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Fishing Gear and Tackle
Walk into any good tackle shop and the choices are endless. Browse a catalog and you won't know where to begin. Sport fishing generates more total income than any other sport in North America. From boats that cost more than cars, to rod and reel outfits that cost thousands of dollars, to the everyday fisherman re-stocking a tackle box after a trip or season, thousands of stores, dealers, catalogs and outfitters are catering to the needs of sport fishermen.Where do you start?
Well, a good tackle shop that specializes in equipment is probably your best bet, as they usually have friendly, helpful staff that know the products they are selling. Although these stores might charge a few more dollars than Walmart or Canadian Tire, they have way more variety, and you will be able to get help and tips on matching your equipment properly, if you're not buying prepackaged combos. Once you find what you want, you can always compare prices with online stores or eBay vendors, you might be able to save a substantial amount of money, depending on what you are purchasing.
Rods:
I prefer light to medium action rods for most species, there are plenty of rods capable of pulling in trophy fish for under $25. Without paying much attention to brand names or marketing, feel the rods in the store. Most good shops will not have any problem with this, as they expect anyone to try the rod before buying. Some anglers prefer stiff rods, some like them wobbly, I usually pick something in between. Select a shorter rod for boat fishing, and longer ones for shore fishing.
Reels:
Select a reel to match the rod you choose to use, typically by matching the suggested line weight for the rod to the line weights marked on the spool capacity of your reel. Have the clerk open the box, and set up the reel on the rod while you are in the store, to avoid any surprises once it's too late. Don't be shy to match a few until you find one you are most comfortable with. More ball bearings, usually mean a smoother, better quality reel that will also cost more. I personally prefer spinning reels, I guess it's what I got used to over the years, and they seem to tangle less often. They are also easier to take apart for cleaning and maintenance, and as I usually fish with live bait, pinpoint accuracy when casting is usually not an issue for me. Bait casting reels tend to be a lot easier to cast, and more accurate, so many sport fishermen prefer them when casting lures accurately becomes more important.
Fishing Line:
In my humble opinion, this is the most important part of your gear, as it is the direct connection between you and your trophy. There is no worse feeling than losing a big fish, to poor quality line that can't hold a proper knot, or that ends up snapping as soon as it hits a rock. I personally NEVER use mono line, as it has high memory, and creates bird's nests in your reel more often than any other line. For most bass and pike fishing, I use 14 LB Fireline which has a 6 LB diameter. It has zero stretch (great hooksets) , no memory, and once you tie your knot, it's not coming apart any more. I've pulled in 50+ LB logs with it, and straightened out many snagged hooks as well. It is also extremely resistant to abrasion, it actually beat the top of the superbraid lines, namely 50 LB Spiderwire stealth line I tested against some rocks. While the Spiderwire snapped immediately, it took 3-4 tries to snap the Fireline. This is extremely important when fishing in big, rocky rivers like the St Lawrence river or Outaouais / Ottawa river, where big carp, catfish and pike can easily slice the line against a rock in one run. One final word of caution: Fireline is extremely sharp. Never attempt to pull a snagged hook directly with your hands, or you will quickly end up with many cuts. Always wrap the line around and rounded object such a pliers or even a beer bottle, then use it to pull slowly until the hooks straightens out or the line snaps.
Footnote: I ran some more stress test on various lines and weights, the strongest line I found unbreakable against rocks is Power Pro. I now use it for all my carp rigs,as well as spooled my carping reels with it. My preference is 50 LB test with 12 LB diameter, which offers great castability with light to medium gear. I haven't had any cut offs since switching from 30 LB Fireline, and even horsed a 23 LB carp that had wedged the line between some sharp rocks. I will be putting out another Youtube video shortly, documenting the line testing I've been experimenting with, I'm convinced that anyone fishing the same conditions will switch after seeing this comparison.
Hooks:
I tend to prefer cheaper hooks, as they are easier to bend. I prefer to straighten the hook, then bend it back into shape and re-sharpen it, to losing my rig completely. I also like to buy brands that come well sharpened, and that sharpen easily. Well sharpened hooks are another crucial part to good hooksets, you want the hook to penetrate as deep and quick as possible. I re-sharpen my hooks after most snags, I use a standard file to sharpen them until they're "sticky sharp".
Lures:
They're are too many lure types and models to even start describing what's available to fishermen without actually writing a book. To keep it as short as possible, although I normally still fish with live bait, I occasionally use lures in the following situations: Topwaters on calm days, smooth surface with no waves. Spoons, diving lures and Jigs tipped with plastic bait for deeper, wavier or faster moving water.
More details on using sinkers, leaders, swivels, bobbers and bells are listed on the rigs page.
