FIshing Help for a complete amateur

[Aratron]

Im really asking for help.
i don't know very much at all about fishing.
my 9 year old son wants me to take him fishing.
What is the list of equipment i need?

and if there any fishermen on the forum what do you suggest to help me and my son have a day's fishing?

[alsynthe]

if u wanna do it cheaper with less equipent get a telescopic pole for pond fishing. all u need is a pole, line, shock leader, lead, hooks (size depending on wot ur fishing for), a float, summat to sit on, a net, a rod rest , some bait (this can be boilies, maggots, bread, sweetcorn etc) food of some kind and a flask of tea! (vital)

not reletively expensive to get a basic setup. just dont go for one of those argos things. they are cheap and shit. go to a proper fishing tackle shop and ask advice on local spots, baits etc.

dont forget if ur using ponds/ lakes u pay at to get a rod licence.

[Aratron]

where do you get licenses and stuff from. theres a very small boating lake near where i live. i see people fishing there alot , only small fishes though. thats all im interested in really.
actually , i live near the River Don which is suppossedly good fishing these days. what do you suggest for river fishing? or maybe i should stick first to local canals / ponds etc

[Esox Lucius]

haha, a sport i love even more than football.

right, where do i start.

first of all tell me the type of place you are going to be fishing, i might know the canal or lake, if its a river you are thinking of fishing you will not be able to until june 16th, as it's the close season.

if you let me know a bit of info on where you are intending to fish, and where you live than i could recommend a tackle shop close to you and even fisheries close to you.

is it just your lad starting or are you too mate?

your lad will not need a licence as he is under 14, you will and it will be £24 for the year, or you can get a day licence for about 3 quid.

as alsynthe said, stay away from the crappy kits in argos, they are not worth the money.

you could pick a cheap whip up on ebay or in your local tackle shop for cheap or you could buy a rod & reel outfit for a bit more.

if the place you are fishing has anything big in do not use a whip as they will break the line.

go to your local newsagents and buy a magazine called 'improve your coarse fishing' this is full of tips for beginners

also log onto a forum called www.maggotdrowners.com, there will more than likely be someone in your area who will be able to help, it is the biggest fhsing forum on the net.

things you will defo need are

*a discorger, this is a plastic device for taking the hook out the fishes mouth
*line
*hooks, barbless are best as they are easier to take out the fishes mouth
*bait, maggots are easily available in a tackle shop and most fish will eat them
*split shot (this is to weight the float and aid casting)
*a landing net and handle (this is used to scoop up the fish from the water
*something to sit on

a good starter kit can be bought on the net, here is one i would recommend and not too expensive incase you or your lad didnt want to go again, although why you wouldnt want to participate in the best sport known to man is beyond me lol

https://www.bosfish.co.uk/f_index.html

click on that, on the left select 'outfits/packs'

when it takes you to that page then click on the 'coarse' option, then click on 'coarse float outfit' on the left a few down, quite a good package for 30 quid. and apart from the bait and net it has everything you need. a net ande hadle can be bought for about a tenner, so you could get set up for less than 50 notes.

i will pm margin master too, tell him to have a look at this thread he might be able to add anything i might have forgot.

if you need any help on anything just post or pm me mate, it is a great sport and it's good to see your lad taking an interest.

but defo sign up to maggotdrowning.com on the forum as there will be someone in your area who can help.

i think your from leeds arent you mate? loads of people from west yorkshire on there.

[Esox Lucius]

when i get back from fishing tomorrow mate i will have a good look on the net and try and find some good articles for beginners.

[Esox Lucius]

where do you get licenses and stuff from. theres a very small boating lake near where i live. i see people fishing there alot , only small fishes though. thats all im interested in really.
actually , i live near the River Don which is suppossedly good fishing these days. what do you suggest for river fishing? or maybe i should stick first to local canals / ponds etc

licences can be bought either online or at any post office

heres the link to the online one

http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/subjects/fish/399730/?lang=_e&theme=&region=&subject=&searchfor=rod+lic ence&any_all=&choose_order=&exactphrase=&withoutwo rds=


your local tackle shop will sort you out with a kit to start out with you wouldnt have to buy it mail order of you didnt want to.

