In your fishing career, you will very likely learn many knots. But, you’ll be using these two knots from day one. They are indispensable. Let’s go over some knot tying terminology before we begin.

standing line: the part of the line that is not involved in making the knot; the part of the line that "stands still."

tag end: the very end of of the line; the part of the line that is being used to make the knot.

Arbor Knot

The arbor knot is the knot you use to tie line and backing onto your reel. It’s very simple. (Click on the photos to enlarge them.)

Step 1.

Pass the line around the arbor.

Step 2.

Tie an overhand knot in the standing line.

Step 3.

Tie another overhand knot in the tag end.

Step 4.

Moisten the knots (saliva will do- the lubrication keeps the line from weakening from the friction of tying.) Hold the tag end on either side of the knots and pull tight. Cut off any excess line above the knot in the tag end. Snug the knot down. All done.

Improved Clinch Knot

The improved clinch knot is the most popular knot for attaching hooks, swivels, snaps, lures, flies and sinkers on light line (20lb test or less, click on the photos to enlarge them.)

Step 1.

Pass the line through the eye of the hook and wrap the tag end around the standing line five times.

Step 2.

Bring the tag end back and pass it through the loop you created above the eye.

Step 3.

Now pass the tag end back through the big loop.

Step 4.

Moisten the knot area. Hold the tag end in one hand, the standing line in the other and and pull slowly at the same time. Slide the coils tight with your fingernail. Clip the tag end.

The right equipment depends largely on what you intend to do with it. The right gear for catching small bluegill in a local pond won’t be right for fishing large sturgeon. If you know exactly the kind of fishing you want to do, then getting the right gear is a relatively simple matter:

1. Find a local tackle shop you like.
2. Go in and tell them what you want to fish and where.
3. Buy their recommendation.

As an alternative, you can ask your fishing buddies what they they recommend. Or if you will be traveling somewhere to fish, you can call up an outfitter/or tackle shop in that area and ask them what a good setup would be.

What if you don’t know exactly what kind fish you will go after?

What if all you know is that you want to start fishing, and you want some good gear that will handle almost any freshwater situation? What do get then?

What you need is a good all-around outfit to get you started. This outfit should be fun to catch small fish with, yet have enough backbone to reel in the bigger ones as well. It won’t be perfect, but it will be pretty close.

Your First Fishing Outfit

1. 6-foot to 7-foot, medium to medium-light action, 2-piece graphite rod.
2. Medium to medium-light spinning reel filled with quality 8 pound test monofilament line (get a reel that comes with a spare spool).
3. Line in 4#, and 6# test (fill the spare spool with the 6# test).
4. Quality hooks in assorted sizes.
5. Assorted ball-bearing swivels & snaps.
6. Split Shot and a couple of egg sinkers.
7. Pencil floats in assorted sizes.
8. 3 spinners.
9. Polarized sunglasses
10. A tackle box or fishing vest.

If you’ve never put line on a reel before, let the clerk at the tackle shop do it for you. Trust me, about the spare spool. Sometimes, you’ll want to change out your line while on the water, and that spare spool makes it easy. A two piece rod will be more convenient to handle and transport than a one piece. The polarized sunglasses help you see through the glare of the water to spot fish and also protects your eyes from sharp hooks.

The Importance of A Balanced Outfit

It is very important that your outfit be balanced (the rod and reel are “matched” to hold the same size line.) A balanced outfit will allow all the individual parts to work to the maximum of their effectiveness and efficiency.

How will you know if you are a buying a balanced outfit?

If you buy a “combo” (rod and reel sold together as a package deal) from a reputable online outfitter or from a local tackle shop, you can be reasonably assured that the outfit is balanced. Combos are a good way to get a better price, compared to purchasing the rod and reel individually. But, if you buy your rod and reel separately you will need to read the specifications yourself to ensure that they are matched well.

How to Read Your Rod & Reel Specs

If you look at the butt end of the rod, near the handle, you will see some specifications printed on the rod. These printed specifications usually tell you the length of the rod, the rod’s action, and the range of line and lure size they are designed to cast. For the 8lb outfit I am recommending you’ll want a rod that ranges from 4 to 10 pounds or 6 to 12 pounds.

It will look something like this:

As you can see, the rod above is 6 feet long, medium action, and rated for 6-12lb test. Some rods have more or less information. For instance the rod below also shows recommended lure weight size:

Look for the specifications on the reel, as well. They will be printed on the box and sometimes on the reel. The reel should handle 8lbs in its midrange. This reel for example, is ideal :












As you can see, the line capacity is printed right on the reel. It says the reel can hold 200 yards of 6lb test, 140 yards of 8lb test, and 120 yards of 10lb test. This is a great match to the rods shown above.

With an outfit like this, you should be able to handle a wide range of freshwater fishing situations, and a wide variety of fish.

Congratulations on your new fishing outfit!

All fishes have senses. They, like you and me, can tell what’s happening around them through their sense of sight, hearing, smell, touch and taste, plus a few others senses we don’t have.

Sight

Fish have very good vision, but their eyes are different than ours. Their lenses are perfectly round, allowing them to see underwater. Freshwater fish have no eye-lids; to regulate the amount of light entering their eyes, they have to actually move to a different depth or area.

Many fish can see in color, which is why lures are manufactured in every color imaginable.

The placement of a fish’s eyes (one on each side of the head) allows fish to see on either side of the fish at same time. The location of the eyes creates a blind spot directly in front of the head, directly behind the fish and straight down.

Fish can see above the water through a circular “window” in the surface of the water because of the way that light rays bend when they enter the water. If you can see the fish, then most likely it can see you too. Keep a low profile as you near fish-holding water if you want to avoid spooking fish.

Lateral Line

The lateral line is a thin canal that runs along the side of a fish, horizontally, from head to tail on both sides of the fish’s body. The lateral line is crammed with sensory organs that allow the fish to sense temperature changes and “hear” vibrations in the water. Even in murky or dark water, fish can determine the location, speed and size of objects through their lateral line.

Smell

Fish can smell through nostrils called “nares” located on the snout of the fish. Odors in the water help fish locate prey, predators, and even water from far away places (like the water they were born in even when they’re hundreds of miles away.) Though they have a great sense of smell, most fish do not rely on their sense of smell to feed because what a fish can smell at any particular time depends largely on the strength and direction of the current.

Taste

While fish can taste through taste buds in their mouth (and sometimes taste buds along the head and side of the body), the sense of taste doesn’t seem to be very important to most freshwater gamefish. Catfish are the big exception to this rule, as they find their food primarily through their acute sense of smell an taste. Catfish can taste through their skin and through their whiskers (called “barbels.”)

How Understanding Fish Senses Can Increase Your Fishing Success

The more you understand fish in general, and your target fish in the specific, the better your chances of catching fish will be. For instance, if you know that catfish find food through their sense of smell, then you’ll want to make sure you have some stinky bait. Here are some general tips relating to fish senses that should help to put more fish on your hook:

• Make as little disturbance as possible when you approaching fishable water.
• Don’t run, stomp, or bang your tackle box on the floor of the boat, or even the shore.
• Keep you profile low to avoid being seen by fish in shallow water; you may want to kneel, or even crawl up to a shallow or small stream that’s holding fish.
• Watch your shadow. If you can, keep your shadow off the water, it’s likely to spook fish.
• Try to appeal to fish through more than one sense. Bass lures for instance often use color, sound and vibration to provoke strikes.