If you’re starting off as a beginner angler, there will be a lot of mistakes. The key is to not get frustrated and learn from these mistakes. To give you a heads up on the most common mistakes and how to avoid them, here is a list of 5 fishing tips for beginners –
- Do your research beforehand
Honestly, there are so many different factors that come into play when fishing, even the most prepared and experienced person is likely to face situations if no prior research is done. It is very important to know about what kind of fish you’re likely to get, the water conditions like temperature, depth, clarity and composition, fish activity patterns, local area situations and if your own gears and resources are sufficient and effective to fit the situation. Do some research and take help of Google before making a plan to go fishing.
- Learn about basic casting and practice
Casting is the most important part of all, and it is more vital towards the beginning as poorly casted lures and bait is likely to be lost and become ineffective resulting in re-rigging and money loss and of course, lost opportunity. You can practice in open fields and improve your aim.
Beginner anglers have a hard time understanding the difference between a bite and a snag. When you feel the pull, stop moving, loosen the tension a bit and pay attention to the rod movement. If there is vibration and pulling movement felt, it’s a bite and then you can jerk.
- Choosing the best bait
This is a vital part because the wrong bait can end up with a day ending in empty hands. Most of this part comes from point number 1, research. Based on the location and other characteristics of the fish and water, the accurate bait has to be chosen. There are a lot of guides available online, take help from them and more importantly, ask advice from experienced anglers as they can update you with the most effective tips and tricks. Be sure to know about these baits and have them prepared. Another point to remember, do not stick to using the same bait again and again. If a bait doesn’t work as it supposed to, you can try a few times at first but if that doesn’t help, it’s better to change the bait. Experiment with these and you’ll develop a better understanding quite fast.
- Patience is key
The most important quality of anglers is their patience. You have to be really patient, determined and observant. As you cast your line and wait for the fishes to bite, set back and relax and enjoy the sceneries but keep an eye on the changes in the rod. Remember, it is very much likely to not get any fish caught at first so don’t get frustrated and hold onto it. Don’t make too much noise as it may scare the fish away and keep an eye on the line for bites and check it every 20 minutes or so to make sure everything is properly set and not disrupted. When you feel a pull, respond to it, don’t panic and try to feel it and then pull hard and take that fish in.
- Keep it Cheap
Fishing is an expensive hobby but that doesn’t mean there aren’t cheaper options. At first, it is not necessary to buy absolutely expensive gears. Start with freshwater fishing for easy and affordable fishing and don’t fall for all the attractive products out there, because they can wait and you can do well without buying expensive stuff at first. Go with cheaper options at first and then if you feel like you can afford, you can buy more pricey gears, but it’s not an absolutely necessary thing to do.
Hopefully these tips will come in handy for beginner anglers and don’t feel hesitant about anything, fishing is a very enjoyable hobby so go out there and enjoy it.