Fishing experiences new people entering into the sport all the time. Each person has their own reason for wanting to pickup a rod and reel and go fishing. No matter what the reason, a lot ofpeople go out and purchase their first fishing reel and rod in hopes of carrying home a boatload of tasty fish.

I have created a simple Guide about choosing your first fishing gear. You won’t need expensive or complicated gear to begin. Most people know that fishing tackle manufacturers design fishing tackle to catch the Fishermen’s eye instead of fish. The Rods and Reels I used to catch fish many years ago still catch fish today. In fact, it may even work better today seeing how the fish haven’t seen this particular offerings over and over again.

Fishing gear to catch Fish doesn’t have to be complex or overpriced. Simple set-ups work best for any fish. I remember a Bass fishing trip a Buddy and I took to a local lake many years ago. The weather was hot that day, even for June. We gave up fishing around noon and went in too load the boat when this Old Man and 2 kids came into the boat launch area.

After they were done loading the boat, I went over to see if they had caught any fish. They had. In fact, each had caught their limit of Bass. The biggest one was 6 and a half pounds and none were under 2 pounds. Seeing how my Buddy and I had been using the latest equipment on the market along with the latest lures and presentation, I just had to know this Old Man’s secret to catching Bass. The Old Man smiled and showed me his Minnow bucket and said “Just plain old minnows”! I also couldn’t keep from noticing their very simplistic graphite fishing rods and reels. Their simple set up had out produced the newest technology and presentations on the market at the time!

The necessities you’ll want to be successful at catching fish is a Rod and Reel, line and bait. It’s as simple as that. As for rods and reels, your local sporting goods store or Wal-Mart has more than enough tackle to get you started. I’d suggest a Rod and Reel combo like the Zebco 33 and a matching rod. Expect to pay a whopping twenty five bucks or so for such a combo.

Level wind reels take quite a bit of experience and practice to use properly. Spinning reels should be avoided also. If not used properly, they’ll leave you with a mess that you’ll not likely soon forget.

Now on your equipment list comes the fishing line. If you bought a rod and reel combo, chances are it came with line already on it. If not, or you want to change the line, then I’d suggest a 10lb line from either Stren or Trilene. There are other manufacturers out there, but these two have been around a long time and manufacture quality fishing line.

Now we’re at bait selection. Start with live bait and work your way up to artificials. Again, ignore the marketing hype. Live bait catches more and bigger fish day in and day out than artificial lures do. When you’re in the Fishing Dept. of your favorite store, look for Eagle Claw live bait hooks in the 1/0 to 3/0 sizes and get a few packs. Next try and find some weights. You can generally find the ones that come several sizes to a package. Split shot is a great weight for beginners. Next, check out the floats. I like to use the Balsa wood floats. I use the slip floats. These slide up and down the line for easy adjustment. They’re held in place at the top by a knot or bobber stop. Now all that’s left is checking the regulations, buying a tackle box and stringer and you’re set to go!

That’s your basic list you’ll need to start fishing. The fishing tackle I recommend here should cost you less than a hundred dollars. The fishing companies have made it seem like catching a Bass is nearly impossible unless you’re using the latest and greatest gear on the Market. Nothing could be further from the truth. If you come home empty handed, don’t sweat it. Even the best of us do from time to time!