Whether for sport, recreation, or even dinner, fishing is a time-honored hobby for many. The thrill of reeling in a catch after hours of casting a line is a sensation some enthusiasts chase throughout their lives.
If you’re new to the pastime, you may not know what to bring out onto the water with you. The proper fishing gear and equipment are the key to a successful haul and enhancing your overall experience. On that note, below is a comprehensive guide to assembling the best angling starter kit.
Understanding Fishing Gear and Equipment
These ten items are perhaps the most essential for a beginner fishing kit:
Rod and reel
Lines and Leaders
Bait/lures
Hooks
Sinkers
Bobbers
Snap swivels
Tacklebox
Multi-tools
Fishing license
Each piece of equipment serves a unique function, so you’ll want to focus on quality over quantity. Cheap gear might seem budget-friendly but will likely cause headaches through poor results.
The Ultimate Beginner Fishing Kit
As bass are easier to locate, target, and catch than other fish in freshwater, the best beginner fishing gear to look for is bass fishing equipment. It consists of the following:
Fishing Rod and Reel Combo
The rod casts the line while the reel pulls it in. Combo packages with rod, reel, and line are perfect beginner fishing gear. Choose a quality rod about seven feet in length from these options:
Spincast Reels
Spincast reels use a button to release the line for simple casting. They’re not as strong or durable as other reels but are perfect for small fish.
Baitcasting Reels
While baitcasting reels offer excellent accuracy, they’re both difficult to use and expensive, making them best for experienced anglers only.
Spinning Reels
Spinning reels offer superior casting distance, control, durability, and strength over spincast reels, and they are easier to use and less expensive than baitcasting reels.
Fishing Line
Finding the best fishing equipment also means considering the strengths of each of the three main types of fishing lines:
Monofilament Line
Monofilament is easy to tie, inexpensive, durable, and offers good casting, but it’s stretchy, which limits feedback.
Fluorocarbon Line
With less stretch than monofilament, fluorocarbon offers better feedback and is invisible underwater. However, it’s more expensive and sinks quicker.
Braided Line
Braided line is strong, easy to cast, and has zero stretch, offering the greatest feedback. However, it’s expensive and slippery, making it hard to knot.
Essential Fishing Equipment and Accessories
Alongside your rod, reel, and line, you’ll need the following for your fishing adventures:
Tacklebox
Your tacklebox stores all of your fishing gear and accessories in distinct compartments. It ensures they don’t get lost and protects them from environmental hazards such as salt and moisture.
Hooks and Weights
Hooks come in various types and sizes you need to be aware of. Too big means the fish won’t get hooked, while too small means the fish will probably swallow the hook instead. Barbed hooks cause more damage, lower survival rates, and are hard to remove, making them perfect for catching fish you plan on eating.
Weights/Sinkers and Bobbers
Weights (also called sinkers) bring the hook down to the right depth. Without them, hooks would just float with the current. The most common types of these are as follows:
Bell Weights: Excellent for placing bait deep in the water
Bullet Sinkers: Best used in bass fishing, as they don’t get easily caught in vegetation
Split Shot Sinkers: Allow for quick and easy tailoring to the exact weight you need on the line
Egg Sinkers: Run through rocks and pebbles in deep water without catching
Pyramid Sinkers: Cut into mud and sand to keep lines from moving
Bobbers are the opposite of sinkers: They float at a determined depth to keep the hook from sinking to the bottom.
Snap Swivels
When a fish gets ahold of your hook, it will thrash and turn, which will twist your line, causing it to tangle, snag, or even snap. Snap swivels let the hook spin freely, keeping your line from twisting.
Multi-tool
Your multi-tool will bend hooks, cut lines, and remove hooks from freshly caught fish.
Bait
Worms can often be bought by the bucket, but you can collect them to save money. You can also use soft bait, which works well on shallow-water fish like catfish or crappie. It is soft plastic made to look like the kind of creatures fish enjoy, such as crawdads, smaller fish, and worms.
Hard bait is made from sturdier materials such as wood, metal, or hard plastic. It can frequently be reused to catch larger, open-water fish such as pike or bass. Crankbait, a type of hard bait made to look like minnows, is an excellent option for beginners, as spinnerbait moves in a flowing action that easily fools fish.
