Chapter 3 - Learn Your Gear

Hi folks. Previous chapters I have discussed the knowledge needed about how to dress properly and what to think about when it comes to weather. Todays chapter brings you a little bit closer to the actual fishing.
Famous Swedish fishing brand Fladen have their quote clear, "Everyone Can Fish". That's quite true, but to take it to the next level and become a successful angler, you need to know what you are doing. Small pikes can be caught with very little knowledge, but bigger samples that we so hardly want to catch requires a bit more attention from the angler himself. This is what todays chapter is all about.

As the topic of this chapter says, you have to learn your gear. Some people says that "Oah, You only have to reel your lure in and be at the right place at the right time". Well sometimes it seems like it. But if you look at anglers who regularly catch good fish, it's definitely not just luck and "beeing at the right place at the right time" that has been the key for success. They know their gear and the small things that they do with their lure, knots, wires, hook settings and reeling technique is most of times critical differences between catching, or not catching good sized fish. 

Do you only see a couple of lures or did you notice that the bait with bitemarks have extra split rings?

The more experienced angler you become, the more small things that enhance your success in fishing you will learn. For instance if you are new to jerkbait, don't buy 20 different lures and try them all out directly. All lures have their own movement and reaction to what speed, jerk or twitch you give the lure. The difference of fishing 2-3 lures in a good way, than fishing 20 in a poor way, could for sure be the crucial act that makes you catch the meter pikes, or struggling by only catching small "cucumbers". These small samples are often stupid enough to bite things that doesn't move realistic anyway.

Fishing is for sure a material sport if you didn't know that already. Everything is possible to make or change to the better. This involves everything from reels, rods, lures to the tiniest accessory such as split rings and stinger spikes. The production itself I leave to those who actually delivers what we fish with, but It's always intresting to try out new rigs, small changes on the lures and so on. You need to explore the fantastic possibilities of improvements and see what can be useful for your fishing. This is a section that can be wroten texts longer than the Harry Potter books, but the important thing in summary is that you should never be afraid of trying new things when ready for it. When you know exactly how your lure reacts to movements, stops etcetra, then you can reach great success with your fishing.

So what is better than trying out your baits in clear waters where you can see how fast your lure sinks, how it reacts to your acts with reel & rod. A good advice when doing this is to use polarized sunglasses, which I always recommend for fishing, when trying your baits. These will help you see what you're doing even better. Spend time practicing and your fishing will become a habit which in my opinion is very important.

Another great advice for learning your gear is listening to and learning from successful anglers. This can be made in several ways. The best choise is of course to talk with great anglers when possible at fairs, shops and other venues. What are their best advice? How are they fishing? What do they think is the best option for a specific water? Internet has becomed a great meeting point and place for publishing videos and texts about fishing techniques and other useful advices. Sometimes even magazines are great to learn new skills. Listen, learn and use what you think will enhance your own fishing.

When you know how to use your gear in a optimal way, great catch will follow

To sum this chapter up, I can recommend everyone to learn your gear properly before using it. If you're new to a specific method, start out small by using just a few kind of baits. This is particularly important when fishing with jerk- or softbaits. Since most of these baits requires more attention from the angler himself, It's better to learn how a few models work out rather than using all models available in an inappropriate way. Learn from those who know, and practice what you believe in.

Next weekend; Chapter 4 - Where to go?   

Daniel Wickman 13-04-13