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Teach me to fish

Red Beard

Red Beard

Well-Known Member
SH Member
Joined
Mar 3, 2019
Messages
6,053
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in my skin
A few of our kids have shown interest in going fishing this spring/summer. I'd like to take them but I have absolutely no fishing gears and know next to zero about it other than a few memories of being told to remain silent while sitting way too long in a Jon boat.

A simple stroll down the fishing isle in Walmart cemented my lack of knowledge in that department. Really no idea what I'm even looking at when I walked through there. Lots of questions came up in my mind... What's best in terms of a rod and reel combo? Bamboo rod or fiberglass? 36 inch or 8ft? Enclosed thumb button reel or open I-can-see-the-line-and-I-think-you-need-to-flip-the-thingy-over reel? Spinner baits or rubberish worms?

I'm basically a clean slate looking for help/ideas on the most painless way to get myself and a few kids up and running. Any advices are appreciated.
 
Start with cane polls from any sporting store that come with line, bobber, and hook. Get some worms (or dig up your own), grubs, or crickets (south) and go catch a mess of blue gill, bream or whatever you call them. Great around ponds, dock, pier etc. They’re small and manageable, and cane poles are easy.

B'n'M Pole Company 10' Jointed Bamboo Fishing Rod
https://www.walmart.com/ip/16326904?sid=198ff88c-32d9-4f73-8384-3cd3c9b53770

It’s good to have a spool of 4-6 lb line, small bobbers, split shot (weight), needle nose pliers, and some small hooks to re-tie as needed.

Knowing you you might just find some bamboo and make your own! Good luck and have fun.
 
For the kids, I would get a dock demon or a dock runner. They are basically the same price as the kiddie fishing poles but 1000 times better quality and reels (I prefer open spinning reels to the closed zebco style tanglemakers) are good enough. My kids have caught everything from 2.5 inch bluegill to 24 inch catfish on them (I have two different setups with different line weights).

Spool the reels with 4-6 lb monofilament or fluorocarbon for panfish, 8-15 lb for catfish. I err on the smaller side because the reels don't hold that much line and would rather break off a snag and lighter weight line is easier to cast.

For panfish/micro fishing, bobber, a few split shot (put em on the line close to the bait) and a j hook are all that's needed, crickets or dog your own worms, if using works just use a section, some people fully bury the hook inside the worm to disguise it, and set the hook (point the rod tip at the bobber, reel in the slack, when bobber goes under jerk rod tip to 45 degree angle).

for catfish I like to use a "fish finder rig" or a "slip rig". Cut off a 3 foot section of line, tie a circle hook to one end, and a swivel to the other. Then on the main line on the pole, put the line though the eye of a1-6 oz weight (depending on current, I use pyramid style) and then toe the line to the swivel. That will keep the weight a few feet away from the bait and the catfish won't feel it at first when they eat the bait/hook themselves. Catfish eat a lot of different stuff, I sometimes use pieces of chicken, just pass the hook through once and leave the tip/barb of the hook clear, don't try to bury the hook. Catfish are used to eating things like bluegill with spines so don't worry about them feeling through hook, once they feel it it's too late. No setting through hook with circle hooks, just let the rod bend over(resist the temptation to reel on the first nibbles, when they are hooked you KNOW like 98% of the time) and start reeling.

Key either way is to keep tension on the line, a slack line lets the hook come out. Other key is to have fun!

A needle nose pliers or forceps is your friend for getting a hook out if it's not in the lip.

If you do get those small rods they don't cast a catfish setup all too well, sometimes I'll hold the weight and hooked bait on my hand and open the bail and instead of casting just throw the bait/weight out. Be very careful that you hold the hook in a way that it can't catch your palm/finger on the way out though, it's more of a cupped hand toss/scoop than grabbing it like a baseball
 
Wow. Great tips guys. Thank you so far.

Brings up a bunch more questions though...

@gcr0003 how do you cast with a cane pole?

@thedutchtouch how does one spool a reel?

@GeoFish where does the hook go on a cricket?

Do all of these setups work if we're just standing on or walking up and down the side of a pond? Does one work better than another?
 
Red Beard said:
Wow. Great tips guys. Thank you so far.

Brings up a bunch more questions though...

