Fishing is a great hobby for people who like to relax and get away from the daily grind, and an added bonus is that if you do manage to actually catch a fish or two, you get a free meal that would cost you a good few dollars to buy in a restaurant.
Getting Started
Although there are different types of fishing, this article concentrates on sea fishing, mainly from piers, harbors, beaches and in a boat.
There are also many different kinds of fish that you can catch, and finding the right bait also adds to the challenge of fishing, for instance, you can catch a mackerel with nothing less than a feather tied to your hook.
Other baits include live bait like worms, dead bait cut up pieces of small fish, lures which act like live fish under water, and replica bait which can be man-made rubber worms or other creatures that fish eat.
The Basics of Sea Fishing
If you have never been sea fishing before, then this is the perfect guide to get you started from helping you choose the correct equipment to finding the best spots to catch a fish. To get started in your new hobby sea fishing, you need to get yourself some equipment or fishing tackle as it is more commonly known.
Things you will need:
• A fishing rod or a hand fishing line
• A fishing reel
• Some fishing line or gut
• Some hooks
• Some lead weights
• Some bait or lures
Some fishermen/women also like to use a float but it is a matter of personal choice. Also, you can pick up a decent sea fishing starter kit without bait of-course from as little as $25
Basic Knots
When you go fishing for the very first time, it is important to learn a few basic knots to tie your weights and hooks onto your line. After all when you cast out your first line, it is a good start if your baited hooks and weights remain intact.
The half blood knot is my personal favorite for securing the weight to your line. It is a simple knot to master and it holds the weight or sinker tightly and securely.
To illustrate the knot, I have posted a video below because fishing line is too thin to show up well in photographs.
When you look at your fishing weights you, will notice that there is a loop to push your fishing line through.
Half Blood Knot
Step 1: Push your line through the eye hole of the weight.
Step 2: Wind the short piece of fishing line that you pushed through the eyehole around the longer line around 8 times.
Step 3: Take the loose end at the top and push it through the bottom loop of the eight.
Step 4: Whilst holding the main line, pull tight on the loose bottom end and you have a half blood knot.
Knot 2
The second knot I like to use is to secure the hooks to the line. Some people prefer to use a wire trace but I prefer to have my hooks directly onto the fishing line.
I am embarrassed to say that I do not know the name of this knot, but I will refer to it as Knot 2 until i discover the correct name.
Knot 2 is another simple knot which is not only very secure, but it also prevents your hook from tangling around the main line.
Step 1: Make a loop in your line around 12 inches up from your weight; tie the ends of your line.
Step 2: Wrap the end of the loop at the main fishing line around your finger and pass the loop through the hole, repeat this step for extra security.
Step 3: Thread the loop through the eye hole of the hook and over the whole length of the hook, then pass the hook through the loop and pull until the eye of the hook is at the end of the loop.
Step 4: Pass the hook through the loop and pull until the eye of the hook is at the end of the loop, then follow step 2 to secure the hook to the line when done you have finished Knot 2.
Choosing Your Bait
Your choice of bait can make the difference of whether or not you catch a fish. When everyone around seems to be catching fish and you are getting nothing, then it is probably your choice of bait that is holding you back.
The most popular bait to use is live bait such as worms, ragworms or lugworms are a natural source of food for fish, and they are perfect to use as bait on your hook. Take care when hooking a ragworm though because they have razor sharp teeth and can give you a nasty bite!
Ragworm are a good bait because even after being hooked, they give a lot of movement and produce a scent for the fish to pick up on. Lugworm although produce less movement, give off a very strong scent.
Finding Ragworm and Lugworm
The best time to find rag and lugworm is at low tide, so finding out the tide times is important. Fishing is at its peak near high tide and bait is best found when the tide is out.
Tidal times vary from day to day and there is almost 12 hours between high and low tide. You can usually find your local tide times in local newspapers or online of course.
Ragworm are mostly found in muddy areas where there are a lot of rocks and rock pools. To get to them you need to use a gardening fork, preferably an old gardening fork because the salt from the sea causes rusting. Digging in muddy areas around rocks yields the best results.
To store ragworm until you are ready to use them, the best way to keep them fresh for up to a week is to keep them wrapped up in newspaper in the fridge.
Lugworms are often easier to find because they leave a telltale impression in wet sand. The important thing to remember is that the worms are not hiding under the casts, but they can be found under the hole in the sand next to the cast. A gardening fork is also used for lugworm.
Most bait shops keep worms in stock though for those people who haven’t time to go digging for bait.
How to Hook a Ragworm or a Lugworm
1. Select a ragworm or a lugworm, and hold it quite tight around the neck and head area with one hand, and your hook with the other.
2. Put the sharp end of the hook into its mouth.
3. Then push the hook down-wards, feeding it right through the worm.
4. When the hook gets to the stomach and gut area, it should naturally slide down the gut.
5. Slide the worm over the eye of the hook and onto your fishing line leaving a tail hanging over the hook.
Dead Bait
Dead bait is more often than not used for trying to catch bigger fish. This can be anything from small fish to cut up pieces of larger fish. Often anglers use worms to catch fish like mackerel, for the sole purpose of using it as bait for something bigger such as conger eels.
Lures or Replica bait
Lures often replicate the movement of small fish. Unlike worms when you cast out a lure, you need to slowly reel it in and keep it moving for the fish to take notice of it. Any fishing store will advise on the best lures for your needs.
Replica bait is not too bad. Fake worms have very little movement though and have no discernible scent, but you can increase your chances of catching a fish by putting a small piece of bacon rind onto your hook, before your replica to give a scent and a sheen in the water.
Rods
When fishing from a beach, a beach caster rod is best. Because of its height and thinness, it allows for a longer cast getting you further from the shore nearer to where the fish are swimming.
You can also use a beach caster from piers or harbors, but a pier rod or a boat rod are sufficient unless you want a longer cast because you are using lures instead of bait.
A boat rod is best if fishing from a boat simply because there is no need to cast your line. You just open the bail arm of your reel and let the weight take your hooks to the bottom.
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