bait for trophy freshwater striped bass, pike, muskies, and even blue and flathead catfish.
6. SALMON EGGS Although these salmon eggs won’t catch a wide variety of species, if you’re aer members of the trout family, they are quite tempting.
7. MEALWORMS Available in orange and red colorations, these beetle larvae have an armor-like exterior that makes them hearty,
and their bright color helps them stand out in the water.
8. WAXWORMS The caterpillar larvae of wax moths, waxworms are very tiny but very potent. They’ll catch trout anywhere they live, but “waxies” shine as panfish baits.
9. CRICKETS These insects are delicate and don’t live long on the hook, but then it doesn’t take long for a bluegill, trout, or crappie to slurp one up. Find them at a bait or pet shop.
10. SHINERS “Shiner” is used to refer to any silver- or gold-scaled baitfish species. Use large golden shiners for largemouth bass or pike, smaller ones for trout, crappies,and smallies.
Not sure what to buy at the tackle shop? You can’t go wrong with one of these.
FISH THE Top 10 Freshwater Baits
1
4
8
2
5
9
3
6
7
10
5
Anglers love to debate spinning vs. baitcasting
reels. It’s not that one is beer—it’s that spinning
and baitcasting are two verydifferent things.
Spinning in freshwater usually meanslighter line
and lighter lures—usually -pound (. kg) test
PICK THE BEST
REEL FOR THE JOB
or less. Baitcasting is done with heavier line and lures. Experiencedanglersuse both,depending on the circumstances. Going for a big brute of a muskie? Baitcasting is probably your best bet. Jigging for perch in a river? Try a spinning outfit.
BAITCASTING REEL The spool on a baitcasting reel revolves on an axle as it pays out line. By applying thumb pressure to the revolving spool, an angler can slow and stop a cast with pinpoint precision. Baitcasting reels require skill and practice and are a favorite of bass anglers, many of whom insist the reels afford more sensitive contact with the line than spinning reels. Baitcasters get the nod from trolling fishermen, because the revolving spool makes it easy to pay out and take up line behind a boat and also reduces line twist.
LEVEL-WIND GUIDE Aached to a worm gear, this device evenly moves the line back and forth across the face of the spool to prevent line from
geing trapped under itself.
SPOOL
Holds the fishing line.
SPOOL TENSIONER A braking device to reduce spool overrun and resultant
“bird’s nests” line snarls.
STAR DRAG Adjusts tension on a stacked series of washers and brake linings that make up the
reel’s internal drag.
FREESPOOL BUTTON
Allows the spool to turn
freely for the cast.
HANDLE The latest upgrades offer ergonomic grips with grooves for
beer control.
SPINNING REEL Spinning reels have fixed spools that do not rotate—the line uncoils from the front of the spool, pulled by the weight of the lure. Since the cast lure doesn’t need to have enough force to spin a rotating spool, spinning reels can utilize very light lures—ultralight spinning reels can handle lures as feathery as ⁄32 of an ounce ( g)—and backlash is rarely an issue. The downside to spinning reels: Stopping a cast isn’t a straightforward task. And spinning reels are notorious for twisting line. It’s best to pump the rod up, then reel on the way down to minimize twist.
BAIL Serves as a line pickup device to return the line evenly on the spool
aer the cast.
ANTI-REVERSE LEVER Prevents the reel handle from turning as
line is paying out.
HANDLE Activates the gears to retrieve line. Spinning reels come in a wide range of gear ratios, which is the number of spool revolutions to the number of gear handle revolutions. High-speed retrieve reels have gear ratios in the 4:1 class or higher. Lower gear ratios
support more cranking power.
GEAR HOUSING Protects the internal gears that connect the handle
to the spool.
DRAG ADJUSTMENT KNOB The drag is a system of friction washers and discs. Front-mounted drags are typically stronger than rear-mounted
drags.
SPOOL Holds the fishing line. A skirted spool covers the main reel sha like a skirt to
prevent line entanglement.
REEL FOOT Slides into mounting slots of
the rod’s reel seat.
6
GET SOME
GUIDANCE
All fishing rods start out blank. Some are weighted and tapered for making fly rods, while others are designed to be the base for big-game saltwater rods that can bale a marlin. What really makes a rod function properly are the
guides. Understand how guides work, and you’ll understand why different rod styles are beer suited to varying fishing situations. These guide styles and configurations are the ones you’re most oen going to find in your local tackle shop.
CONVENTIONAL ROD Conventional and bait-casting reels sit on the top side
