Fishing Equipment UK
An outdoor activity which can be traced as far back as 40,000 years in human history, fishing is a well known and skilled pursuit which has diversified in to a common hobby and even a sport. Often times, the recreational aspect involves catching the largest fish by weigh (or sometimes the rarest) as opposed to simply catching fish to consume. There is more to it than simply catching fish with a rod though; techniques involved use gathering, hand spearing, netting, angling and trapping. There are also many different types of fishing, the most well known being line, hand, bow and kite.
If you are new to catching fish, you may be interested in the most popular type; using a rod with a line. It is important to note before you embark on a weekend trip to a lake, that in the UK (and most of the world), you require a license to catch salmon, trout, freshwater fish, eels and smelt in lakes and rivers. Please ensure you have your license before you begin.
Now that you have your license, you can start to think about what you will need to take with you. A quick internet search can overwhelm you with ‘essential’ bits of kit, so below are some key items you may need.
A pole (or rod)- Simply put, this is the pole with which you catch fish! They vary in length from 2-20 feet in length and are traditionally made from bamboo. The size variation is due to the intention of use- if you are catching larger fish, you will require a different size pole. The rods also vary due to the type of fishing you will be doing, for example bait casting rods are designed to cast bait and lures, so it is worth considering which fish you intend to catch and how you intend to catch them before purchase.
Line- this is the cord attached to the pole and is designed for angling. Important factors to consider are its length, the material it is made from and its weight. You should also consider its breaking strength, UV resistance, knot strength, its limpness, how able it is to stretch under tension, abrasion resistance and visibility- thicker lines are more visible to fish, so it is best to go with the lowest visibility.
A sinker- a weight that is used to increase the hooks ability to sink, a sinker is also important for casting distance and anchoring. Once again, the shape and weight of the sinker depends on the type of fish you are attempting to catch; a bullet sinker is commonly used to fish a large mouth bass whereas a banana sinker is used to catch salmon. An ideal sinker is environmentally safe (not containing lead), cheap and dense.
A float or bobber- usually attached to the line, a float can be used to suspend the bait at a predetermined depth. It is also a visual indicator to the person fishing if their bait has had a bite! Each float is designed with the condition of the water in mind; a fast moving river float will be different to a float used in a still lake.
A hook- used to impale the fish in the mouth once it has taken the bait, the fish hook has been rated as one of man kinds most useful inventions. Once again, the type of hook you use will depend on the type of fish you wish to catch and also the size of bait you wish to use. A quality hook is covered in a corrosion resistant coating.
Bait- an essential piece of your kit, bait is the often organic substance used to attract fish. However, fishermen have started to use electronic lures to catch fish alongside the traditional types; this is often more successful when trying to catch predatory fish. The most commonly used invertebrates used include nightcrawlers, croaker and shrimp.
