Recreation

Both spinning and baitcasting reels are familiar and trusted options among saltwater fishing equipment. While there is considerable overlap with regard to use, the two types of reel are very...

Spooling fly line onto a Pflueger fly reel is fairly easy. If done correctly it will prevent a large fish from pulling all your line off the reel and getting away with your line. In fishing...

Shakespeare manufactures a line of spinning reels for freshwater and saltwater fishing. The reels are popular for their durability and ease of use, since line tangles are minimized by the bail and...

Today, there are more waterfowl hunting accessories than ever. Waterfowl hunters have a wide array of tools at their disposal to customize their decoy rigs to their preferences. Although there are...

The drag system on saltwater fishing poles is especially important since there is no telling when a saltwater angler could hook a huge fish. Absent a drag that lets out line when a fish applies...

Most fishing poles and reels include a drag system that allows line to come off the spool if a fish pulls hard enough. A properly set drag can be the difference between an angler landing the fish...

You will learn how to make a trotline and what bait to use.

Glow sticks, which can be purchased cheaply, provide the ideal illumination for night fishing. A quick bend and snap is all it takes to light a glow stick, and rigging on the fishing line takes...

A slip bobber is nothing more than a buoyant tube. Line slips freely through the tube until it hits a line-stopping device known as a "bobber stop." The bobber stop can be moved up and down the...

Crank baits are typically constructed of hard plastic or wood and are designed to imitate fish found naturally in a particular area. These baits will feature the shape and coloring of such bait...

Lead core fishing line is used for deep water trolling. The lead core helps the line sink and get your bait to the proper depth. Most brands of lead core lines are color coded for easy...

Proper fluorocarbon line treatment starts when you first spool the new line onto your reel. Fluorocarbon line is a fast-sinking fishing line, almost twice as dense as mono, with a lesser tendency...

Any double hook rig works well when the angler has gotten into a school of feeding fish and wants to maximize the catch. The rig also works well on slow fishing days when the need is to present a...

When monofilament lines came into the fishing tackle market in 1939 it was adopted by many. The first lines, made from nylon, were stiff and did not cast well. That changed in 1959 when a softer...

The Beetle Spin has been popular for half a century for catching the more aggressive predatory fish such as bass, walleye, bream, crappie and perch, but it also can work for larger trout, salmon...

Crank baits are versatile lures used for all species of game fish found in all waters. When tying a crank bait to a fishing line, it is important to have a knot that is strong enough not to come...

This article is about how to catch live crab. I learned how to crab from my father, who took me and my older brother alot when we were growing up. We still go together when we can and now we are...

Using planer boards to present multiple baits to game fish is a relatively new idea. The technique is used most commonly by guides who want a high catch count for their clients. Recently, hobbyist...

If the packaging that comes with your reel does not specify or recommend the amount of backing to put on your reel, or you have simply lost those specifications, determining the amount of backing...

Fly line backing accomplishes two things: It takes up extra space on a fly reel so the line will flow out easier and it gives a margin of error when large fish are hooked. If the backing is to do...

The weakest point in any fishing line is the knot that the angler chooses tie. Thicker monofilament lines are especially vulnerable to a weak knot. Heavy monofilament lines are stiffer and more...

There are many instances when an angler will desire to use fishing weights. These weights come in a variety of forms and serve an assortment of different functions. In most cases, fishing weights...

Saltwater fishing is a great way for an angler to enjoy the toughest challenges of the sport. Whether casting from the surf, dropping a line off a pier or wrestling brutes in the deep, plucking...

Zoom baits are a brand of typically soft-bodied fishing lures designed and manufactured by the Zoom Bait Co. There are many different bait designs in various colors manufactured by Zoom; however,...

Fly fishing is a challenging and fun means to catch fish, especially if you've fished that way long enough to know how to cast right into the "circle" and entice a nice trout, salmon, bonefish or...

