There are many people out there who want to learn to fish, and many who have been fishing for years who have questions about the right tackle. One of the most asked questions is...what should I bring to fish with? Every guide knows that the success of a fisherman who hires him depends to a great extent on whether or not he has the right gear, and whether or not he can use what he has properly.
We'll take it on a species by species basis. If you want to catch big bass, you need to learn to use an open-face casting reel, and it needs to hold relatively heavy line. Some of those casting reels I use for bigger bass on reservoirs, and fish with jigs or plastic baits and for those I use heavier line and stronger rods. When you are fishing in lakes for larger bass, one perhaps 8- or 10-pounds, you need 14-pound line, minimum. And heavier line stretches less, so it is easier to set a large hook in the bony jaw of a big bass or walleye or catfish with the heavier line.
If I want to fish a stream for big smallmouth I might want to go with a more limber rod, a little shorter because of the restrictions of overhanging limbs when I am casting, and lighter line, perhaps 8- or 10-pounds. And some smallmouth fishermen would argue that they prefer spinning gear with line only 6-pounds. I use that too, of course, when I am fishing smaller lures. You can't effectively fish large crank-baits, large spinner baits, buzz-baits and big topwater lures with a light spinning reel.
Heavy spinning reels can be used for heavy fish of course, with stronger line and stiffer rods. Up north, they go for trout and walleye of considerable size with the heavy spinning gear and 10- or 12-pound line. But here in the Ozarks, my spinning reels are used for lighter fish, smaller lures, with lighter line. Casting reels should be used with lures and weights of 3/8 -ounce or larger. Light spinning reels should be used with one quarter-ounce lures or smaller.
No, you can't effectively cast a little quarter ounce jig with an open face casting reel and 10- or 12-pound line. Fishermen learn with experience that a jig falls in the water in direct proportion to the diameter of the line. With 4-pound line, a small jig drops much faster than it will with 8-lb line. That's why crappie fishermen like the spinning reels with light line. For crappie or bluegill, use a light, limber little rod which helps you feel a slight tap, and gives you a fight out of a fish that doesn't resist all that hard, and doesn't take a strong hook-set.
I use medium spinning gear and 6-pound line for white bass when they are hefty, the 3- or 4-pound specimens not found often. Most of the time, when I am fishing a spring spawning run for whites that only average a pound, I want 4- or 6-pound line on a light or medium spinning rod. If I am going to fish for hybrids or stripers, I want to use heavy casting gear, and if the stripers are big enough, strong rods and 20-pound line. Same thing for big catfish when using live bait.
When I go to Canada to fish for smallmouth, muskies, largemouth or northerns, I use casting gear and strong line 10- to 14-pounds. Sometimes, just for kicks I fish for smallmouth in Canada lakes with light action spinning tackle and 6-pound line. For walleyes that are usually less than four pounds, I use that same gear, but heavier spinning gear for lakes, which have 6-or 8-pound walleye. The thing about walleyes is, they usually are found in unobstructed waters up there, and they aren't going to run away from you. They usually stay deep and under you. Big bass don't do that, they find something to get around, and you have to horse them a little.
But though I often fish with the heavy casting gear and catch bigger fish with it, I just love to fish with an ultralite spinning outfit, and four pound line, for smaller fish, trout, white bass and crappie, even goggle-eye and bluegill. Sometimes in the summer, I like to find a cool shoal on an Ozark river late in the afternoon and cast a small floating minnow type lure for smallmouth from 10- to 15-inches long. What fun that is on the light tackle. Of course, sometimes an 18- or 20-inch bruiser takes your lure and leaves you wishing you had a heavier outfit.
It is wise to stay away from push-button, spin-casting reels if you want to become a serious fisherman. I guess they are ok for kids, or inexperienced fishermen who won't go very often, but start a youngster out learning to cast the better tackle, and you'll be glad you did.
For more about fishing you might want to read my book, ‘Recollections of an Old-Fashioned Angler”. Email me at lightninridge47@gmail.com or call my office at 417 777 5227 to find a copy or have one mailed.