How to Rig for Game Fishing

Fishermen should prepare their equipment before going fishing.

Before you hit the water to go fishing, rig your rod and reel in preparation for the day. That means stringing your fishing line onto your rod and reel. It also means tying on the lure or rig you plan to use. Anglers who target game fish use either a live-bait rig or an artificial lure. By setting everything up before you hit the water, you'll save yourself time and, perhaps, you'll catch more fish.

Things You'll Need

• Rod and reel
• Line
• Lures
• Hooks
• Swivels
• Sinkers
• Bobbers
• Scissors

Instructions

1. Choose the fishing rod and reel that you plan to use. Select a spinning rod and reel combination if you're targeting species like crappies, perch or sunfish, or a baitcasting combination if your main targets are larger fish like bass, muskies, northern pike or walleyes.

2. Fill the reel with line. Insert the end of the line into the tip of the rod, then thread it through each of the line guides until the end of the line is at the reel. Wrap the end of the line twice around the reel's spool, then tie a knot so the fishing line is tight on the spool. Use a scissors to cut all but 1/8 of an inch of line that extends beyond the knot. Turn the reel handle clockwise to fill the spool with line and stop turning it when the line is approximately 1/8 of an inch below the rim of the spool. Use the scissors to cut the line so that 1 foot of line hangs from the tip of the rod.

3. Decide how you want to pursue your target species. Anglers who fish for species like crappies, perch, sunfish and walleyes often use live-bait rigs. Artificial baits generally are the choice for trying to land bass, muskie and northern pike.

4. Attach a live-bait rig, if that's what would be most effective for your preferred species. The most common rigs for fishing live bait are bobber rigs and Lindy rigs. Walleye anglers usually opt for a Lindy rig, which consists of a hook, 24- to 36-inch leader, swivel and sliding sinker. Attach an active leech, minnow or nightcrawler to the hook. Beginning anglers and those pursuing panfish tend to use bobber rigs. That's because the bobber is a visible indicator that a fish is biting. The parts of a bobber rig, in order, are a hook, sinker and bobber. Attach the bobber to the line so the bait is about 1 foot off the bottom.

5. Select a snap swivel to fish with artificial baits. The snap swivel lets you change baits as often as you like without retying your line. If you plan to use the same artificial bait for extended periods of time, tie the line directly to the hook.

References

• Take Me Fishing: Bait and Equipment