Rod and Reels

Rod And Reels

Spinning Rod and Reel
Spinning gear uses a spinning reel with a fixed spool that is mounted below the spinning rod. Because the spool of the spinning reel is stationary, it is more difficult for the angler to tangle the line when casting. A spinning rod will have wider guides to catch the large loops of line leaving the spool on the cast.
Many anglers prefer spinning reels for working lures such as top-water poppers and high-speed plugs. Also, spinning reels can cast lighter saltwater lures and baits than conventional reels.


To fish with a spinning reel, hold the rod and reel in your dominant hand and crank the handle with the other hand. Most spinning reels have handles that are easy to change from left handed to right handed.
Spinning reels suffer from loops in the line called "wind knots" when the line becomes twisted or is not retrieved under pressure. This problem can usually be solved by adding a small swivel between the line and the leader.
When spooling line on a spinning rod, lay the spool on the floor so that the line is leaving the spool in the same direction that it is going onto the reel. To test if the line is going on correctly, pinch the line between your thumb and forefinger and make a dozen cranks of the reel handle. Then, stop winding line and drop the rod tip to put slack in the line. If the line starts to spin and twist, then you’re putting it on in the wrong direction. Simply flip the spool over and continue to fill the reel.

Baitcasting Reel
Saltwater Baitcasting Rods and Reels
Baitcasting reels hold more line, cast farther and produce smoother drag than spinning reels; however, baitcasting reels are more difficult to cast.
A baitcasting reel has a revolving spool and sits on top of the baitcasting rod, which has smaller eyes than a spinning rod.
Baitcasting reels work well where long casts or big baits are necessary. Also, baitcasting reels are better for bottom fishing and jigging.


Reels with a closed face and line guide are used for working lighter lures and baits. Open-face reels without a line guide work better for casting or jigging because the line can be let out and retrieved more quickly.
One potential problem with baitcasting rods and reels comes when casting. If the spool is turning faster than the line is leaving the rod, the line gets backed up and explodes into a tangled mess called a "bird’s nest." If the backlash isn’t too severe, it can usually be picked out by pulling line off the reel.
To slow your cast, most baitcasting reels have either a magnetic, centrifugal or electronic cast control. But even with the best cast control, you still need to learn to use your thumb to slow the speed of the spool.

Saltwater Trolling
A saltwater trolling rod is a beefed-up version of its baitcasting cousin with a revolving spool reel that sits on top of the rod.
Saltwater trolling reels typically use a lever drag system instead of a star drag. This allows you to set the maximum drag, then adjust the amount of pressure with a lever on the side of the saltwater trolling reel. These reels also carry a lot of line and have large bodies to handle the extreme pressure of fighting a big fish.
Saltwater trolling rods are shorter and stouter than casting rods with a notched butt that fits into the gimbal on a fighting belt or chair. Saltwater trolling rods either use high-strength round eyes or roller guides to support the line.

Saltwater trolling rods and reels are categorized by the line-test that they are intended to support. A 20-pound combo will tackle smaller fish including sailfish, dolphin and white marlin; while a 130-pound outfit will subdue monster billfish and bluefin tuna.
Saltwater trolling rods used for stand-up fishing will usually be shorter with a longer butt, while rods made to be used in a fighting chair will be longer with a shorter butt. Lighter action trolling combos also make good heavy-duty bottom fishing and bait fishing rods.

Saltwater Jigging Rods and Reels
Fishing with metal jigs is one of the oldest tricks in the book, but in recent years the method has taken on a new life with the invention of vertical and rubber jigs.
Vertical jigging uses high-speed rods and reels to retrieve a streamlined metal lure at top speeds. On the other hand, rubber jigs are designed to bounce slowly and hover off the bottom. These techniques require specialized tackle to either work a lure very quickly or very slowly.
For vertical jigging, use a medium-fast spinning or casting rod with a whippy tip that will quickly retrieve the jig. Vertical jigs require high-speed reels with a retrieve ratio of 6:1 or faster that can hold hundreds of yards of braided line.

Rubber jigs, on the other hand, are designed to move slowly and hover over their target. These jigs require an 8-foot, light-action rod that allows the fish to nibble its way to the hook without feeling any resistance. A reel with a slow retrieve ratio (below 5:1) will apply steady pressure to set the hook. Braided line and a highly sensitive rod will allow the angler to feel the slightest tap of a fish.

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Fishing Technique

Bait Casting
Bait casting is a style of fishing that relies on the weight of the lure to extend the line into the target area. Bait casting involves a revolving-spool fishing reel (or "free spool") mounted on the topside of the rod. Bait casting is definitely an acquired skill. Once you get the hang of the technique (check out the casting animation), you will be casting your lures right on target into the structures where fish are feeding and hanging out.

With bait casting, you can use larger lures (1/2 to 3/4) and cast them for longer distances. To get started, you’ll need a rod with good spring action, a good quality anti-backlash reel, 10 to 15 pound test line and a variety of specific bait casting lures.

