I want to go fishing! Need a bit of advice please.

[Joe13]

Howdy yall,

Grew up fishing lakes as a kid but never had to buy equipment, as I recall we always got the "kid kits" and some bait and we were set.

Now I look thru sporting goods stores and am a bit lost as too what I need.

I mostly just want to be able to toss a line into one of the rivers I drive by and possibly catch some dinner on the way down from the mountains.

I do not plan on being a full time fisherman, hunting and shooting are more my interests but fishing seems to compliment those things.

If I could get a bare bones, you need these things for sure list then that would be very helpful.

A little info on what size pole would be appropriate and how much I should look at spending for a basic setup (I don't want garbage I'll just turn around and upgrade in 2 months either ).

Thanks for any and all help, the people on this forum are truly fantastic

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[thorborg]

Start with your Washington fishing synopsis.
What you buy really is attached to the hip as to what you want to catch.
My first fishing setup was a piece of cedar shake notched on both ends for line to be wound around with a hook and a bobber. That rig caught a ton of fish.
Since you mentioned the possibility of upgrading, starting with the basic stuff in your bugout survival kit is out of the question.
While your scenario "toss a line into one of the rivers I drive by and possibly catch some dinner on the way down from the mountains." is exactly what I looked forward to in retirement, it is no longer that simple in Oregon and I might add sadly nearly gone. I don't know Washington reg's but in Oregon most rivers are now shut down for half the year, catch and release only, bait less, barbless which sums up to dinnerless. Like Oregon hunting synopsis, you need a lawyer, geologist, and a professional forester plus someone from ODOT on retainer to interpret them. What you can catch, where you can catch will differ not only from river to river but on different parts of the same river.
All that said; the most universal, psychologically relaxing, catch nearly any species, ready to go, no fresh bait required fishing equipment I keep in the back of my truck is for fly fishing.
Properly prepared, fly's are real tasty albeit a little chewy.

 

[solv3nt]

I second that the Oregon fishing regulations are ridiculously convoluted. What may be legal at one part of the river, is not legal 10 miles up. Honestly, I haven't kept a fish from fly fishing in years, and it bugs my wife to no end.

 

[40calruler]

Laws aside. I say get yourself an ugly stick and a mid range (40$) Shimano reel. have the shop load it with some 20lb braided line and it will work for trout, bass, catfish, etc..I even got a steelhead with my little ultra light ugly stick once. Life time warranty is great as you can take it to the store you got it and get a new one so long as it did not break from you slamming it in a car door.
Bait will be different depending on what you want but a few #2 blue fox spinners of various colors along with a couple swivels will get you into some trout and most other fish. I use #4 for steelhead and salmon and #2 for trout.
That is my "travel" kit as there is not much I cannot do with that poll since I have yet to see one snap other than someone doing something dumb. Cheap but very good setup for finding yourself wanting to throw a line in just about anywhere.
Under 100 for everything and will last you a long time. I highly recommend braided line as you can get 20lb and still have it be thin enough that you can cast a ways and not stretch it over time..Mono line is cheaper but it sucks compared to braided as far as I am concerned.
Whatever you do there are a ton of great places to fish around you that you could handle with a similar setup to that.

 

[U201491]

Tis what you call socialist control everything mentality just like everything the left touches.
Yeah it is !
People get what they ask for or do nothing to stop. Fishing in Oregon used to actually be fun.

 

[thorborg]

By the way, if your not interested in fly fishing. After all the stuff I've bought over the years I always end up using my Dam Quick 330 spinning reel I've had since 1962 on a Herter's two piece pole. Both reel and pole are light enough for small trout and strong enough for medium size steelhead. the last eyelet has been replaced because I wore a groove in the ceramic from use. (you have to have a special temperament to use bait casting reels) I use braided line because it won't kink or take a set from storage or heat. I have three spools; one with 6# , 12#, the 4# I have never used since I quit back packing 38 years ago but the braided line is still supple. I use split shot but my dad liked surgical tubing and pencil lead which is more forgiving in rocky rivers. Always use a swivel betwixt line and leader. Use leader less in # than your line always more than 24 inches long. Some swear by power bait, I don't care for it, it is messy and seems like cheating. I mainly use either worm or rooster tails for trout, bass & the sunfishes however I have two boxes full of other things from plugs & spinners to jigs & spoons that just seem to lay there . A single egg though on a tiny hook can produce results in a quiet current less shaded pool. A clear casting plug and a fly on a spinning rig will catch fish if you present it right to the slack edge of whitewater. long rust resistant needle nose pliers for retrieving deep hooks. razor sharp fillet knife for the bass. write any where pen for the salmon steel head card should you be so lucky. In my truck I also carry a small frying pan, paper plates, utensil kit, single burner stove, buttered flavored Pam and S & P as I find the fish are much tastier eaten when you catch it not the next day. Sun glasses. A sharp small pocket knife is indispensable both for fish cleaning tidying up knots, plus; braided line cannot be broken with hands or chewed with teeth. I put my truck stuff in a canvas creel
it stuffs under the seat better than a box, they only last a year or two as they are really cheaply made but they are low cost.