[Traxx]

Geek :clown:

[alsynthe]

i thought itd be better to get him started on a pole as hes an absolute amateur and his boy is only 9. less skill in casting involved and much more enjoyable pole fishing for a young unexperienced lad and i assume aratron doesnt know how to cast a reeled rod. took me a while to run properly wen i was 7 wen my dad started taking me fishing.

[Aratron]

thanks for all the advice.
i like the sound of the pole fishing best.
both me and my son are going to go fishing together, but i dont have a clue really what im doing.
i think we will just try the local boating lake first. there are some nice canals aswell. doncaster canals. if your know that area Esox.
Imagine Frank Spencer going fishing and that would eb me.
What do i need to go pole fishing then.?

[DJsmallpaul]

Just to let you know i work for a fishing tackle company (amoungst others) & will be quite able to give you discounts on any tackle you need ;)

[DJsmallpaul]

"Glasgow Angling" & "Chapmans Angling" i work for ;) You'd need to ask for Paul on the order line if you wanna order anything

[Esox Lucius]

yeah you're right alsynthe, it probably would be easier starting out on a little pole, and your tackle shop should put the elastic in for a few quid, the elastic runs through the top 2 or 3 sections of the pole and acts as a shock absorber when the fish takes your bait so the fish doesnt break the line.

im more of a rod & reel man myself but alsynthe is right a pole would be a lot easier.

if paul can get you a discount then how about one of these ron thompson poles from chapmans.

http://www.chapmansangling.co.uk/acatalog/Ron_Thompson_Poles.html

the 5m carbon whip would be ideal, and your tackle shop could elasticate it for a few quid and supply floats and shot etc for it.

infact you can buy ready made rigs for poles like this, it comes on a winder and all you have to do is attatch it to the pole.

http://www.tackleshop.co.uk/ProductImages/drennanrrlake.jpg

everything you need is on the rig, you just need to attach the bait.

[Esox Lucius]

i have fished the south yorkshire navigation canal at long sandall mate, that is pretty good.

your local boating lake would probably be ok to start off and will no doubt have little roach & perch to catch.

[Esox Lucius]

Geek :clown:

well the only interest you have in fishing is having peoples gear off from their sheds to buy crack with you dirty west derby bag'head :lol:

[marginmaster]

i think esox has covered it. you want to fish a venue with alot of fish in so you and your son can have a good result. you will often see the float wobble as fish inspect the bait, if it goes under you have a bite so lift the rod tip slightly (strike) to hook the fish. dont strike too late as its possible for a fish to swallow the hook, but keep an eye on your float and pull your bait in when helping your son it wont happen. i would fish maggots as all fish love these, it may be worth buying a catapult to fire the free feed out to where you want to fish, you can get one for a few quid from most tackle shops. feed little and often until you get bites, you will entice the shoals of fish to your area, keep feeding when they're there too.
when you are fishing dont be afraid to ask other anglers for advice as most are more than willing to help. same with websites like maggotdrowners
you should enjoy it its a very relaxing past time

[Aratron]

i have fished the south yorkshire navigation canal at long sandall mate, that is pretty good.

your local boating lake would probably be ok to start off and will no doubt have little roach & perch to catch.

yeah thats where im on about mate. i dont live far form there.
there is another one as well thorpe canal which is near a big disused power station. so i will need a fishing license from the Post Office.
I can get a pole rod. do you still cast out with pole rods? do you reel them in? on do you just use the rod ?

last time i went fishing was when i was about 14 at long sandall. my line got tied up i a knot and that was that.

[Aratron]

"Glasgow Angling" & "Chapmans Angling" i work for ;) You'd need to ask for Paul on the order line if you wanna order anything

are you on-line?