Spin Casting
We won’t say it’s foolproof, but spin casting is an ideal fishing method for beginning anglers. Spin-casting equipment is easier to use than bait casting. You can use it to cast both light and heavy lures without tangling or breaking your fishing line. Basic equipment includes a 7-foot rod, a spinning reel and 6 to 10 pound test line for casting 1/16 to 3/4 ounce lures. You can use an open-face, closed-face or spin-cast reel for spin casting.
Tips: How to Cast a Spinning Reel Courtesy of ExpertVillage.com

Trolling
Trolling is done using a small electric motor that moves the boat quietly through the water so fish aren’t spooked. But you can also troll by towing a lure while walking along the edge of a shoreline, bridge or pier. The speed of the boat determines the depth of your bait. And the depth of the bait is determined by the species of fish you’re trying to catch. Use a spinning reel or a bait caster for trolling. Some states don’t allow motorized trolling, so check out your local fishing regulations to avoid tangling with the fish enforcers.

Still Fishing
Still fishing is a versatile way to go. You can still fish from a pier, a bridge, an anchored boat or from shore. You can still fish on the bottom or off the bottom in ponds, lakes, rivers and streams for a variety of species. And you can still fish during most seasons and during any part of the day. Your equipment and the size of the hooks and bait you use depends on what kind of fish you’re after. But your best equipment for still fishing is patience. You have to wait for the fish to bite.

Drift Fishing
Drift fishing allows you to fish over a variety of habitats as your boat drifts with the currents or wind movement. You can drift fish on the bottom or change the depth with a bobber or float. Natural baits work best. But jigs, lures and artificial flies will produce good results, too. You can drift fish on ponds, lakes, rivers and streams any time of the day and year.

Live Lining
Your fishing line is “live” when your boat is anchored in a flowing body of water like a river or stream. Use live or prepared fishing bait and keep it on or just off the bottom. Live lining off the bottom allows your line to drift with the current through holes and rocks where the fish may be holding. Your equipment and the size of your fishing hooks and lures depend on what type of fish you’re after.

Chumming
To attract fish or get them biting again, you can throw “chum” into the water where you’re fishing. You can use ground-up bait fish, canned sweet corn, dead minnows in a coffee can for ice fishing, pet food, even breakfast cereal. Or stir up some natural chum by scraping the bottom with a boat oar. Be sure not to over-chum. You want to get them interested in feeding; you do not want to stuff them before they get a chance to go after your hook. Chumming is not legal in all states. Check local fishing fishing regulations to make sure you are not illegally stimulating the hunger of your future catch.

Bottom Bouncing
Bottom Bouncing is done from a drifting or trolling boat, and it’s a great way to attract or locate fish during most seasons and times of day. Use a buck tail jig or natural bait and drag it along the bottom. The dragging motion causes the lure to bounce along stirring up small clouds of sand or mud. After a few strikes with bottom bouncing, you can drop anchor and apply other methods to hook the particular kind of species you’ve attracted.

Surface Poppers
There’s nothing quite like the sudden, exciting rush of a fish rising to the surface and exploding onto your lure. Surface poppers are a style of topwater fishing bait that get their action from a cupped face carved or molded into the front of the lure body. Cast your popper out to the target area and let it settle briefly. By taking in small amounts of line slowly, the cupped face “pops” along the surface, imitating the action of prey, such as small insects, small frogs or even a small injured fish. To increase your chances of landing your catch, resist the urge to set the hook immediately when the fish strikes – let it take the popper under the water first – then set your hook firmly.


Jigging
Jig fishing is popular and challenging. Why? Because the person fishing is creating the action that attracts, or doesn’t attract, the particular type of fish he or she is trying to catch. Here’s how it works. Cast out and let your jig hook sink to the bottom. Then use your rod tip to raise the bait about a foot off the bottom. Then let it drop back to the bottom. You can jig up and down, side to side or up and down and sideways. Jig rigs come in all sizes, shapes and colors, and can be used with or without live fishing bait.

Jig and Worm
Attach a worm to your jig hook and use it to bottom hop or sweep through your target area. To bottom hop, cast to the target and let the jig sink. Then reel in slowly, twitching the rod with every third or fourth turn of your reel. To sweep, cast to the target and drag the jig parallel to the bottom while reeling with a fairly tight line. Slow and steady gets the fish when you’re sweeping with a jig and worm.

Using Spoons
Spoons are among the most popular lures and are easy to use. Some are thin and light, some are thick and heavy. And different spoons have different actions. How and where you’re fishing will determine how to use them.
Casting spoons: The basic technique is to cast it out and reel it back. A steady retrieve is usually best. If fish are curious but not striking, try slight variations in the speed or direction of your spoon.
Trolling spoons: Thinner and lighter than casting spoons so they can be trolled slowly. Typically used with depth control rig for open water species like trout, salmon or walleye. Can also be tied onto a rig with a diving crankbait and trolled on a long line to go after species near the bottom.
Topwater/Weedless spoons: Great for predators like bass, musky and pike that tend to hide in thick underwater cover. Cast over the cover, start retrieving and reel just fast enough to keep the lure on the surface.
Jigging spoons: Great for predators typically found on deep structure. Let the spoon freefall down. When it hits bottom, take up slack line until the rod tip is a foot above the water, then work the spoon with short jerks up and down. Usually, strikes occur when the spoon is falling, so be ready.