 

[Joe13]

Darn it... I think the bug has bit me. I can't stop watching videos online that I once dismissed as something I'd not really be interested in.

I met a very nice gentleman that had advertised fishing gear for sale; by the pics I saw, I thought I was going to a business going out sale or something. Nope, it was just his garage! I have no idea why he had dozens of poles but my wife can't fathom why I need more then one gun so I guess it just goes with getting into a sport.

I ran by bi-mart and tried to get a idea of what things sold for and headed over to this guys house.

He was very friendly and asked what I wanted to fish for and what I was used too. I told him fish an pointed at what I now know is a spinning reel. Lol he wasn't sure what to think at first hahaha.

We talked freshwater trout and steelhead as good possible starting fish and he proceeded to start digging thru what looked to be a staggering amount of poles.

After some time of rummaging he presented me with two poles, one shorter and used but new looking and the other one a bit longer and it still had the plastic on the cork and bubble wrap on the tip.

He explained that the smaller one would give me a bit more feel for smaller fish but would also land larger ones with care. The longer one he said would be better for steelhead but would not be much of a fight with smaller fish; I said that's the one I want, I don't want to work too hard at this..!

So I had a pole picked out and we headed over to his wall of reels and he started grabbing a few out of the cubbies he had them in. He presented me a couple of very impressive looking spinning reels that were largely polymer and black but also handed me a super shinny silver and gold Daiwa that he said would be one of his first picks for the rod I had; I liked the shiny one, ohh shiny! It was new as well so it was a nice pairing.

I just asked for his advice on transport and he walked over to another area and pulled out a nice aluminum tube he said just might barely fit the pole; it did with a little room to spare around and 4" at the end. Other then having a little use and a broken washer it was pretty cool and I had a package that he made me a smoking deal on.

I ended up with a Daiwa Spearfire that I spooled 15lb braided line onto it, and a beautiful lamiglas 12-25lb 8'6" pole.

Whole thing was just over $100 so a bit more then I had hoped to spend but felt like I had received a good deal and got some great advice in the process.

I hit bi-mart and bought a small tackle box on sale and a few things to get me at least started as well as asked a garage saleing friend of mine to keep an eye out for an assortment of tackle for cheap to expand into.

I got a pair of needle nosed pliers and hemostats, a fillet knife and nail clippers, some power bait on sale and a couple spiny wormy things.

 

[Joe13]

Now I need to navigate the fishing regs and figure out what I can fish for and where.

I was going to wait to buy a scale until I know I'll need one for what I'm fishing for and figured I'd realize what else I actually need pretty quickly with a little use.

Ill put up a pic of my first fish

 

[thorborg]

Now it starts!
If you were in Oregon, I would tell you of a lake you could drop a bent pin in and come up with a bluegill guaranteed. Perfect to give you the feel & the thrill.
Good luck with your new hobby.
You'll soon find that everything you need for tackle is $3.95 a pop and you walk out of the store after dropping a $40 bucks with nearly nothing in the bag.
Next to come; spinners, fishing vest, plugs, net, sinkers, swivels, leader, bobbers, Jigs, fenders, hooks, boat, motor, trailer, anchor, fish finder, fillet knife, spreaders, salmon rigs, steelhead rigs, waders, Creel, stringer, hook sharpening stone, Plastic bait, power bait, worm box, New truck to haul the boat, and a good cigar just to get you started.
Oh Yah, Sunglasses!

