reels fishing

Anglers across the board always have their own opinion as to the best available equipment for crappie fishing, and often, these opinions vary widely. However, when discussing crappie fishing reels, you may find that there are several avid anglers who agree with each other on the best reels to use, especially when expecting a large catch. What crappie fishing reels are most recommended by consistent anglers and why?
Because anglers tend to spend several hours out on the lake, something easy on the wrist is usually quite necessary. The St. Croix Legend Elite is one popular crappie fishing reel because it has a shorter handle that makes it easier to handle for ten or more hours. A six-foot, medium, fast action rod will work well with Lindy rigs and jigs and pick up an impressive number of large slabs in a long day’s excursion. Another crappie fishing reel to try is the G. Loomis IMX rod, which is not the top of the line but is nonetheless an excellent rod for crappie. While stiffer than the St. Croix rod, meaning that it is not as forgiving on the wrist, the six-foot medium action model is a great option for those who spend a little less time on the lake and a tough model for heavy and feisty spring fish.
A good economy purchase among the options for crappie fishing reels is the Fenwick hardcore graphite rod. For an inexpensive rod, it is quite a steal, considering that it has excellent balance and an easy feel to the hand. Other economy reels include three Cabela models: the Platinum ZX, the Fish Eagle II, and the XML. If you are going to spend ten or more hours a day on the lake for several days and weeks of the year, you will want to invest in one of the more advanced, pricey models that will last you through the entire season. However, if you are only going out a few times for short excursions, you should definitely consider an economy rod.
In terms of the crappie fishing reels themselves, take a look at some of the models put out by Shimano. The Sustain 1000 and 2000 and the Calais casting reel all come highly recommended. In fact, the entire Shimano line is favored among many anglers. They are touted to hold up much better than several other brands available, and the basic Stradic model is a budgetary model that will last through the worst abuse, never letting you down.

Man has been fishing since he first set foot into water, however, the tools and methods used to catch the fish has evolved from a sharpened stick to a multitude of fishing equipment that, to the fresh angler, can be a bit overwhelming. No longer is the bamboo pole the weapon of choice, but rather closed and open spool rod and reels have become the standard as fishing equipment has evolved through time.
It used to be the bait and tackle shop next to your favorite fishing hole, selling only, sinkers, hooks, line and worms. In today’s angling world, however, there are entire super stores dedicated to the great outdoors. These super stores, or online markets, carry an array of rods, reels, and lures, which makes finding the right fishing equipment a challenge.
The rod and reel you choose will be the most important variable in your fishing experience. The closed spool rod and reel is exactly as it sounds. The spool that holds the fishing line is covered entirely by a plastic or metal cover, giving the fishing line a little extra protection from weathering. The drawback to these sorts of reels has a habit of tangling and knotting, and getting the he problem can be just as trickery as solving it. An open spool reel seems to be the new standard among anglers. The open-faced reel has a very smooth touch to it when you reel in your game. Also, being open makes it easy to fix tangles in fishing line.
Another important decision to make when shopping for fishing equipment is what kind of fishing line you should use. Within the last ten years the technology behind fishing string has increased it’s performance dramatically. Likewise, there is a myriad of different kinds of fishing line to choose from. The main concern when choosing fishing line is to find a string with a high enough weight test to pull in those big catches. Getting fishing line with insufficient test could make that big mouth bass the one that got away.
Lures and bait are also an important decision when shopping for items to fill your tackle box. One must learn what lure is effective for angling a certain fish. There are thousands of different lures, falling into two categories, hard lures and soft lures. Hard lures consist of shimmering spoon lures, to replica fish lures, to crappie jigs. Soft lures are mostly made up of latex scented replica worms or crawfish. Or, you can always go with the classic, worms or crickets. For every type of angling, there’s a lure for it, and it never hurts to have a variety in your tackle box.
There’s no shortage of diversity within the world of fishing. So, whether you’re a beginner or advanced, there’s a variety of fishing equipment suit your needs.