Bass Fishing Equipment for Beginners
For new anglers looking to target bass specifically, you‘ll need the following:
Rod: Start with a 7-foot medium-heavy rod
Reel: Spinning reel
Line: Monofilament
Bait: Hard bait
Weights: Bullet sinkers
Start at a shallow part of a pond at sunrise. You’ll find smaller, easier-to-catch bass and take advantage of low-light conditions. Look for cover where the bass like to hide, such as fallen logs, grass, and lily pads. Make sure you move your bait in a lifelike motion and keep the bass above the water as you reel it in!
Tips for Choosing the Best Starter Fishing Gear
If you’re casting for smaller fish, you can pick up a cheaper, shorter rod and spincast reel for less than $100.
However, if you’re serious about improving your skills and going after bass and several other kinds of fish, your shopping list of gear will be a little more substantial, looking something like this:
Rod: At least $100
Reel: $50
Fishing License: Approximately $20
Monofilament Line: $25
Hard and Soft Bait Selection: $30
Hooks: $10
Weights: $10
Tacklebox: $30
Snap Swivel: $5
Multi-tool: $20
Altogether, that comes out to $300.
Get Ready for Your Fishing Adventure
You don’t have to spend much to set up a beginner fishing kit. It’s easy to find a rod and reel that will keep going for possibly hundreds of expeditions. If you still feel the choices and options are overwhelming, turn to Rite Angler! We’ve been supplying beginning and professional anglers since 1990 and will gladly steer you in the right direction!
FAQs
What Gear Does a Beginner Fisherman Need?
Novice fishermen will need a rod between 6 and 7 feet, a spincast reel (or spinner reel for larger fish), a quality monofilament line, hooks, a selection of hard and soft bait, sinkers, a snap swivel, a tacklebox, and a multi-tool.
What Is Included in a Beginner Fishing Kit?
Beginner fishing kits typically include a basic rod with a spincast reel. They should also include monofilament lines, hooks, hard and soft bait, snap swivels, and tackle boxes.
What Is the Simplest Fishing Setup?
A rod with a spincast reel and monofilament line is often the easiest setup. The hook must be sized for the caught fish, but hard bait will allow first-time anglers to continually try again.
What Fishing Rod Is Best for Beginners?
A spincast reel/rod combo between 6 and 7 feet long is best for beginners. The handle should be cork or a composite material for a good grip. Fiberglass rods are a common choice, as they are inexpensive and flexible.
Is It Better to Fish With a Pole or Rod and Reel?
Unlike rods and reels, a pole will have its fishing line connected to the end directly, meaning the user has to pull it in by hand. Poles are simple and accurate but restrict the distance of casts. Rods cast farther and pull in larger fish but cost more and are more complex.
What Is the Hardest Fish to Catch on a Rod?
Wahoo, tarpon, and marlin are unbelievably strong and fast! You’ll need heavy-duty rods and reels, braided lines, strong muscles, and determination to catch such prized fish.
What Length Rod for Beginners?
Rods between 6 and 7 feet balance a shorter rod's control and a longer rod's casting distance.
What Fishing Line Is Best for Beginners?
Monofilament lines are cheap and easy to tie into knots. Fluorocarbon lines are stronger but pricier. Braided lines are more expensive and the hardest to tie. Still, if strength matters, a braided line is best.
What Is the Best Starter Fishing Gear for Bass Fishing?
The best starting gear for bass fishing consists of a 6—or 7-foot rod with a spinning reel, crankbaits and spinnerbaits, and hooks sized between 1 and 2 inches. Bullet weights will also help by avoiding snagging on vegetation where bass like to hide.
How Do I Choose the Right Fishing Equipment?
You should choose equipment based on your skill level, the type of fish you want to catch, and your fishing location.
Six or seven-foot rods are best when fishing from a boat. Eight-to-fourteen-foot rods are good when shore fishing. Spincast reels are inexpensive and easy to use but only suitable for small fish. Spinner reels are stronger, smoother, and more durable, and baitcasting reels offer excellent control but are for experienced anglers.
What Accessories Do I Need for Fishing?
You’ll need a tacklebox, a variety of lures and hooks, spare lines, bobbers and sinkers, snap swivels, and multi-tools.
Ask any craftsman or builder, and they’ll each give you the same piece of advice: Use the right tool for the right job. For experienced anglers, that advice holds true. If you need a single tool to remove hooks from freshly caught fish or trim lines quickly, a single set of quality fish pliers is a lifesaver, and the best fishing pliers have multiple uses.
What Are Fishing Pliers?
Fishing pliers are specifically designed for the conditions experienced during fishing. In particular:
They’re typically made of rust-resistant materials like stainless steel and aluminum.
Their jaws are usually long and thin to reach into the throat of a fish and remove lures or hooks.