 

[Joe13]

Now it starts!
If you were in Oregon, I would tell you of a lake you could drop a bent pin in and come up with a bluegill guaranteed. Perfect to give you the feel & the thrill.
Good luck with your new hobby.
You'll soon find that everything you need for tackle is $3.95 a pop and you walk out of the store after dropping a $40 bucks with nearly nothing in the bag.
Next to come; spinners, fishing vest, plugs, net, sinkers, swivels, leader, bobbers, Jigs, fenders, hooks, boat, motor, trailer, anchor, fish finder, fillet knife, spreaders, salmon rigs, steelhead rigs, waders, Creel, stringer, hook sharpening stone, Plastic bait, power bait, worm box, New truck to haul the boat, and a good cigar just to get you started.
Oh Yah, Sunglasses!

Oh yea I'm screwed hahaha.

I did get a little sticker shocked when I checked out with that 8.99 tackle box with only a handful of the bare minimums .

Thanks for the thought to offer up a good spot to go - I'm going to take all this stuff and just go down to klineline or Vancouver lake and try it out. At least the regs seem a little more straight forward with lakes.

I'll move up to rivers after I catch a few and get all of the new off my gear.

 

[oknow]

^^^^^^^ and that is just for starters.

 

[Mikej]

Geeze Louise! Seems so strange reading you're story. I'm almost 60, and when I think about it, I was pretend fishing in the irrigation ditch that ran down our road in Midvale Utah when I was four years old. I think it was pretend? There WERE times that fish got through to the irrigation canals and came down the ditches.

As soon as I was old enough to ride a bike away from home, buddies and I would ride five or so miles early morning to fish for carp and suckers. We sold night crawlers that we hunted from neighbors yards to other fishermen. When we traveled I always starred at the water by the road wanting to fish it, any stream, ditch or pond. Dad and I traveled/camped in Utah, Idaho, Montana and Wyoming, to fish. Most of those waters are now called "Blue Ribbon" and the only way you can fish many of them is by permit or paying for the pleasure. And boy, don't expect to be allowed much to eat from a lot of those waters.

Any way, the only advice I could give it to keep it simple. Mono line in 6#-8#. Slide an egg sinker 1/8-1/4 oz on, then a swivel, then a 10"-18" leader and then a hook #2-#6 depending on the size fish you'r expecting. And a good old half a night crawler threaded on the hook with a bit of tail dangling. That set-up is just for sittin' and relaxing. To that rig add a marsh mallow on the point of the hook to float the worm up, off the bottom. You mentioned Klineline and Vancouver so that's a rig that ought to get you bit, by something!

Check out the trout stocking schedule and you can hit some higher up lakes for something to eat. Those planted trout stick close to where they were planted for a few days, and the rig mentioned above is just the ticket. I never liked Power Bait, and I contend half a night crawler will work just as well!

Wish you were down here close to me. I've done pretty well and helping a friend spend his money on gear that gets fish!

Good Luck Joe!

 

[Joe13]

Thanks Mikej!

That rig set up is just what the wdfw also recommend for lake trout - though yours was more specific on size hooks etc so that's very helpful!

And yes, my old man could have spent a lot less time at work and way more time showing me the ropes growing up, but thems the brakes I guess

I plan on being a much better informed grandfather so I can keep passing these skills on like they should be.

 

[jsparks747]

I would get a decent rod and reel and do some fishing with that. Then when you get good at fishing with your set up you can go and get a nice rod and reel that will best fit the type of fishing you will be doing and how strong the fish are.

 

[Joe13]

I would get a decent rod and reel and do some fishing with that. Then when you get good at fishing with your set up you can go and get a nice rod and reel that will best fit the type of fishing you will be doing and how strong the fish are.

I ended up 2 years ago (before the great unloading of most my toys) finding a real nice old gentleman who had a "garage sale" on fishing stuff a few blocks from my place.

He actually had a "garage full of fishing gear" (similar to some pics I've seen Caveman post) and wanted to off load some of it as he was tripping over things to get to his stuff.

He asked what I wanted and i told him I had no idea lol. He asked what I was looking to catch and I told him I was a total noob and that I had my eye on bank fishing for trout on lakes or rivers.

He looked thru a couple dozen poles and ended up finding a never used Lamiglass? 9' Rod 8-18# (don't quote me on the poundage as I haven't looked at it in a year and a half). It sure will get a hook way out there though.

He paired it with an almost new reel that has the metal hoop that flips up and down (yea, that's what I know about fishing), but he said it was a real good one for what I wanted and recommended a braided line that I got at Bi-mart.