Mini jigs are small-sized hooks which have a round piece of lead attached just below the eye of the hook. The jig is designed to be fished by bouncing along the bottom of a stream, thus imitating...

Fly-line backing is so much more than just a lot of string wound around the core of a fly-fishing spool; without the backing, fly-fishing would be impossible. Proper fly-line backing setup, use...

Fishing line weight needs to be matched to your rod and reel. Depending on the type of fishing you are doing, lures and bait you are using, and line type you choose, you may want a heavier or...

There is an easy way to measure the amount of line on your spinning reel. It involves a marker pen, a measuring tape and some of the basic math skills you learned in the lower grades. It is...

Imagine that you have affixed your favorite bass lure to your line and are fishing in a spot where you know the big ones lurk. You get a bite, pull back on the rod tip and suddenly realize that...

Marine debris is a global problem that affects everything from the environment to the economy. According to the BoatUS Foundation, "the average American produces 4.5 lbs of solid waste every day."...

Line must go onto a spin-casting reel with the same rotation that it comes off its store-bought spool. New line spooled in the wrong direction onto a spin-casting reel can come off in horrible...

The bobber rig is probably the first live bait rig that the angler is introduced to; "When the bobber goes down, a fish is eating your bait!" The rig has another purpose for the more experienced...

Zebco makes a variety of fishing reels that accommodate anglers of all skill levels, from novice to experienced. But in order to use these reels properly, and to catch fish, you'll need to spool...

Like any other fishing reels, Penn reels must have fishing line on them if they are to be used to catch fish. In some ways, stringing the line to the reel is one of the most important parts of any...

Monofilament line is the most commonly used fishing line among anglers targeting a wide variety of fish species, but one thing is constant no matter what the quarry: Monofilament line must be...

Spinning rods are one of the most common types of rods, and the Shakespeare company manufactures the spinner rods that many anglers use. But like all varieties of fishing rods, Shakespeare...

At some point a fisherman is going to hook more than a fish. If it is himself or a companion and medical attention is nearby, seek it. Dealing with an embedded fishhook in the field is not...

Float fishing with a torpedo-shaped bobber is a popular technique for catching steelhead trout. The bobber adjusts quickly to different points on the line to hold the baited hook at the desired...

Bait-casting reels are popular for their accuracy in dropping a baited rig or artificial lure precisely where the angler wants them to hit the water. The open-faced reels mount on top of a rod and...

Backing line on a fly reel serves two purposes. It increases the diameter of the spool, so it takes fewer rotations of the reel to draw in the fly line, and it provides extra length for when a...

Setting up the fishing line for your fishing pole is the first step to enjoying hours on a lake, pond, or river. Setting up the line is essentially a matter of putting the line on the reel,...

Properly threading line onto your fishing pole is important to avoid tangles in the line down the road. Using an open reel fishing pole allows you to have complete control over the winding...

Knowing how to load your fishing line correctly is extremely important. Following proper procedures when loading line will give you hassle-free casting and smooth fishing, while failing to take...

A non-closing loop is necessary for many fishing situtations. Whether you're attaching a leader for fly fishing, looping a sinker onto your line or using a loop in another way, the best choice is...

Jigs are weighted artificial lures used for bottom fishing, Made of soft plastics, or coarse hair and thread tied to a hook, jigs are bounced along the bottom to mimic baitfish in distress. Jigs...

Plastic worms are a great bait. According to the Bass Anglers Sportsman Society (BASS) these baits have won more bass fishing tournaments than any other bait during all the years since BASS...

Tying your own nightcrawler harnesses will save you money and allow you to effectively modify your lures and tackle on the go for the best odds at landing the big one. Nightcrawler harnesses with...

Many types of fish--including perch, bluegill and crappie--are adept at nibbling a worm until they are able to remove it from the hook while avoiding capture. You can turn the table on worm...

There are ways to catch fish without a rod. I learned this summer that you dont need much gear at all to reel in a bucket full of fish in nearly an hour.