Fisherpeople’s tackle includes rod, reel, line and anything on the end that attracts fish to bite. Bait may consist of live or artificial substances used to coax bites from their prey.

Live bait includes worms, minnows and insects while artificial lures use vibrations and colors to mimic natural prey.

Rod and Reel

A rod is what you hold in your hand to manipulate lures or bait, enabling you to cast out. Rods come in different sizes, lengths and actions; typically composed of fiberglass or graphite material and priced accordingly.

Utilizing the appropriate line and reel combination can make or break your fishing experience. Most tackle stores are well versed in helping customers find their ideal rod according to fishing style, location and environment.

Medium action rods are ideal for fishing with moving baits like crankbaits or spinnerbaits, enabling fish to fully consume your bait before it swims away from them. Furthermore, this type of action works perfectly with natural baits such as worms or jigs.

Line

Finding the appropriate fishing line can make all the difference between an enjoyable fishing trip and one marred with frustration. By considering factors such as target species, fishing style, habitat and bait availability to identify which will work best.

Monofilament fishing line is the go-to choice, available in an assortment of strengths and colors. Not only is it less costly than competing lines but its stretch properties absorb shocks effectively while making tying knots easier.

Braided lines feature multiple fibers woven together into one strong, thin line. While flexible enough for use in rough conditions, it may not be ideal for topwater lures. Copolymer line can provide an easier alternative than monofilament but may be difficult to see under low visibility conditions.

Lures

Lures work by mimicking the movements of fish’s natural prey. There are hundreds of lures on the market and each has been tailored specifically for certain situations or fish species. Color can also play an important role; when fishing at night or murky waters it is often important to choose brightly-colored lures like white or red to be easily visible.

Crankbaits feature plastic lips that cause them to dive and wobble while retrieving. They’re ideal for everything from fishing neighborhood ponds to trolling offshore.

Soft plastic baits can be designed to look like fish, crabs, squid, worms, frogs and leeches for ease of fishing. A steady retrieve can be used or more actively fished using quick, jerking motions to simulate fleeing or dying baitfish.

Sinkers

Sinkers’ weight, shape and rigging all play an integral part in taking baits and lures to their desired depths. Sinkers can be made of any material but lead is the most commonly used metal due to its ease of heating and shaping into different forms for multiple uses. More dense materials like Tungsten have recently emerged as non-toxic alternatives.

Running and fixed sinkers are two basic forms of sinkers; running and fixed. Running sinkers feature holes which enable them to move along the line, while fixed ones connect at either end, such as with paternoster and drop shot rigs; they can be secured using barrel swivels or slip-shot clips in order to remain stationary.

Bait

Bait refers to any material which attracts or repels fish when attached to a hook, including both live and dead food items such as worms, minnows, crayfish shrimp or cut bait (e.g. fish fillets).

Fresh bait is generally more effective due to its ability to mimic more closely its natural scent; however, this approach can be costly and necessitates a water-circulating live well for proper functioning. Dead bait may work just as effectively for bottom feeders.

A floating bobber is used to suspend baited hooks; alternatively, many fishermen utilize artificial lures like spinners, spoons or plastic facsimiles of worms and insects which come in an assortment of sizes, shapes and colors to attract specific species of fish and conditions.