Deciding on the Proper Fishing Gear

Before you'll be able to leave for the first sport fishing trip of the year, you'll need to make sure you have the best fishing gear. You won't catch a lot of fish if you go fishing without taking your rod and reel, but there are many other less obvious items you'll require as well.

First of all, check to see if your fishing license is up to date. Also make sure you've got any additional permits you might want for the types of fish you're going to be trying to catch. For instance, in some places, you might need to have separate licenses for saltwater and freshwater fish. In others, you might be required to have a "trout stamp" or other species-specific fishing license.

Next, bring a copy of the sportfishing polices for the location you will be fishing. This will enable you to find the rules for a particular kind of fish if you should catch a type of fish that you were not expecting. It is a great idea to maintain a copy of the fishing rules tucked away in your fishing tackle box in a clear plastic Ziploc bag. That way, it hopefully won't get destroyed the very first time you get some water inside of your boat.

Now for the fun stuff. You'll need to have at least one fishing rod and reel. The style you decide on needs to be suitable for the kind of fish you're trying to catch. If you're going to be out fishing for sunfish, it is possible to get by with a lighter rod and line than if you're fishing for trout or bass.

If it is not your first time going fishing, you almost certainly already have a rod and reel, but you will probably need to get some bait as well as some lures. Regardless of how many fishing lures you had at the start of the last season, there's a really good chance you've lost your favorite ones, so a trip to the sporting goods section at Walmart is likely to be required. Make sure you choose fishing lures in an assortment of styles and colors so that it will be possible to experiment with different lures when the fish are not biting, but if you've got a few tried and true favorites, be sure to get some of those before anything else.

Next comes live bait. Crickets, worms, and minnows are generally excellent options. You really should wait until near to the time of your fishing excursion to purchase your live bait so you don't really have to worry about trying to keep them alive in the meanwhile. You might also want to look into getting real minnows that are preserved in packages. These baits are sold in the same aisle where you buy lures.

What else could you need? Snacks! Make sure you've got a large cooler so that it is possible to keep your drinks and lunch chilled while you are fishing. If you're likely to be parking your car a long way from where you'll be fishing, you may want to get yourself a heavy duty fishing cart in order to make it easy to get your gear where you'll need it.

The Reels on Wheels fishing cart can carry all of your rods and reels and your cooler too! For more information or to find tips on spider rigging for crappie, visit The Fishin' Guy.