If you are just dipping your two into the ocean that fishing tips are (pun intended) then you will find this guide extremely useful. Not only will you learn how to fish a fish the right way, we will keep everything pretty basic as this guide is related to fishing tips for beginners first time fishing guide.
From discussing essentials of get fishing experience, the process of going to your next fishing trip, to learning how to tie different knots and how to catch fish in different waters.
We will go over a lot of useful things that will set you on the right path to becoming a seasoned fisherman. So if you are excited about all of this, then let’s get fishing:
Is fishing hard to learn?
No, fishing itself is not that hard to learn.
All you need to do is to buy some gear, go to a pier or lake, and throw the line with a lure attached to the hook. Then you just need to wait while eating sandwiches or contemplating life. Pretty easy, isn’t it?
What’s difficult, however, is catching the fish. Everybody can learn how to catch fish till the sandwich eating part, but catching it is actually an art and you need the practice to be the artist.
There are hundreds of videos on YouTube teaching how to catch fish “set the hook a fish guide”. The Pocket Fishing Basics Guide: Freshwater Basics will help
However, you need to know first that learn the important basics like tying different hook knots, and fishing adventure in saltwater, etc.
So keep reading to learn them before you dive into catching fish.
How do you go for beginner fishing tips?
If you are completely new to the freshwater fishing game then we will start from the very scratch.
Consider the following things before going angling.
Getting the License:
Just like hunting, you need license to fish as well and there are two ways for it. Either you visit the relevant Fish and Wildlife office in your state, fill out some forms and get a fishing license.
Or, the great way get it online from the official U.S Fish and Wildlife Services website.
Just select your state at the dialog box on the right side, you will be redirected to the official website of your State’s Fishing Department, fill out the information there and get fishing license mailed to your or printed at home depending on the state.
Note: If you plan on going saltwater fishing, you need a license for saltwater and similarly, for freshwater, you need a separate license for it.
Deciding Between Waters:
There are two kinds of waters where you can fish; saltwater and freshwater.
The first one is basically the ocean and the latter one encompasses lakes, rivers, or ponds. Depending on the water type, you will find different species of fish.
If you need adrenaline rush and thrill then go for saltwater as its fish fights to get out of the hook, however, for a more laidback fishing tips and experience, freshwater is best.
Just remember, freshwater fishing experience comes with a limit to the number of fish you can catch per day, make sure to ask about this from the local authorities.
Tip: Get a fishing map from any fishing gear shop nearby to find out the ‘hotspots’ for fishing or areas where specific species of fish are found.
Get a Kayak:
To catch a fish, you will have to venture into the ocean or the lake and for that, you need a vessel to carry you and stay in place while you eat your sandwich and wait for the fish to bite and take the bait.
Get a kayak with a wider hull as it is best for both saltwater and freshwater fishing because it is more stable than narrow ones.
Now you have received the license, decided on the fishing location, and have your kayak ready to go, you need the gear for proper angling. For that, read the next section of this guide.
What do you need to buy to go fishing?
We will divide this section into two parts; Basic gear and some essentials, so let’s get right into it:
Basic Gear:
- Fishing Rod and Reels: There are different types of fishing rods and reels, and you need to know them to decide which one you want to opt for. This brief video explains what is the perfect rod and reel very well.
- Fishing Line: The wire that originates from the fishing rod and is tied to the hook is the line. There are several types of lines that serve different purposes. be sure to watch this video to find out what they are.
- Hooks: Since you are just dipping your toe into fishing (pun intended), we won’t go into detail about the types of hooks. Just get a pack of regular bait holder hooks to get started.
- Bait: Minnows and worms are typically used as baits to catch different types of fish. There are also artificial baits but you can just start with worms for now. Just purchase a pack of nightcrawlers the get started.
Essential Gear:
- Sinkers: These are small pieces of tungsten or lead that you attach to the hook to add weight so that your bait can go down deep into the water quicker.
- Bobber: This is a float that you attach to the line and when the fish bites the hook, the bobber either moves or goes into the deeper water and that’s when you know that you have caught the fish so you need to reel in and get the hookup.