@gcr0003 how do you cast with a cane pole?

@thedutchtouch how does one spool a reel?

@GeoFish where does the hook go on a cricket?

Do all of these setups work if we're just standing on or walking up and down the side of a pond? Does one work better than another?
Click to expand...
You lean the pole forward a little and the bait swings out. As it’s swinging out raise the pole slightly to continue the swing. On its way out just let the pole down a little so that the bait/bobber hits the water. When the bobber goes down simply lift the pole up and back towards yourself. Pretty simple. The cane pole does the hook setting, making it great for kids.

Hook a cricket on its collar. Youll know what it is when you look at a cricket lol

As already mentioned, cane poles are great for ponds fishing from the bank. Live bait is what you want for kids. It just works and it’s fun.

Keep em busy digging for worms, keep em busy digging for crickets (get a cricket basket/cage), then they’ll keep you busy hooking them on and taking fish off when they catch a bunch of fish lol
 
Spooling a reel- assuming a spinning reel, the easiest way I know is to take the spool of line and put it on a pencil, let a kid hold the pencil so it spins on it like an axle. Then take the end of the line, thread it through the eyes on the pole (backwards, starting from the top and going down to the reel). Flip the bale (wire on the top of the reel) into the up/casting position, and then tie the line around the reel spool(you may have to put some electrical tape around the reel spool to give the tied line enough friction to not spin as you reel it on. Sometimes you have to wind the first loop or two by hand to keep it from spinning as well just make sure you wind the same direction as the reel will). Then you flip the bale down and with one hand hold the rod somewhere that you can also lightly pinch the line with a clean cloth or paper towel - just needs a bit of friction to wind on the spool tightly. Then with the other hand reel in the line using the reel handle until it's about 1/8 of an inch in diameter smaller than the lip on the top edge of the spool. I would guess here's YouTube videos that likely make this even more straightforward than my verbose attempt but hope that helps.

The knot on the reel can be a basic square not or your favorite cinchong knot, it doesn't have any purpose other than holding the loop in place to get the line started around the reel so knot strength doesn't matter there. For everything else I would learn the fisherman's knot and the Palomar knot. I use Palomar on almost everything. Loop knots and all that stuff is for later on and more complicated rigs

Agree that cane pole is simplest, tenkara (fly fishing, but you can use it as a cane pole) is similar. There's no reel, the line is attached to the top of the cane.
 
Definitely start with bluegill/panfish because they are super easy to catch and will keep the kids entertained. Otherwise you’ll run the risk of them getting burned out not catching anything. Hopefully you can see the bluegill from where you are standing in the bank?

I would recommend a cheap spinning rod/reel combo with 4-6lb line. Keep the rods on the shorter side for kids. I have 3’ for real small kids, 5’ for 6+, and 6’ for pre teens…they’ll move up in length as they’re skill improves.

For bluegill I put a red and white bobber on the line, about 6” above a small hook with 1/4”-1/2” of worm. (Kids always like digging up their own, but also pretty cheap). Distance between hook and bobber will depend on depth of the fish, suspended the bait same as fish.

With a bobber the kids can not only see the bite, but they can feel the bite also. Without a visual they are more likely to reel in and snag, or get tangled, and have you chasing your tail with snags, knots, casting
 
Personally I’d just get a couple of Zebco 33s or cheap Ozark Trail brand combo rod/reels, a panfish kit, and some worms. You can also use bread, corn, or hot dogs to catch fish. If they gain more interest you can get better equipment. Honestly for beating the bank a good Ugly Stik combo is hard to beat. Not the most sensitive rods but they are durable.
 
gcr0003 said:
You lean the pole forward a little and the bait swings out. As it’s swinging out raise the pole slightly to continue the swing. On its way out just let the pole down a little so that the bait/bobber hits the water. When the bobber goes down simply lift the pole up and back towards yourself. Pretty simple. The cane pole does the hook setting, making it great for kids.

Hook a cricket on its collar. Youll know what it is when you look at a cricket lol

As already mentioned, cane poles are great for ponds fishing from the bank. Live bait is what you want for kids. It just works and it’s fun.

Keep em busy digging for worms, keep em busy digging for crickets (get a cricket basket/cage), then they’ll keep you busy hooking them on and taking fish off when they catch a bunch of fish lol
Click to expand...
Boom. This sounds simple enough. So live bait is the ticket huh? Okie doke.