Yellow Perch are a very easy fish to catch one you have located them. The key concept in perch fishing however is finding the fish.
Yellow Perch are a fish that likes to travel is large schools. Unlike many other fish a school of perch can have fish of many different sizes, they do not school by size. When fishing for perch you need to realize that ninety five percent of the fish will be in less than five percent of the available water.
They prefer a temperature of sixty six to seventy two degrees Fahrenheit. Yellow Perch also like water that is somewhat deep, but their definition of deep may differ than ours.
In a lake with an average depth of six to eight feet you will surely find the large perch in a deep fifteen foot hole somewhere in the lake. If however you are fishing a huge lake with depths over one hundred feet you will find them most likely in water no deeper than thirty feet.
Yellow Perch like structure to work from. Their favorite natural food is the crayfish. This means they like to inhabit areas near the rocks crayfish like to hide in.
In many ways the perch is much like the Walleye. They are part of the same family and have many of the same proclivities. Unfortunately for the perch they are the main forage species for Walleye as well.
There are many way for the angler to catch a large quantity of nice perch. When fishing for Yellow Perch the goal should be to look for jumbo sized perch. Small perch are really a dime a dozen and not worth the efforts of a true sportsman.
For starters you need to keep your equipment as light as possible. I like to use a light action rod of about 6 foot length. Use a high quality rod that will allow you to feel bites.
Remember always that a Yellow Perch can be a very wary species of fish that picks up bait very lightly. If you do not have a rod with the sensitivity to feel these light taps you will miss many fish you might otherwise have caught.
The reel is perhaps the least important aspect of perch fishing. Any functioning spinning reel will do. You will never need a drag and certainly does not need a great deal of reel power to bring even the largest jumbo perch to the boat.
The most important thing to keep in mind is to keep your fishing line thin. I recommend using fluorocarbon line to take full advantage of its invisibility value.
For a project some day you should cut even sized strips of your favorite monofilament and fluorocarbon lines and inspect them in water, somewhat murky water like you encounter fishing.
You will be surprised at the true difference between the two in terms of visibility. I would select a line of either two or four pound test. Anything more is overkill that will hurt your chances of hooking a fish while giving you absolutely no added value.

The fishing rod is the first basic piece of tackle the average bass fisherman needs to consider. I recommend a medium or medium light action graphite spinning rod. I advise buying a rod six foot long. This rod can be used in a variety of different fishing conditions. As you become more experienced you will see the need for more specialized rods at times. I have always used Berkley or Fenwick rods and found them to always be up to the task at hand. You should purchase your rod and reel simultaneously. I advise mounting the reel on the rod and holding it before you make a choice. The rod and reel combo should feel right. Hold the rod direct above where the reel is seated. If you point the rod perpendicular to your body it should balance in a straight line. If it does not the reel may be too big or heavy and need to be replaced with a lighter one.
Your next consideration is the reel. For the average fisherman I recommend an open faced spinning reel. The key here is to match the reel to the line you will be using. I like a reel that holds approximately 150 yards of 8 lb fishing line. I also like a reel with an excellent drag system. You have two choices regarding drag. I prefer reels that have a drag in the back of the reel. For me these drags are easier to adjust. Other people prefer the drag to be in the front of the reel on top of the spool. I consider this a matter of personal preference. Try both and go with what feels best to you. When you purchase a reel you will see a term gear ratio. They affect the power of the reel. The higher the gear ratio the more line that will be retrieved by each 360 degree turn of the handle.
For line I recommend monofilament line with a test of 8-12 lb. This is as close to an all purpose line that you can get. Again as you become more experienced you will see the need for lighter and heavier lines. I use Berkley Trilene line but have tried all the major brands and found them to be good. They key is to match your line to the reel you have chosen. I like to keep 150 yards of line on my reel. If your reel holds 150 yards of 10 lb line then I advise using that weight. You should always keep an extra spool of line on hand. You should also constantly check your line for nicks and other imperfections that can cause a fish to be lost.

The striped Bass is a completely different fish that has very little in common with the Largemouth or Smallmouth Bass. It is as much different from the more common bass as a Northern Pike or Walleye is. You need to approach fishing for this species in a completely different manner. You need completely different equipment and a completely different fishing pattern.
For starters they grow much faster and much larger. It is not uncommon to catch Stripers in the 40 lb range. In fact, it is very rare that you will catch a very small Striped Bass. This species grows very quickly, much faster than a Largemouth Bass. A fisherman therefore needs to use different equipment when targeting this species. A large Striped Bass can in a matter of minutes rip 50-75 yards of line of a reel. You need to select a reel with a smooth drag that can hold approximately 150 yards of 20 lb test line. I do not recommend targeting large Striped Bass with less than 20 lb line. You will also need a stout medium to heavy action rod. The rod needs to have enough backbone to set the hook. It also needs to have enough weight to tire the fish as you apply pressure. If you use a rod that is too light the reverse may happen.
The Striped bass prefers a completely different habitat that the Largemouth Bass. Striped Bass prefer water that is very clear. They will not be found is many areas that Largemouth Bass thrive in. This makes them easy enough to find, but it also makes them easy to spook. When you find a prime spot you need to be very discreet in how you approach the area. They also are not attracted to structure and cover. We know the Largemouth Bass is a species that thrives on weed lines as well as standing and fallen timber. The Striped Bass does not require these things. You will often find this fish in the open water. Given the change they do prefer to be near a shoreline. They will however choose any shoreline that offers feeding opportunities. They are not selective in terms of cover available at a specific shoreline area.
Striped Bass also are a schooling fish, even when they reach big sizes. You often will find schools of juvenile Largemouth Bass up to two pounds. The larger members of this species however are primarily solitary fish. This is not true with Striped Bass. You will often find large schools of very large fish. If you are discreet in your approach you can often catch quite a few large fish once you have found a school of them. This makes them much easier to find. In the clear water that they prefer you can many times scan the water surface and see where they are. This is more the case in spring and fall when they feed closer to the surface. When the water temperatures are higher for the bulk of the year they feed at much deeper depths.

