The basics: fishing gear to set up a novice angler

When you’re new to angling it can be hard to know what fishing gear to choose.  The most basic fishing equipment includes rods, reels, lines, fishing tackle and lures.  For a novice fisher it’s important that any gear you invest in is easy to use. Here are some tips to help you select a set of fishing equipment for your first fishing outings.

The rod is the most important item of fishing equipment you’ll be purchasing, so it’s worth spending some time to find the rod that suits you best.  A rod about 7 to 8 feet in length is best for a beginner as an all round general purpose size, however if beach fishing or rock fishing it is usually best to use around 10 feet off the rock ledges and 12 foot fishing on the beach.  Look for a rod that is reasonably durable but preferably sensitive, allowing you to learn the skills of casting lines and playing fish.

Give some thought to the type of fishing you’ll be doing most often and choose a rod with a casting weight that suits your purpose.  For pier or estuary fishing, go for a rod with a light fishing line rating (often 2-5kgs) around 6-7 feet in length, while for surf fishing rods or rock fishing rods usually with heavier casting weight are more suitable in a rating class of say between 6-10kgs in the 10-12 foot size is suitable. A good solution for a beginner would be a 2-piece rod.  This type of rod is easy to transport.

There are three main types of fishing reel available: overhead, Alvey sidecast and spinning reels. Of these, the spinning reel is the most commonly used, and is popular with both experts and novices. These reels are often called eggbeaters because their design is similar to those old-fashioned kitchen utensils.  For anyone who is learning angling, a spinning reel is a good choice.  These reels are very simple to use and make it easy to learn casting and retrieving.  The reels come in a variety of sizes and the size of spinning reel should be chosen to match the weight and size of the rod.

Fishing lines come in a variety of materials, structures and weights.  Other fishing line characteristics that anglers consider are visibility, cast ability and stretch.  As a beginner to angling, it’s probably best to select a simple monofilament fishing line with breaking strength suitable to the type of fish that you’re targeting and line class rating within the rod’s classification.

Lures are devices attached to the end of fishing lines to attract the attention of fish, and are designed so that their colour, shape and movement imitate the prey of the fish you are targeting. There is an enormous range of styles of lure available for anglers: check out the fishing lures stocked by the Ocean Storm Fishing Tackle Shop Online, which include lures designed to attract fresh water and salt water fish from small table fish such as bream to huge fish.

There are a few other essential basic fishing items such as hooks and sinkers, swivels etc.  While you’re shopping for fishing equipment, don’t forget a tackle box to store and carry your new fishing gear, and an ice box to keep cool all those fish you’re going to be catching. If you are after an all round beginners tackle kit then I suggest the surecatch fishing tackle kit.

Visit our online fishing store website to browse through our range of fishing gear and if you require assistance in making your selection feel welcome to contact us. (Usually by email or live web chat is the preferred method so we can give you a more detailed response and provide links to our website for reference where possible).