He added in an aluminum tube that exactly fit the rod and charged me I think $100. Seemed like a deal to me at the time and I wasn't hard up like now. I ended up buying a gun sock for it to keep it from getting beat up on the tube and that filled the space up nicely and kept it from shaking around.

I went to Bi-mart and picked up some of the cheaper dodads and small box with some baits and hooks and an assortment of sinkers etc. It didn't cost much, maybe $40 for it all.


Tried a lot of different combos and even bought some worms from Wally World once but had zero luck at Klineline lake in north Vancouver (figured I'd start close to home).


I even watched the YouTube vids that the WDFW put out on lake fishing and basic fishing instructions, so I assumed it was my lack of luck or personal instruction. Even got my dad out once but he knows about as much as I do so never even got a bite (maybe once but I'm not sure).

Didn't buy tags or a license this year because of costs but hope to be able to in the spring.

If anyone ever needs some company, I'm better then I was when oknow offered up a seat in is boat that I couldn't physically do at the time (laying on the couch at the time still) then I'd love some instruction.

Other then that it will be a lot like my hunting experience - take as much advice as I can and go out alone hoping for the best (although with hunting I get some excersise and get to see more scenery lol so I like scouting and hunting better at this point).





Funny story, - little girl (7-8?) that was roaming the lake fishing asked me for some tips. I told her I was pretty new and didn't have much. She looked at my pole and said, "well you have a really nice pole for a beginner!" And offered (well insisted) me some of her sparkling bait balls that she said she was having luck with. I thanked her and offered up some of my bait balls in return which she happily took and then i didn't see her or a fish the rest of my time there (couple hours).

 

[jsparks747]

I ended up 2 years ago (before the great unloading of most my toys) finding a real nice old gentleman who had a "garage sale" on fishing stuff a few blocks from my place.

He actually had a "garage full of fishing gear" (similar to some pics I've seen Caveman post) and wanted to off load some of it as he was tripping over things to get to his stuff.

He asked what I wanted and i told him I had no idea lol. He asked what I was looking to catch and I told him I was a total noob and that I had my eye on bank fishing for trout on lakes or rivers.

He looked thru a couple dozen poles and ended up finding a never used Lamiglass? 9' Rod 8-18# (don't quote me on the poundage as I haven't looked at it in a year and a half). It sure will get a hook way out there though.

He paired it with an almost new reel that has the metal hoop that flips up and down (yea, that's what I know about fishing), but he said it was a real good one for what I wanted and recommended a braided line that I got at Bi-mart.

He added in an aluminum tube that exactly fit the rod and charged me I think $100. Seemed like a deal to me at the time and I wasn't hard up like now. I ended up buying a gun sock for it to keep it from getting beat up on the tube and that filled the space up nicely and kept it from shaking around.

I went to Bi-mart and picked up some of the cheaper dodads and small box with some baits and hooks and an assortment of sinkers etc. It didn't cost much, maybe $40 for it all.


Tried a lot of different combos and even bought some worms from Wally World once but had zero luck at Klineline lake in north Vancouver (figured I'd start close to home).


I even watched the YouTube vids that the WDFW put out on lake fishing and basic fishing instructions, so I assumed it was my lack of luck or personal instruction. Even got my dad out once but he knows about as much as I do so never even got a bite (maybe once but I'm not sure).

Didn't buy tags or a license this year because of costs but hope to be able to in the spring.

If anyone ever needs some company, I'm better then I was when oknow offered up a seat in is boat that I couldn't physically do at the time (laying on the couch at the time still) then I'd love some instruction.

Other then that it will be a lot like my hunting experience - take as much advice as I can and go out alone hoping for the best (although with hunting I get some excersise and get to see more scenery lol so I like scouting and hunting better at this point).





Funny story, - little girl (7-8?) that was roaming the lake fishing asked me for some tips. I told her I was pretty new and didn't have much. She looked at my pole and said, "well you have a really nice pole for a beginner!" And offered (well insisted) me some of her sparkling bait balls that she said she was having luck with. I thanked her and offered up some of my bait balls in return which she happily took and then i didn't see her or a fish the rest of my time there (couple hours).

Sweet find! I use orange powerbait surrounding 3 balls of cured roe.(the type you buy at the store)

 

[oknow]

The offer is still there if you are wanting to try fore some Kokanee or maybe a bow.

 

[Joe13]

The offer is still there if you are wanting to try fore some Kokanee or maybe a bow.

Sending convo now