Fishing

B

Reels

Fishing reels store line on a spool. An adjustable friction device inside the reel (known as a drag) helps the angler fight a fish. The drag creates tension on the line as it is pulled off the reel spool. When the fish pulls line off the reel, the constant tension tires it and keeps the line in order. Without a drag system, the fish would take out too much line, causing the line to tangle. The opposite situation—not releasing any line from the reel—would cause the line to snap. Most reels have adjustable drag settings depending upon the fish an angler wants to catch. Anglers can also disengage the drag to cast or do anything else that requires the line to release easily. Reels are made in four basic categories: bait casting, spinning, spin casting, and fly.

Bait casting reels have a covered frame and a revolving, horizontal spool that winds in line when the handle is turned. One turn revolves the spool four or five times, bringing in several feet of line quickly.

Spinning reels have a stationary spool set on the underside of the rod. A curved bar, or bail, acts as a guide on the outer lip of the spool. As the reel handle is turned, the bail also turns, winding line neatly onto the spool.

A variation of the spinning reel is the spin casting, or closed-face, reel. The spin casting reel has a cover over the spool and a hole through which line passes. This construction keeps the line clean and out of the angler’s way. There is no bail inside of a spin casting reel. Instead, metal teeth attached to the spool gather the line in neatly.

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Fly reels, which have few moving parts, are the most basic form of fishing reels. Most consist of a frame that holds a narrow revolving spool. The handle attaches directly to the spool and turns the spool one rotation at a time.

C

Fishing Lines

Fishing lines serve as the link between the angler’s reel and the lure or bait. The most popular line used for sportfishing is monofilament nylon line, which is strong and durable and has a certain amount of stretch, which helps when an angler sets the hook. The line comes in a variety of strengths, from 2-pound test to more than 100-pound test. (Pound test is the amount of pressure that can be put on a line before it breaks.) Most monofilament is clear, making it difficult for fish to see.

Braided lines, such as Dacron and braided multifilament lines, are frequently used for a style of fishing called jigging—where anglers lower the bait to near the water’s bottom and then move it in an up-and-down manner in a steady motion. These lines also perform well when an angler trolls, or pulls the line from behind a slow-moving boat. Dacron and braided lines are often thinner yet stronger than standard monofilament lines. These lines also have better casting capabilities than standard monofilament because they are heavier and less likely to tangle.

Fly-fishing lines are woven synthetic strands coated with several thin layers of plastic. The weight and thickness of these coatings create three distinct types of lines: lines that float, lines that sink gradually, and lines that sink rapidly. The lines come in different shapes, for different types of casting situations. A double-taper fly line, for example, has a small diameter for its first and last 8 m (25 ft), with a larger diameter throughout the rest of the line. Using double tapers when casting small flies enables anglers to place the bait on the water without the line disturbing the surface of the water and spooking the game fish. Weight-forward tapers (preferred by most anglers) have a larger diameter in the front section than in the rest of its length. This enables anglers to make longer, more powerful casts because during the cast the heavy line in front pulls the lighter line that follows.

Because regular fly line is heavy and difficult to cast in a gentle manner, fly-fishers attach a short portion of monofilament line, called a leader, to the end of the fly line. The leader is much lighter and smaller in diameter than the fly line. This enables the angler to cast the fly onto the water without disturbing the surface. It also provides an almost invisible attachment to the fly, which makes the fly appear natural and more appealing to fish. Some other types of leaders used with monofilament lines are made of heavy monofilament or steel. These leaders prevent sharp-toothed fish from biting through the line and also protect the lure from being torn off by sharp underwater rocks and coral.

D

Hooks, Lures, and Flies

A baited hook, lure, or fly is attached to the end of the leader. The hook is a pointed piece of metal shaped like a question mark. Each hook has a sharp point designed to pierce the mouth of a striking fish, and a barb, a small reverse point designed to keep the fish on the hook. Each hook also has a shank, a straight shaft that is topped with a loop, or eye, that attaches to the fishing line. Anglers usually hide the hook by stringing the bait over the point and around the shank. When the fish takes the bait in its mouth, the angler sets the hook with a quick pull, and the fish is caught.

The length of the hook’s shank and gap determines the hook’s size, which is designated by a number. Higher numbered hooks are smaller. A No. 22 hook, for example, is smaller than a No. 10 hook. Hooks that are bigger than No. 1 hooks take a zero, and the number progression is reversed, so that a No. 2/0 hook is bigger than a No. 1/0 hook. The size of the hook used depends upon the size of the bait and the type of fish being sought. A fly-fisher casting for 30-cm (12-in) trout might use hooks as small as No. 24, while an angler fishing for a larger bass might use No. 4/0 hooks.

When use of live bait is either prohibited or not preferred, anglers may use artificial lures that have hooks attached. These lures imitate the game fish’s food in movement and color. They include plugs, spinners, spoons, plastic worms, and jigs. Plugs made of plastic or balsa wood lie on or just below the surface. Anglers make them wiggle and dart through the water by moving the rod from side to side. Spinners and spoons are colored metallic lures that resemble tablespoons without handles. Anglers reel these lures in near the bottom, where they attract game fish with flashes of color and movement. A plastic worm’s wiggling and lifelike appearance make it attractive to fish. Jigs are hooks with painted metal heads and plastic or skirted bodies. They are jerked up and down off the bottom, enticing fish.

A fly is a special type of lure used in fly-fishing. Flies are made of feathers, hair, and plastics, which are wrapped around a hook and designed to imitate water insects such as mayflies and stoneflies, or land insects such as beetles or grasshoppers. They come in a variety of types: dry flies, which float and imitate adult aquatic insects; wet flies, which lie below the surface and imitate immature aquatic insects; nymphs, which resemble the larval stage of aquatic insects; and streamers and bucktails, which imitate small fish.

E

Knots and Other Equipment

Anglers use several types of knots to attach the reel, line, and lure to each other. The most useful include the slip knot, for attaching line to reel; the blood knot and improved surgeon’s knot, for attaching different size lines to one another; and the improved clinch knot, for attaching lure, hook, or fly to line or leader.

Instead of attaching lures and bait directly to the fishing line, bait-casters, spin-casters, and trollers often use a small barrel-shaped device called a snap-swivel. It has a loop on one end and a clip on the other. The fishing line is tied to the swivel’s loop with a knot and the lure, bait, or leader attaches to the clip. The swivel prevents tangles when the bait spins and moves through the water. The swivel’s clip also lets anglers switch lures and leaders easily and quickly instead of needing to cut and retie a new lure to the fishing line.

Floats and sinkers may be added to the line to make lures and bait float, sink, or remain suspended at a certain depth. Floats and sinkers are generally used when bait fishing, as artificial lures can be specifically designed to achieve a certain depth.

IV

Types of Fishing

All anglers use the same basic angling techniques, but there are many types of fishing. The most common are bait fishing, spin fishing, trolling, fly-fishing, and ice fishing.