[Aratron]

yeah you're right alsynthe, it probably would be easier starting out on a little pole, and your tackle shop should put the elastic in for a few quid, the elastic runs through the top 2 or 3 sections of the pole and acts as a shock absorber when the fish takes your bait so the fish doesnt break the line.

im more of a rod & reel man myself but alsynthe is right a pole would be a lot easier.

if paul can get you a discount then how about one of these ron thompson poles from chapmans.

http://www.chapmansangling.co.uk/acatalog/Ron_Thompson_Poles.html

the 5m carbon whip would be ideal, and your tackle shop could elasticate it for a few quid and supply floats and shot etc for it.

infact you can buy ready made rigs for poles like this, it comes on a winder and all you have to do is attatch it to the pole.

http://www.tackleshop.co.uk/ProductImages/drennanrrlake.jpg

everything you need is on the rig, you just need to attach the bait.

that 5 m Pole carbon whip looks ideal. i could get one of them for myself. would that be okay for my lad ,? or would i need to get him a smaller one.?
what bait do i need?
i must say im looking forward to this.
i bought us both a tent to go camping together,and im hoping that maybe we could do some night fishing when we know what were doing.

[alsynthe]

if its too big for him wen u buy it u can always take a piece off if its telescopic making it smaller

[Aratron]

if its too big for him wen u buy it u can always take a piece off if its telescopic making it smaller

thanks for this. it seems bloody straight -forward and obvious. but i need as much info as i can get.
i just think its a really nice activity which a father and son can do - which doesnt involve spending lots of money etc
i wouldnt mind doing it on my own aswell sometime - get a break from the missus have a read and a smoke - break from the PC etc

[alsynthe]

once uve got all the gear and a licence itll cost u about 2 quid everytime u wanna go. really cheap pasttime once uve setup.

[Aratron]

once uve got all the gear and a licence itll cost u about 2 quid everytime u wanna go. really cheap pasttime once uve setup.

2 quid for the bait?

what do use for bait for what i'll be doing?

[conflict]

i really like fishing, although i've never really taken it too seriously. Saying that, i have been fishing now for the best part of 15 years. Didn't go last year tho i think, but looking forward to fishing this summer. Very relaxing and a perfect way to spend a sat/sunday. Enormously enhanced with beers aswell. Pot is optional, as is crack

:lol:

[Esox Lucius]

once uve got all the gear and a licence itll cost u about 2 quid everytime u wanna go. really cheap pasttime once uve setup.

2 quid for the bait?

what do use for bait for what i'll be doing?

maggots would be best to start with and should guarantee bites.

half a pint of maggots is roughly a quid and would do you and your lad.

as alsynthe said once you have got the gear like a pole and floats and stuff it is cheap.

canals can be quite hard fishing at this time of year, give it a month and it starts waring up they will be easier to fish, although you should get a few gudgeon and roach on maggot still.

here is info on the south yorkshire navigation canal

http://www.doncaster-and-district-angling-association.co.uk/html/south-yorks-nav-canal.htm

another option would be a commercial type fishery, where you usually pay a fiver a day but the fishing is very good.

here is a list of places to fish in south yorkshire

http://www.go-fish.co.uk/yorkshiresouth.htm

and this place in donny is supposed to be good

http://www.bankendcoarsefisheries.co.uk/

here is a list of fishing tackle shops in donny, should be one close to you

http://www.upmystreet.com/UK/findmynearest/sport-and-leisure/fishing-and-angling/results/in/Doncaster.html


it can be daunting when you first start but it's pretty simple

a good starting point would be to use something like 2.5lb line and a size 18 hook with 1 or 2 maggots on it.

a number 6 elastic in the pole should be sound too.

the higher the number the elastic the stronger it is, but as i said a tackle shop will do the elastic for you for about a fiver.

