nearest pond (best) or river. Put your worm on the hook and start fishing.
What I have given you here is very basic. I did so deliberately. It is more than enough to get you started. There was a time when fishing consisted of a cane pool with some line tied to the end of it. I promise you they enjoyed fishing just as much back then as I do now. My point is fishing doesn’t have to be complicated. It is supposed to be fun. As you learn and want to do more, that is great, but for now this is enough.
If you want to learn more about fishing you can get a free copy of “78 Fishing Discoveries Unleashed” on this website.