- Landing Net: It is only needed when you catch large fish so if you are just starting out, stick to the fishing rod and line.
- Tackle Box: It’s basically the gearbox that you use to store your fishing equipment. AS your equipment grows, you will need one.
- Bucket: A 5-gallon bucket is good enough to start with. Catch the fish and put them in your bucket with water to keep the fish alive.
- Clippers: When you tie the line to the hook, there will be some leftover, just use clippers to cut it. Clippers also help you just cut messed up knots and save time.
What is the best bait to catch fish?
There are basically two types of baits that you can use to catch all kinds of fish.
There is live bait where you use actual worms as bait and then there is artificial bait which is just a manmade lure tied to hook to trick fish into believing it as real.
Both of these baits have their sets of pros and cons but since you are just starting out on your fishing journey, go with live bait.
They attract more fish and from larger distances and also work in muddy waters where visibility is minimal.
Plus, whether it’s day or night, they work great, unlike artificial ones that only mostly work in the day time when visibility is high.
How to tie the fishing hook for beginners Guide:
How to tie a fishing hook knot?
It’s pretty simple and you just need the fishing line, the hook and a clipper to tie the fishing hook knot, also known as, fishermen knot.
- You need to first pass the line’s end, or ‘tag end’ as called in the fishing lingo from the loop at the end of the hook.
- Take the tag end six inches out, fold it onto the hook eye, and pinch the folded end onto the starting point of the hook eye.
- Now just start wrapping the remaining part of the fish line, between the pinched folded section and the tag end, around the standing end, which is lined up with the shank of the hook. Give 6-8 turns and then pass it from the pinched folded end of the line.
- Now lubricate the line and then pull the tag end and the standing part of the line to tighten the knot and you are done. Here’s a video for visual illustration.
How to tie a fishing hook with weight?
- Just take snap swivel and attach it at the end of the fishing line
- Now attach the weight to the snap swivel
- keep the weight away from the hooks.
- Since the weight is at the end of the line, you can attach multiple hooks from the end to up to 2-3 feet up the line.
How to tie a fishing hook without a hole?
- Lay the fish line under your eyeless hook and form a loop behind the hook.
- Pinch the two lines at the folded end together and start wrapping the remaining part of the fish line, between the pinched folded section and the tag end, around the standing end, which is lined up with the shank of the hook.
- Give 6-8 turns and then pass it from the pinched folded end of the line.
- Now lubricate the line and then pull the tag end and the standing part of the line to tighten the knot and you are done
How to tie a fishing hook and sinker? tie a fishing knot with weight
There are different types of sinkers but since we are discussing fishing for beginners, let’s talk about the two most used ones; pinch-on sinker and egg sinker.
The pinch on sinker is attached to the fishing line just a few inches above the hook. While the egg sinker has a hole in it from which you pass the fishing line before tying it to the hook so it freely moves up and down the line.
How to tie a fishing knot (Easy Guide for beginners)
How to tie a fishing knot on a reel?
- First, wrap the monofilament fishing line around the spool’s arbor using the tag end.
- Then just tie the typical overhand knot using the tag end around the line’s standing part.
- Now tie another overhand knot using the tag end just 1-2 inches above the first knot.
- Just pull the standing part of the line to slide the first knot against the arbor and the second knot going after it to jam it.
How to tie a fishing knot on a lure?
- The process is pretty simple. First, take the tag end through the loop at the end of the fishing lure for 6-7 inches.
- Then suspend the tag end that’s through the lure’s loop and take it to the mainline for about 3-4 inches. Pinch the tag end and the standing line together right after the point you folded/suspended the tag end.
- Now just wrap the tag end around the combined part of the mainline and part of the tag end that is through the lure’s loop.
- Give 6-8 turns and then take the tag end through the pinched loop that you made and give it a tight pull. This video has visual illustration for better understanding.
How to tie a leader knot on fishing line? (tie two fishing lines together knot)
Tying the leader knot aka double uni knot is simple but the process is a bit complex to be described herein written steps.
Therefore, we have selected this video for you. It goes through a very simple visual representation of how to tie the leader knot between two separate fishing lines.