[Esox Lucius]

i've just got back from fishing, only went for a couple of hours to a local commercial pool, had about 15 carp biggest about 2lb a few golden tench and a couple of bream, not a bad morning, worth a fiver like.

[Aratron]

thanks lads. some really good advice there. i 'll look at that south yorkshire info. very , very helpful.

im a bit scared of taking the hook off the fishes mouth, i need a degorger or something, i dont want to rip its mouth to shreds

[Esox Lucius]

thanks lads. some really good advice there. i 'll look at that south yorkshire info. very , very helpful.

im a bit scared of taking the hook off the fishes mouth, i need a degorger or something, i dont want to rip its mouth to shreds

with barbless hook they are a piece of piss to take out mate and do the fish no harm

you can see the difference here

a barbless
http://www.tackleoffers.com/images/c325.jpg

a barbed
http://www.swiftys-fishing-tackle.co.uk/catalog/largeimages/MaverNailerHook.jpg

as you can see the barbless dont have the little barbed bit so come out easy.

this is a discorger

http://www.tackleshop.co.uk/productimages/fullsize/smart-slammo-disgorger.gif

all you do is put the line above the hook into the slit and push it down to the hook, then push down on the discorger and it will free the hook from the fishes mouth.

[DJsmallpaul]

Yuo wouldn't believe how much kit you can buy, even stuff like little unhooking mats to put your fish on whilst you unhook it.

[Esox Lucius]

aye for specimen fish you need an unhooking mat, a big carp or pike is powerful like and will easily wriggle out your arms and do damage to it's self, doubt aratron will need one though if he is just starting out, fishing can be unhooked in a landing net.

[DJsmallpaul]

Yep

[Esox Lucius]

paul you should do some sort of scam and send me fishing gear for nowt :cheese: in return i will support burnley next season haha

[DJsmallpaul]

Haha if the warehouse full of stock was located here i'd prob would sort you out but alas it's not. Anyway would you really wanna support us ? :lol:

[Aratron]

so i need a pole rod and a landing net. i need to elasticate the rod and get a license and some bait.
something to sit on - you can get portable chairs?

[alsynthe]

yea get a folding chair u can get em anywhere

[Esox Lucius]

aye, have you got a wilkinsons shop by you? you can pick little foldable seats up in there for a few quid or in woolworths too.

[Esox Lucius]

so i need a pole rod and a landing net. i need to elasticate the rod and get a license and some bait.
something to sit on - you can get portable chairs?

the fella in your avatar actually likes to fish, no shit, he is known to have fished for a carp or two in germany :cheese:

[marginmaster]

your rod license from the post off ice and youll need a ticket for the chosen venue you want to fish, which will be available onsite or from a tackle shop. fishings great, it keeps me going.
rivers are closed between 14th march and june 16th, but canals and most lakes stay open

[Aratron]

your rod license from the post off ice and youll need a ticket for the chosen venue you want to fish, which will be available onsite or from a tackle shop. fishings great, it keeps me going.
rivers are closed between 14th march and june 16th, but canals and most lakes stay open

where tf do you buy tickets from to fish a canal?

[Esox Lucius]

most canals are free to fish mate.

[Aratron]

i went to the local market - to see if i could get a starter package there - bloke quoted me 50 quid for this carbon fibre pole seemed to be about 12 metres long or something - he didnt mention anything about elasticating it. said it would cost 2 for soemthing else i think.
seems like the most expensive hobby in the world to get started, there are so many things you need.
i dont fancy holding a 200 foot pole in my hands for 12 hours , jesus why cant life be simple

[Esox Lucius]

you don't need a 12 metre pole to start mate, mine is 16 metre but i rarely use it at that length. a 4 or 5 metre whip will be sound to start with an can be bought for as cheap as 6 or 7 quid! ebay is sound for picking up cheap fishing deals.

[Esox Lucius]

poles can be very expensive, they go up to over 3 grand depending on the grade of carbon used, i have got a maver pole and that was £700 when new.