We’ve seen it many times in countless movies: the dad throws of a fishing rod in the river, chats a bit, then suddenly, ‘something’ beneath pulls off his string, and he frantically reels back to pull off a poor, wiggling fish into sight. Ahhh, what a beautiful sight. Maybe your family can also do this, right? Of course! But before rushing to your nearest river with your fishing rods, boats, buckets, and grill, there are things that you need to take note of (and follow) first to ensure that your intended fishing trip could be as smooth as possible.
A LICENSE MUST BE OBTAINED
For a simple, fun family activity like fishing, nobody would even expect that a license is needed for something as innocent as this – but it does for good reasons. Licenses are placed to protect the different populations of fishes and their natural habitat, and everybody is expected to follow the law. Different countries have varied rules, regulations, and requirements, but most of them have some similarities:
a. You and the parties that plan to fish must first obtain a permit.
b. You need to make sure that the fish species you are planning to catch is in season
c. Regulations depend on the body of water, so it is recommended to get a fishing guidebook to have detailed information on various policies in your country or in your local area.
d. There is a limit to how much fish you can catch
e. There are specific places where you are allowed to cast your fishing rod
SPECIES FIRST, EQUIPMENT SECOND
We know how exciting it feels to actually try fishing, but you have to temper that excitement for a while to avoid headaches come fishing time. One of the first things you need to know is that your equipment is the one that must adjust to the species that you are planning to catch – not the other way around.
You may surf the web and seek tips from sites, like the fishing supply world, because what you can learn from these people and communities in this sphere can provide more accuracy for yourself.
The line for the rod you’re about to use should depend on the species you’re planning to catch. For fishes with big sizes, you need a vigorous line that is sturdy enough to handle its weight. While for species who has a nature of struggling and flailing a lot, before and after removing it from water, you’ll be needing an elastic line that won’t snap up no matter how hard they struggle and flail.
One of the biggest blunders you could make in fishing is mismatching your equipment and the species you’re planning to catch. Oh my, what headaches it could bring!
PRACTICE CASTING YOUR FISHING ROD
“Hah! I’ve got my license!” I heard you saying. “All the needed kinds of equipment are ready to roll!” you might have added. But when the fishing time comes, oh, what’s this am I seeing? Are you struggling to cast your rod? Oh, I can see your hook landed somewhere, are you even expecting a fish there?
You may not want to suffer ridicule like this from fellow fishers around you, right? So days before your official ‘fishing expedition with your family’, try your best to make time in casting your fishing rod. The actual fishing day is not the best way to practice this because you’ll waste a lot of time, effort, and opportunity by having countless slips on your castings.
Here are the 3-Step Basic Movements that you can try practicing anywhere there is enough space (and no people to hook on accidentally).
Step 1 Press the line between your forefinger and a rod
Step 2 At the same time, use your free hand to open the bale, which serves to open and close the reek.
Step 3: Throw the lure in the water, and remove your index finger from the rod to let go of the line.
These three basic steps should not be strictly (and not necessarily) practiced on bodies of water alone, it can be practiced in your backyard, in a park, and wherever there is enough space, and again, with no people to hook on!
KNOW THE WEATHER
Yes, the weather forecaster is not always right with his projections, but it’s good to be updated with the latest news about the weather, so you can at least anticipate what might happen on your family fishing day. An equation that consists of “fishing day + rainy day + no raincoats” might not be the ideal outcome you want to experience on that particular day, or how about this? “fishing day + sunny day +no protection from the sun= ruined day”.
Going fishing doesn’t mean that fish should be the only thing that fills your mind; you should focus on other things as well. Whether it’s a sunny day or a rainy day, you need to be prepared for both kinds of weather. You must bring raincoats, umbrella, and waterproof backpacks (to prepare for a rainy day), and for a sunny day, you must prepare sunglasses, SPF lotion, and clothes that can protect you from long exposures to the sun.
WEAR A LIFE VEST
This requires a separate space. It’s the most important gear of all, which is ironically not connected with fishing – but with your life. It doesn’t matter if you’re going to hop on a kayak, canoe or paddleboard, there is no excuse on why you shouldn’t wear a life vest before fishing