How to tie a uni knot fishing line?
The uni knot is similar to tying the fisherman knot that we discussed above, the only difference is that instead of tying it on the shank of the hook, you tie it on the standing end of the line. Here are the steps to follow:
- Take the tag end through the eye of the hook, double back and make it parallel to standing line. Now you need to make an elongated loop by taking the tag end over this double line.
- Keep the point where you turned the tag end to make this loop pinched so that both lines stay parallel to each other.
- Now, turn the tag end 6-8 times around this double line and through the newly formed elongated loop.
- Wet the lines with saliva or lubricant and pull the tag end to tighten the knot. Cut the remaining part of tag end.
How to tie a Palomar knot with a braided line?
- Double down the fishing line to up to six inches, tightly pinch the end (turning point of the line) and pass it through the eye of the hook. Or, you can also pass the end of the line through the hook eye and then pass it back from the eye by double backing the line while leaving around 6in of doubled line outside the eye of the hook.
- Once done, just tie an overhang known using the pinched end of the double line with its standing end.
- Now pass the whole hook from the loop that you formed in the first step and then pull the standing end of the line to tighten the Palomar improved clinch knot. (You can also watch this video for visual representation of the steps)
Saltwater fish for beginners tips – (How to catch fish in seashore)
How to saltwater fish from a boat?
When you go on saltwater fishing, there are a few fishing tips that you need to keep in mind to ensure you catch a good amount of fish:
For Surf Fishing:
- We suggest that you get a 12-15ft long surf fishing rod having large line guides. Combine this rod with a saltwater spinning reel and add 20-25 pounds test fishing line to get best results.
- For live bait, we suggest using squid, mullet or shrimp and they are simple, reliable and attract most of the fish.
For Saltwater Blackwater Fishing:
- The rod should be 6-7ft long medium action and combined with bait caster or spinning reel. Add 15-pound test fish line for good results.
- The bait can be a gold metal spoon, which is the best for all kinds of saltwater fish.
How to fish a crankbait from shore?
Here are some of the most valuable and useful fishing tips on how to fish crankbait from the shore to help you out:
- Select lipless crankbait for your fishing from shore as it can easily reach the bottom and then you can pull it out and set it at the height you want.
- Do the sweeping motion of the hook instead of setting it aggressively.
- If the hook gets stuck on the rock, then let the crankbait rest for a minute because most of the time, it will float back to the surface.
- Make the casts parallel to the bank as it maintains the bait within the striking zones for extended periods
- When you catch a fish, do erratic reeling like stop for a few seconds, then reel, then stop, then reel more then stop and so on.
How to fish a chatter bait for bass? offshore for bass fishing
There is a very useful video that will provide you with a lot of useful fishing tips on catching a lot of Bass on Chatter baits. So watch it carefully to get a good idea of bass fishing and using chatter bait for it. Here’s the video.
5 inshore fishing tips and tricks
- Make sure that you have a legal fishing license for inshore fishing as it’s going to be saltwater so you will need saltwater fishing license.
- Refer to the local tide chart to plan your inshore fishing trip. Looking at the tidal movement will help you determine where most fish will be and you can plan your trip accordingly.
- Start using a 7ft medium weight spinning rod combined with reel rated for 12-20 pound fish test line.
- Use polarized glasses to protect your eyes and see clearly when the sun is on peak. Use other protective gear like a hat, and sunblock. use live baits like baitfish or shrimp for consistent action.
- When you are practicing the catch and release, keep the catch out of the water for as long as you are able to hold breath. Lastly, keep your eyes peeled on the water and look for any baitfish jumping around on the water’s surface.
- Use nose pliers while dealig with live fish
FAQs – Commonly Asked Questions about how to Fish tips & Tricks
Conclusion:
Now that you know how to catch fish and more importantly, how to catch fish in different types of waters, it is imperative that you start small. Start with a safer place like a lake that offers the perfect spot for fishing tips for beginners and then moves towards oceans when you learn the ropes of it. Just make sure to get a fishing license for any type of water you go to be it fresh or saltwater and enjoy your next fishing adventure.
