Top 10 Tips For Starting Out In Coarse Fishing
New to coarse fishing? Check out these top 10 tips to ensure a good day and hopefully yourself a big one.
New to coarse fishing? Check out these top 10 tips to ensure a good day and hopefully yourself a big one.
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Don’t wildly exceed your budget when buying fishing gear. Although fishing is relatively inexpensive to get started in you can quickly go overboard, especially on the high end carbon fibre gear.
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Do buy the best you can possibly afford. Good quality tackle is a pleasure to use and will improve your chances of playing and landing a good catch.
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Check out your fishing waters before going fishing. By visiting beforehand and speaking to other anglers you will learn from those with local knowledge the best spots to fish and the methods and baits that will increase your chances of a good day.
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Do some reading on the different kinds of freshwater fish to gain knowledge on size potential, behaviour and feeding habits. Some fish a bottom feeders (i.e they feed on the floor) whereas other are more inclined to take bait a mid-depth or even on the surface of the water.
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Always take waterproof clothing when fishing. This may seem obvious but it’s amazing how many people turn up unprepared.
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The all-round coarse angler will shelter from the elements; a large fishing umbrella (with something to anchor it to the ground to stop it blowing away) or even a bivvy for the longer sessions can provide good shelter from the wind and rain or even the sun.
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For general float fishing, beginners are recommended to buy a 13 foot specimen float rod with a 1lb test curve. This should be sufficient so long as you are not targeting big specimens.
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Always get the correct bait for the type of fish you are aiming for. Maggots and casters are among the most effective baits for all coarse fish, and for those that want to experiment; sweetcorn, bread and luncheon meat can be a tasty treat to certain fish such as carp, tench and perch.
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Make sure a landing net is one of the first bits of kit bought before you attempt to fish any pool. Trying to land a large fish with one will increase the chances of you losing it or worse, injuring the fish.
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Take a friend. While you may enjoy the solitude of fishing it is still worth going with a friend, even if they fish on the other side of the water. Having someone nearby is good from a safety point of view and can also provide good company when the fish aren’t biting.