Ice Fishing
Fishing through a 3-foot hole in the ice? Yup. It’s a unique way to catch multiple species of northern, fresh-water fish. And thanks to advancements in garment design, portable fish houses and fish locating devices, it’s becoming more and more popular. One- to 3-foot rods are most often used and simple reels hold the line. You can also ice fish with a tip-up. When a fish hits your tip-up gear, it releases a lever that raises a flag or rings a bell. This means you should stop playing cards with your buddies and start reeling.

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Locating To Fly Fishing

Locating To Fly Fishing

• Location: Find the fish and you are halfway to catching them.
• Observation: Know the foods fish eat.
• Imitation: Have your fly look like the foods fish eat.
• Presentation: Get your fly to the fish in a natural and lifelike way.

Where to find Panfish
These relatively small fish usually live in warm-water lakes and ponds. You will also find them in warm-water rivers along weedy shorelines and in shallow bays.
In ponds and lakes, panfish (such as crappie, sunfish and bluegill) like shallow weedy areas because that's where most of the foods they eat live. In spring, they spawn along shorelines, in nests that look like light-colored, oval depressions. Panfish also love structures, such as boat docks, duck blinds, depressions in the pond bottom or shallow reefs. Learn to spot these structures, and you can locate the places where you should cast your fly for panfish.

Where to find Trout
Trout are coldwater fish, so you will only find them in rivers, lakes and ponds that have cold water year round. In rivers, trout face upstream bringing the food to them. Like bass and panfish, they spend all their time eating, resting and hiding from predators.
When they are resting, river trout hide under currents; near the bottom of deep pools; under shoreline structures such as logs, brushy banks, undercut banks, and boulders; and in holes and culverts.
When they are feeding, stream trout move to where the food comes to them - eddies (anywhere there is a break in the flow, creating a fast current beside slow-moving water), along weedbeds, behind boulders, at the tailouts (exits) of pools (places in the stream where water moves slowly), and in early morning or late evening in the stream shallows. Discover feeding trout (and bass and panfish) by looking for the riseforms (dimples they make when feeding on the surface). You can locate nymphing trout (fish-eating nymphs beneath the surface) by looking down into the water (using polarized sunglasses) and spotting their sides or open mouths flashing as they feed.
Lake- and pond-dwelling trout behave differently, cruising in search of their food. Look for them along weedbeds, a prime location for insect life. Also look for riseforms on the lake. And, trout often cruise the surface and "gulp" hatching aquatic insects.

Where to find Bass and Pickerel
These fish capture their foods by ambush. Since they prey on panfish, they often lie in or nearby the same places that you find and fish for panfish. In addition to panfish, bass and pickerel snatch moving minnows, frogs and crayfish. In lakes and ponds, expect to find them prowling or lurking around lilypads, weedbeds, boat docks, logs, and overhanging trees or tree trunks - or just lying in the water near any manmade structure where they can hide. Also look for them around headlands, jetties, reefs or along the shoreline.

In rivers where water moves and brings food to fish, expect to find bass hiding wherever you find a break in the flow of the water - around rocks, ledges, jetties, under docks, in the riffle edges of large pools and along shoreline weedbeds. Remember that larger bass usually live in or near the deeper holes. The larger the fish, the more depth it needs for protection and food.

Where to find Saltwater Fish
Inshore saltwater fish move with the tides to find their foods - usually small baitfish. These baitfish also move with the tides, so the more you know about when the tides change and how the changes affect the fish, the more likely you'll be to catch a fish.
Here's an example. When the tides take the water out of saltwater ponds, the moving water washes tiny baitfish called sandeels out toward the deeper water, and predator saltwater fish slash at the baitfish. When the tides are right, bluefish chase baitfish, up against the beaches, where they trap and eat them. On the saltwater flats of Texas and Florida, a rising tide brings the bonefish and redfish in to feed on the creatures that dwell there. Tarpon follow the tides inshore to do their feeding and resting.
So look for saltwater fish around structures such as inlets, tidal rip areas, beaches, headlands, under docks, around lights (at night), on tidal flats and in channels that pass tidal flows.
Also watch for diving gulls and other birds. Chances are predator fish have slashed into schools of baitfish and left crippled fish that are easy pickings for the gulls. And watch for surface disturbances along shorelines,

where hunting fish are pursuing baitfish.
On the saltwater flats, look for "busting" tarpon, where the backs and heads of the fish appear on the surface. Also look for things like bonefish eating head-down with their tails sticking up through the surface, and the surface ripples where redfish feed.

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