Master Boat/snag Rod 6’6 Cast Heavy 1pc Bf-65

Triton TLD 25 Bigwater Lever Drag Reel

South Bend Sporting Goods CRH1 Boat Rod Holder

Eagle Claw Black Metal Clamp-On Rod Holder

South Bend Worm Gear Fishing Rod & Spincast Reel Combo

Tales From The Riverbank

Among the most popular kinds of fishing, the sedate afternoon on the riverbank has to be one of the most enduring. For many people it is fishing the way it should be. Quiet, usually fairly isolated and relaxing, with only a few people there. There are many reasons why this is a good way to enjoy fishing. For one thing, the optimum conditions for fishing necessitate a certain amount of quiet. If things are too noisy, then fish are likely to avoid the area. If there are too many people there, then any fish who do stick around will be spoiled for choice over which bait to take.

But apart from the fact that it provides a better chance of catching something, the isolation of a quiet riverbank has other benefits for an afternoon’s fishing. We’ve all been Christmas shopping during a December weekend. It takes a very strong and determined person to do that and not come home feeling like they want to roll up into a ball and start sucking on their thumb. This is not something that you want from a fishing expedition, which should after all be sedate and pleasant.

Sitting on a riverbank is also pretty much as close as you can get to nature. There is nature flowing right in front of you, hopefully with a lot of nature swimming around in it. There is nature beneath your feet, and there should be some more behind you – riverbanks tend to be close to trees, in most cases. It really is one of the most relaxing pursuits that you can indulge in.

You Should Have Seen The One That Got Away

There is a popular running joke which is used to gently mock fishermen. It essentially runs that a fisherman who shows off his catch looks apologetic at its relatively small size, and says to their audience “you should have seen the one that got away. It was huge.” Commonly, this joke is expanded upon by the unfortunate angler spreading their arms wide, to demonstrate the length of the fish which, by the fourth telling of the story, has begun to rival Moby Dick in terms of size.

There is a grain of truth in the stereotype, but no more so than that which exists for any hobby. You will always find at least one golfer in any club that you walk into who shows you, by means of putting their thumb and forefinger very close together, how close they were to getting a hole in one. The keen amateur soccer player will talk of a goal they scored which, when they originally hit it, was about ten yards out. By the time they have finished talking about it, they’ll be saying how they were somewhere around the halfway line.

This kind of bravado exists anywhere where there is competition. It is mostly self-mocking in any case, where people jokingly plead with you to believe that they are so good at what they do that they can achieve feats that are beyond the reach of a mere mortal. And frankly, it is what makes most hobbies so much fun. We’d be nowhere without our boasts.

Knowing When To Replace Equipment

One thing that you can absolutely guarantee about any hobby is that the longer you practice it, the more, and better, equipment you will accumulate. Even if the word “better” is the wrong word to use here, “more sophisticated” would be appropriate. It is unquestionable that the more often you go fishing, the more you will be aware of how additional and more developed equipment will benefit you in terms of catching more and bigger fish. As a consequence, you will become more conscious of the fact that, after a while, equipment needs to be renewed and replaced.

Fishing equipment can be divided roughly into the more permanent items such as rods and reels – which you can use for years, if they are properly maintained – and other items such as line and hooks. The latter equipment needs to be replaced more often, as it is more perishable. Fishing line will become frayed and weakened as time goes on, and hooks will become blunt. These will need to be replaced quite regularly. As a rule, you should have spares in any case. Rods and reels are a different matter, however.

Knowing when the rod you are using has had its day will rely on you being aware that it is giving you less performance. It may be that the rod has been weakened over time by the amount it has to bend in order for you to reel in a fish. A reel may begin to stick somewhat, and you will have to work harder to lad those fish that you hook. Once this has begun to happen, you will need to look at replacing the equipment that is causing the problems. If you don’t want to throw out a faithful old rod, then keep it and use it less regularly.

Catching Fish To Eat

Although many people eat fish, and many go fishing, there is a surprisingly small subgroup of people who do not put the two together – by eating what they catch. In some communities it is the major reason people go fishing, but in most of the West fishing is viewed more as a leisure pursuit. However, if you happen to be a good angler, and have a plentiful stock of edible fish in your nearby rivers and streams, then it is more than possible to save money on groceries by catching, cleaning, filleting and cooking fish.

The first thing you need to make sure of is that the fish you catch are of a species that is genuinely palatable. Although, in a pinch, you could eat most species of fish there is no doubt that some are far from pleasant to eat. While cod, haddock and plaice among others are universally popular, there are very few people who could really bear to eat – for example – dogfish. Finding edible breeds in your nearby lakes is as simple a matter as checking what species are native to your area and checking out recipes online.

Of course, not everyone is a good cook, and a lot of the important parts of food preparation are in the early stages before the food is even placed in the oven or frying pan. Unlike most meat, fish are full of small bones, and it is important to remove these before attempting to cook the fish. If this is not done, not only will the texture be unpleasant, but swallowed bones can cause problems.

It Takes Two … Or More

When you go fishing on your own, you are likely to find that the process is just not as much fun as you would like it to be. It’s not just because an experience shared is an experience enhanced, either. Of course, sitting down on a riverbank with a few cold drinks and snacks makes for a fine experience, but there is a bigger reason to have a fishing partner – the fact that fishing can be difficult, and there is always a better chance of having a good day’s fishing if you have a experienced colleague.

When you are starting out, it is always beneficial to have a more experienced fishing partner. Because you are just beginning, you are likely to make mistakes, and there are things you simply will not know. Fishing with an experienced partner means that you will have someone to ask when you don’t know something, and someone who can fix things that go wrong. For the same reason, it is advisable that you choose to fish with someone who is easy-going and doesn’t mind sharing the benefit of their experience with a novice.

There are so many reasons why fishing with a partner is better than fishing alone. The benefits of companionship and shared knowledge far outweigh any disadvantage. The only disadvantage one can imagine is that there is likely to be more noise from more people. This may disturb fish, but a experienced fisherman will know to be more relaxed and how to make less noise.

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