Just a single poke of the hook through the "collar" or so you need to try to bury the hook so it can't be seen?
 
thedutchtouch said:
Spooling a reel- assuming a spinning reel, the easiest way I know is to take the spool of line and put it on a pencil, let a kid hold the pencil so it spins on it like an axle. Then take the end of the line, thread it through the eyes on the pole (backwards, starting from the top and going down to the reel). Flip the bale (wire on the top of the reel) into the up/casting position, and then tie the line around the reel spool(you may have to put some electrical tape around the reel spool to give the tied line enough friction to not spin as you reel it on. Sometimes you have to wind the first loop or two by hand to keep it from spinning as well just make sure you wind the same direction as the reel will). Then you flip the bale down and with one hand hold the rod somewhere that you can also lightly pinch the line with a clean cloth or paper towel - just needs a bit of friction to wind on the spool tightly. Then with the other hand reel in the line using the reel handle until it's about 1/8 of an inch in diameter smaller than the lip on the top edge of the spool. I would guess here's YouTube videos that likely make this even more straightforward than my verbose attempt but hope that helps.

The knot on the reel can be a basic square not or your favorite cinchong knot, it doesn't have any purpose other than holding the loop in place to get the line started around the reel so knot strength doesn't matter there. For everything else I would learn the fisherman's knot and the Palomar knot. I use Palomar on almost everything. Loop knots and all that stuff is for later on and more complicated rigs

Agree that cane pole is simplest, tenkara (fly fishing, but you can use it as a cane pole) is similar. There's no reel, the line is attached to the top of the cane.
Click to expand...
This is a good explanation. Thank you.

Can the Palomar be uses to attach a hook to the line? Also, can I attach a hook directly to the line or do I need to use a swivel in there somewhere also?
 
Publiclandowner said:
Definitely start with bluegill/panfish because they are super easy to catch and will keep the kids entertained. Otherwise you’ll run the risk of them getting burned out not catching anything. Hopefully you can see the bluegill from where you are standing in the bank?

I would recommend a cheap spinning rod/reel combo with 4-6lb line. Keep the rods on the shorter side for kids. I have 3’ for real small kids, 5’ for 6+, and 6’ for pre teens…they’ll move up in length as they’re skill improves.

For bluegill I put a red and white bobber on the line, about 6” above a small hook with 1/4”-1/2” of worm. (Kids always like digging up their own, but also pretty cheap). Distance between hook and bobber will depend on depth of the fish, suspended the bait same as fish.

With a bobber the kids can not only see the bite, but they can feel the bite also. Without a visual they are more likely to reel in and snag, or get tangled, and have you chasing your tail with snags, knots, casting
Click to expand...
This sounds real simple. Thank you.

How does one determine the depth of the game fish? I.e., is there a telltale way to know how deep to suspend a worm on a hook? Or is it just trial and error?
 
BuffaloBill said:
Personally I’d just get a couple of Zebco 33s or cheap Ozark Trail brand combo rod/reels, a panfish kit, and some worms. You can also use bread, corn, or hot dogs to catch fish. If they gain more interest you can get better equipment. Honestly for beating the bank a good Ugly Stik combo is hard to beat. Not the most sensitive rods but they are durable.
Click to expand...
Thank you. I remember the name Zebco 33 from the store the other day.

Are these "panfish" yall are talking about an actual species or fish or more like a class of fish? I guess more pointedly, where would I be able to find panfish? A river? A pond? The beach?
 
Red Beard said:
This is a good explanation. Thank you.

Can the Palomar be uses to attach a hook to the line? Also, can I attach a hook directly to the line or do I need to use a swivel in there somewhere also?
Click to expand...

Palomar is my knot of choice for all lines except flurocarbon. Really can't beat it. Just make sure you lube it before pulling it tight. No real need for a swivel snap unless planning to change baits/hooks frequently.

BT
 
Black Titan said:
Palomar is my knot of choice for all lines except flurocarbon. Really can't beat it. Just make sure you lube it before pulling it tight. No real need for a swivel snap unless planning to change baits/hooks frequently.

BT
Click to expand...
Right on. Lube with what?
 
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