The fishing rod is the first basic piece of tackle the average bass fisherman needs to consider. I recommend a medium or medium light action graphite spinning rod. I advise buying a rod six foot long. This rod can be used in a variety of different fishing conditions. As you become more experienced you will see the need for more specialized rods at times.
I have always used Berkley or Fenwick rods and found them to always be up to the task at hand. You should purchase your rod and reel simultaneously. I advise mounting the reel on the rod and holding it before you make a choice. The rod and reel combo should feel right. Hold the rod direct above where the reel is seated. If you point the rod perpendicular to your body it should balance in a straight line. If it does not the reel may be too big or heavy and need to be replaced with a lighter one.
Your next consideration is the reel. For the average fisherman I recommend an open faced spinning reel. The key here is to match the reel to the line you will be using. I like a reel that holds approximately 150 yards of 8 lb fishing line. I also like a reel with an excellent drag system. You have two choices regarding drag. I prefer reels that have a drag in the back of the reel. For me these drags are easier to adjust. Other people prefer the drag to be in the front of the reel on top of the spool. I consider this a matter of personal preference. Try both and go with what feels best to you.
When you purchase a reel you will see a term “gear ratio”. They affect the power of the reel. The higher the gear ratio the more line that will be retrieved by each 360 degree turn of the handle.
For line I recommend monofilament line with a test of 8-12 lb. This is as close to an all purpose line that you can get. Again as you become more experienced you will see the need for lighter and heavier lines. I use Berkley Trilene line but have tried all the major brands and found them to be good.
They key is to match your line to the reel you have chosen. I like to keep 150 yards of line on my reel. If your reel holds 150 yards of 10 lb line then I advise using that weight. You should always keep an extra spool of line on hand. You should also constantly check your line for nicks and other imperfections that can cause a fish to be lost.

The type of fishing tackle to be used is determined by the experience of the fishing enthusiast and the type of fish that he or she wants to catch, the type of water, the season, and the weather. Generally speaking, for beginners, the best type of fishing tackle to start off with is spin cast. There are also many different models of fishing rods available in each of these types of fishing tackle. It is a good idea to avoid buying one that is too cheap. A sub-standard fishing tackle will only impair your enjoyment and learning process. A very expensive model will be a waste of money until you being to gain a certain measure of expertise.
Fishing tackle comprises all the equipment used when fishing and is also referred to as fishing gear. Here are some basics for selecting the components of a fishing tackle.
Rods
Perhaps the most important element of your fishing tackle is the rod. This is because a high quality rod will allow you to be able to sense the fish at the end of the line. In comparison, a rod of inferior quality will not offer such advantages. Hence, when starting out it is important to buy the best rod you can afford. Further, different kinds of rods are available depending on the kind of fishing you would like to indulge in, deep sea or ocean fishing, spin casting or fly fishing, so make you decide that first.
Lines
Once you have a fishing rod, the next piece to add your fishing tackle is a fishing line. Fishing lines vary in weight depending on the weight of the fish you intend to catch. While having a low weight line means that you might lose out on a big catch, it’s advantage is that it is barely visible. For starters, a mid-weight line is the wisest option.
Lures and Flies
These are the most interesting part of your fishing tackle and also the most fun to select. They are available in a huge variety of sizes, shapes, and colors and designed based on the fish that you intend to catch; they also act differently in the water, for instance, some float, while others sink slowly to the bottom. A good way of picking the right lure is finding something that resembles fish that are already present in the water you want to fish in; this is because fish are unlikely to bite something they are not familiar with.
Reels
Another important part of your fishing tackle is reels. Make sure to buy a good quality reel, because a poor quality reel will result in several hours wasted in untangling your line. Also, when buying a reel, ensure that it is suited (in terms of weight) to the rod that you have purchased. Finally, reels are also different based on the kind of fishing you want to do, for instance, fly fishing reels differ from those used for casting, so make sure to buy the right reel.
A good source of information on the different components of a fishing tackle is http://www.seaisletackle.com. It also provides a wide selection of fishing tackles for purchase.

