What goes into a tackle box? What kind of equipment should you get? What clothes are appropriate for a fishing trip? What are the best fishing boats to use? All these questions are normal for a novice, and while experienced anglers may scoff at recommendations for essential gear, beginners need to start somewhere. At a glance, here are all the crucial pieces of fishing tools you should get as a starting angler.

Preferably, you should have clothes and footwear that are waterproof or dry quickly, and you should never leave home without a fishing hat, and Oakley sunglasses that can keep water reflections from hurting your eyes.

Rod and reel

The basic configuration you should have as a novice is a rod and reel. A fishing rod is a pole made from some durable material like fiberglass – granite rods tend to be a little more expensive – and its central role is to help you cast your line. Power and action are two specifications that describe the abilities of a rod, and you’ll need to read them carefully and compare them when you go shopping.

The same rule applies if you want to purchase the best spincast reel, and it must be added that it would be a good idea to check some customer reviews to see what others have to say. A medium strength rod is high on the list for beginners. As for how long a rod should be, one rule of thumb says that it should be 11.8 inches over your height measurement.

The reel comes attached to the rod, and its role is to wind the line. You release it when you cast your line and rewind it when you have to pull the fish you caught out of the water. For a beginner, a recommendation would be to get a combo, instead of purchasing a rod and a reel separately.

A roll of fishing line

Besides the rod and reel, you will also need a roll of fishing line. If we’re talking about the basics alone, the fishing line completes the picture. While, at this point, everything might look pretty straightforward, you should know that getting the right line is essential, and not just any product will do.

For instance, you should get a fishing line that has the right strength and weight for the type of fish you’re going to catch. A poor quality line may end up tangled around underwater vegetation or break when a strong fish fights to get away.

However, this doesn’t mean that you should go for a fishing line that is heavy and thick. In clear waters, thin fishing line options may be indicated, as the fish won’t be able to see it. Another thing to remember, as a beginner, is to have 100 yards of fishing line wound around your reel, as you might have to cast long for certain fish species.

Basic tackle box recommendations

Now that you have your configuration of a rod, reel, and line, the next talk should be on the fishing tackle box and what goes inside. For instance, it wouldn’t hurt to have a nice assortment of hooks, baits, and lures. Different fish react to different baits, and that’s something you’ll learn on the go.

You may be surprised to find out that some fish change their preferences even throughout the day. They might bite on something in the wee hours of the morning, but on another type of baits in the afternoon.

Dress properly when fishing

While some may argue that fishing poles for kids and clothes are not that important, it is critical that you have proper garments when you’re out of the water. 

When you feel like you’ve accumulated enough fishing skills and experience, you can challenge yourself by going on fly fishing trips.