List of Fishing Skills
Fishing has been around for thousands of years as a way to gather food and for sport. There are many different reasons people like to fish, from the appeal of the scenic excursions, the thrill of the sport, or as a source of income. Below are some skills to improve your fishing abilities at any level.
List of Fishing Skills
Below is a list of the most important fishing skills needed:
- Patience
- Reading the water
- Casting
- Stealth
- Reeling
- Baiting
Patience
While fishing can be a lot of fun, it requires a lot of patience. Fishing usually takes hours and, therefore, requires patience and persistence. It is important to have patience while fishing because every body of water is different. Fishing is a sport of trial and error. All the time and patience it takes to have a successful yield makes catching a fish that much more rewarding.
Reading the Water
Reading the water is all about knowing what parts of water to target based on visual cues. Anglers use the surface of the water to locate the fish. Ripples, color changes, standing rips, and visible structure are signs of a good place to focus one’s fishing efforts.
Casting
The difference between catching a fish versus coming away empty-handed can come down to a matter of inches. To properly cast, you must have the correct grip. Start by placing your thumb on top of the rod grip. The objective in casting is to bend, or load, the rod. A common mistake made by beginners is flailing one’s arms while casting. Make sure to keep the arm movement strict, similar to the movement of hammering a nail into a wall.
Stealth
Similar to hunting or playing hide-and-go-seek, when fishing, it is important to keep noise at a minimum so as to not scare away the fish. Keep boat noise and voices low, and avoid slamming things like hatches and coolers.
Reeling
After casting the line and getting a fish to bite, reeling the fish in is an important skill. Keep the fishing rod up at a 45° angle and remain calm, only reeling in when the fish stops dragging. To reel in the fish, crank the handle that is on the fishing pole so that the line shortens and pulls the fish towards you. Don’t reel in the fish too fast, or else it will let go and swim away. Let the fish run until it tires. This will make reeling it in easier as there is less resistance.
Baiting
Having the right bait will grant an advantage while fishing. Live bait is often more effective than artificial lures, as the wiggling of a worm, minnow, or shrimp is more appealing to a fish than a still lure. To put a worm on the hook for bait, you will have to get your hands dirty, literally. Putting dirt on your hands masks the human scent, which can otherwise drive away fish.
Cutting the worm in half is more appetizing to the fish as it presents a more approachable prey. Be careful not to keep the worm underwater too long because it may drown. Every 15 minutes or so, bring the worm back up to give it some air and make sure it is still on the hook.
FAQ
What are the most important attributes of a good fisherman?
The most important attributes of a good fisherman are hand-eye coordination and patience. It takes a lot of dexterity and mobility to properly use a fishing rod and reel in a fish, but fishing is also a sport with long durations of waiting. A good fisherman must be very patient when waiting for a fish to finally bite.
What are the most important skills in fishing?
The most important skills in fishing are baiting, casting, and reading the water. Reading the water is the first major step in finding the best spots to fish, and thus is extremely important. Baiting is the next crucial step in fishing, as it will influence whether the fish will be attracted to the hook. Casting is equally important, as placing the hook in the right spot will deliver the best odds of catching a fish.