If you are looking for the ideal gift for the bass fisherman in your life, you are really only limited by the needs or wants of the recipient, your imagination, and your budget. What bass fisherman would not love a brand new bass boat from which to fish, or expensive sonar, or outboard motors?
But, if you are looking for something in the way of gear, there are many items from which to choose. Perhaps you are looking for something such as a fishing accessory, and again, you are limited only by putting some thought into what is wanted, needed, or can be afforded. You might choose a camera to take pictures of the one that did not get away, or a nice pair of polarized sunglasses to take the glare off the water. You could choose rain gear, deck shoes, or gear to clean the catch of the day. There are a plethora of fish videos, fish paraphernalia, T-shirts, hats, etc.
You can easily find ideas for this kind of gift giving online, but if you are fishing for a new or avid fisherman, and you hope to buy gear that will be sure to be appreciated, rather than buying a gift certificate or some other option, here are some suggestions and tips that could be helpful for you.
Every bass fisherman needs a rod and reel. These may be bought together or separately. Bass are fighters, and if you plan on buying a rod, you should choose a strong rod that is still flexible. A heavier, six to seven foot length is a good choice.
An open faced reel, or spinning reel, is a good choice when buying a gift for a bass angler. If your angler is fairly experienced, another good choice would be a reel called a baitcaster. Fishermen enjoy the added control they have when using a baitcaster, which allows anglers to cast more quietly and gives more power when pulling the bait from cover.
Another necessity when fishing for bass is a good line. If you are planning to buy a gift for a bass angler, and want to consider outfitting a tackle box, you should know a little bit about fishing line. Bass fishermen generally need from ten to twenty pound test line. Colors should depend on the water in which the fish are being caught, but if you know the areas in which the angler fishes, you can judge based on the availability of clear, green, clear blue, camo, and fluorescent. One color that is usually popular with most anglers is a clear blue line that is fluorescent. This particular color is great, because it can be seen by you above the water, but not by the fish, because it disappears in the water.
Finally, probably the most popular gift idea for the bass angler on your giving list, is tackle. Bass fishermen tend to use lots of different tackle, and they tend to fish in heavy cover, which means they lost a lot of tackle. For this reason, a constant supply is always welcome. If you know the preferences of your fisherman, it will be easy to buy tackle they will like, but if you are buying for a new fisherman, or really are not sure what to buy, here are some suggestions that could help you.

Fishing for catfish has been the favorite of many anglers for years. They were one of the first species of fish to ever be caught as a sport. The catfish can grow to some amazing sizes and they will put up a fight that you will want to talk about for a long time. There is no better feeling than to reel in one or more of these monsters.
The rod and reel are extremely important when it comes to your gear and the amount of success you can have reeling in the catfish. There are certain steps you can follow when picking out the right combination of rod and reels. The first step is to decide which species of catfish you intend to go fishing for. Are you after the channel cat, flathead, blue cat, white cat or the bullhead catfish?
After deciding which species you prefer to catch, you need to learn as much as you can about the different types of rod and reels available. This will help you determine what would work the best for each type of fishing you are trying to do. Of course, if you are new to fishing all together and not sure which species you want to go after, then you should learn what type of catfish live in your immediate area or where you will be going fishing the most.
This way you can focus on buying a rod and reel to match the species of catfish in your area. Later on as you begin to advance your skills you will learn more about the different species of catfish and this will help you decide if you need to change or add to your gear to go fishing for another type of catfish.
Before you can choose the right catfish rod and reel it would be helpful to understand a little about the rod itself. No doubt you have heard much talk about the rod action and power of the rod from other anglers but, do you know what is meant by these terms? Below is a brief description explaining what is meant by the action and power of a fishing rod.
All about Rod and Reels
When you talk about the action of the rod you are talking about the amount of bend it has. The bend is most noticeable when you are casting your line or reeling in a fish.
Slow Action Rod - This rod will bend all the way down to the handle.
Moderate Action Rod - This one bends over the last portion of the rod.
Moderate-Fast Action Rod - These will bend just over the last third portion of the rod.
Fast Action Rod - The fast action rod bends in the last fourth part of the rod.
Extra-Fast Action Rod - This rod will only bend at the tip.
The bend affects the way you fish because the softer or slow action rods give more. In other words, they have more flexibility. These will hardly ever sling your bait from the hook but they will not cast as far as the fast action rods will. The fast action rods will cast further because they put more force behind your throw giving you a little added power.