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Fishing
Equipment
Fishing
is really quite simple. All you need to catch the fish listed
in this guide is a rod and reel, lures, hooks, a bobber or two,
weights and a container for bait. Besides equipment, you’ll
also need to learn a bit about where fish live, what they eat
and how they feed-vital information that is clearly explained
in this pamphlet.
Rod and Reel
Most fish species can be caught with just one rod: a lightweight
6-foot spinning rod, equipped with a spinning reel capable of
holding 150 yards of 4-8 pound test fishing line. If you go after
the big fish, such as muskie, chinook salmon, sturgeon or flathead
catfish, you’ll want to use a stouter rod (spinning or a
bait casting) with a reel that can hold 200 yards of 10-20 pound
test line.
Young kids should use a short rod with a closed faced reel.
Fishing Line
The fishing line is the weakest link between you and the fish,
so pay special attention to it. For most of the fishing in Minnesota
use 6 pound test line. Occasionally you’ll want to use 4
pound test line for trout or 12 pound test line for big fish.
Buy top quality line and replace it at least once a year. Don’t
use swivels. Instead, tie the line directly to the lure or hook,
unless you are fishing for the sharp-toothed northern pike or
muskie, when you’ll want to use a steel leader. As you fish,
occasionally check the end of the line for nicks and abrasions,
especially after snagging up. If the line is damaged, cut off
3 feet and retie your lure to the new end. (Fishing line left
in the water or on the bank can entangle and kill wildlife. Please
dispose of it properly.
Hooks
Hooks come in many different shapes and sizes. They are sized
by an even-number system (10, 8, 6, etc.) The smaller the number,
the larger the hook. The hook shank (the long part between the
eye and the bend) can be long, regular or short. Most fishing
situations call for a regular hook. Long hooks are easier to remove
from fish that have small mouths, like panfish.
Fishing Weights
Often you’ll need weight on your line to help cast farther
or to keep the bait on or near the bottom. The most common fishing
weight is split shot (a lead ball that can be pinched onto the
line). Another type of weight is the slip sinker. These tubes
or balls of lead have a hole down the middle through which the
line can slide so the fish feels little resistance when taking
the bait.
Bobbers
Bobbers come in many shapes and colors. For most situations, a
long thin bobber is best because it offers the least resistance
as a fish pulls it under.
Bait
The trick to successful bait fishing is keeping your bait lively.
Minnows should have a constant supply of fresh water, so keep
them in a floating bait bucket, with holes to let water flow through.
Worms and leeches must be kept cool and moist, so keep them in
your cooler. Never leave them in the sun.
Lures
Lures fall into four basic categories: spoons, spinners, jigs,
and crankbaits (also called plugs). Spoons are one of the oldest
types of lures. Made of metal, they are shaped like the end of
a spoon, and wobble and flash through the water. Their main advantage
is that they are heavy and can be cast a long distance.
Spinners are perhaps the most effective lure ever developed.
Consisting of a metal blade that hangs on a thin wire shaft, they
spin, pulsate, and flash when pulled through the water, attracting
fish from a long distance.
Jigs are bounced along the bottom to catch bottom-feeders such
as walleyes. Often called a “leadhead”, a jig is a lead
ball with hook through it. It can have a body made of soft plastic,
fur, or feathers.
Crank baits or plugs are wood or plastic lures that look like
fish, frogs, crayfish, or other aquatic foods. Most have a plastic
lip on the head that causes them to dive and wiggle when retrieved
through the water.
Modified Clinch Knot
1. Run end of line through eye of hook twice to form a loop.
Be sure line does not cross over itself in hook eye.
2. Wrap free end around main line 4 or 5 times, then thread back
through the double loop.
3. Wet the line and pull on mainline and tag end to tighten knot.
Trim tag end to 1/8” of knot.
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