Most have built-in cutters for slicing through lines.
Their grips are rubberized or grooved, making them easy to hold onto in wet conditions.
These are just some of the basic attributes you’ll find in nearly all fishing pliers; some sets are even more specialized for different tasks.
Uses of Fishing Pliers
Some fishing pliers feature small holes for pulling hooks to make tying knots easier; others have hooked noses to ensure proper grip on deep-seated hooks.
Regardless of the particular differences among the many pliers available, their primary function remains the same: to remove hooks from the mouths of fish and cut fishing lines. Depending on the type of fishing pliers, they may also be used for crimping split shot sinkers and crimp sleeves.
Still, since fish pliers are relatively simple tools, they’re also highly versatile for situations unrelated to fishing. They can retrieve dropped items from deep crevices, hold objects during repairs, or twist bent items back into shape. They especially come in handy when you want to pick up an object that might be harmful, such as a lump of hot coal from a campfire once you’re back on shore.
Types of Fishing Pliers
Which type of fish pliers do you need? Have a look at the following list and see if any appeal to you from the outset:
Hook Removers: Can easily pull hooks from the mouths of fish with their bent or hooked jaw.
Needle-nose Pliers: Feature long, narrow jaws and are excellent at a variety of jobs
Crimping Pliers: Designed to crimp split shots and sleeves for heavy lines.
Cutting Pliers: Often referred to as “wire cutters,” specialized cutters that do a better job at cutting fishing lines than a pair of needle-nose pliers.
Split-Ring Pliers: Feature one pointed jaw that hooks over the second jaw; perfect for making secure attachment points for lures and hooks with split rings.
Bent-Nose Pliers: Similar to needle-nose pliers, just with jaws bent to one side, can improve the viewing angle when removing hooks from fish.
The types of pliers that best suit your needs may require some trial and error. You may find you prefer bent-nose to straight needle-nose or vice versa. At the same time, you may love having a dedicated set of cutting pliers or discover that the built-in cutting jaws on a standard set of pliers suit you just fine. Ultimately, the choice is yours.
Choosing the Best Fishing Pliers
Once you’ve decided on which type of pliers you need, it’s time to focus on the pliers’ other attributes, such as:
Materials: The best fishing pliers are made of corrosion-resistant substances that can withstand years of heavy use, such as stainless steel and aluminum
Durability: Even if the pliers are essentially rustproof, they may be poorly designed and fall apart after minimal use
Comfort: If the pliers don’t have rubber grips, they should be shaped to avoid sharp edges or hard points and maximize comfort.
While comfort is always essential, strong materials and good design are especially important for severe environments such as saltwater, which leads us to our next point.
Best Saltwater Fishing Pliers
The presence of salt risks destroying your boat, gear, and tools. Not only that, but the fish and animals you encounter will be much larger, meaning all your equipment will have to be scaled up accordingly.
If you’re using a thick line that requires crimping, for instance, you’re going to have to have cutters that are up to the task. A heavy-duty set of multi-tool saltwater fishing pliers that gives the user plenty of leverage to crimp even the heaviest crimp sleeves would be a welcome companion. Such a tool allows an angler to have a single device to handle multiple operations without carrying extra pliers.
Should you need a set of fishing pliers to remove a hook from deep in your catch's gullet, you may want a similarly strong and sturdy premium set with needle-nose jaws, two different crimping slots, built-in vise grips, and perhaps even a bottle opener.
Maintaining Your Fishing Pliers
Even the hardiest, strongest pliers still need care. Here’s how to keep yours going strong:
Rinse off your pliers after use with freshwater, never saltwater
Dry your pliers thoroughly with a cloth or towel
Periodically lubricate your pliers with WD-40 or an equivalent, then wipe clean
When you’re not using your pliers, store them in a dry location
Continually inspect your pliers for signs of rust or damage, and always test them before use
Lastly, you’ll want to purchase your pliers from a reputable company. Not only are you far more likely to get a solid product in the first place, but you can also rest assured knowing that an honest manufacturer will back your pliers. If you ever have problems with your pliers, you should be able to contact the company and get professional repair, cleaning, or replacement.
Frequently Asked Questions About Fishing Pliers
Can You Carry-On Fishing Pliers?
As long as the pliers don’t have a blade and are less than seven inches long from end to end, you can carry them onto a plane. Otherwise, they’ll have to go in your checked baggage.
What Are the Holes for on Fishing Pliers?
Some fishing pliers have holes for pulling hooks, which makes tying knots easier. The holes may also aid in bending wires or crimping.
