06-04-2010, 04:29 AM
Welcome to BigfishTackle,
congradulations on taking up one of our greatest past times.
I empithise with you on the staff thingy, I get that a lot in my town too in just about every store I go in to. It is hard to keep skilled labor at the lower end of the pay scale.
that being said, I will toss you a bone fish.
you dont need to spend big bucks.
and for a beginner I will make a few suggestions that will get you on the right track.
If you saw a [font "Comic Sans MS"][#000000][size 4]closed faced zebco 404 or 808 combo[/size][/#000000][/font] that is a good place to start. They are on the cheeper end of the scale, but they are not junk. they are actualy better than some of the open faced reels you are going to see in the same price range. The 404 and 808 will handle every fish you mentioned and then some. Zebco makes a 202 wich is smaller, I have landed 15 pound carp with it on a regular baises. This is realy the best beginner peice of equipment to get for the money.
When you get them, the first thing you need to do is strip all the line off of it or them. and replace or have it replaced at the store with [font "Comic Sans MS"][#000000][size 4]Silver Thread N40 8 pound test[/size][/#000000][/font]. Those reels are rated for bigger test line, but for what you are targeting you dont need any heaver line. The line that comes on the reel is junk and that is why it needs to be replaced right away.... This will be the same with any combo you buy, they always put the cheepest line on the reel they can get thier hands on.
Next thing you will need are [font "Comic Sans MS"][#000000][size 4]Swivel Snaps[/size][/#000000][/font] size between small and medium. We use swivel snaps because it is a great way to place leader lines on with out having to wory about line twist and knotting of the line you will get with out using one. You can even put most of your crank baits "lures" directly on the snap.
You wil want a lighter peice of line so when you pick up the new line, pick up the smallest spool you can find of [font "Comic Sans MS"][#000000][size 4]4 and 6 pound test. the same brand N40[/size][/#000000][/font] will do fine. This leader line is what you will tie your hook to, it will be a lenth of any where from 6 inches to 5 foot depending on what you are fishing for.
Shopping List
[ol][li]Zebco rod and reel combo 404 or 808[/li][li]Swivel Snaps medium small[/li][li]Bobbers.[/li][li]a good sized package of different size of split shot sinkers.[/li][li]Hooks, "the smaller the number size on the hook the bigger the hook is"[/li]
[ul][li]for gills and perch you will want size 8 [/li][li]for crappie you wil want size 6 or 4[/li][li]Bass, any size will do, but most people I know like to use large hooks 0/0, the trick is with bass you want a hook to fit the bait your using.[/li][li]for cats, at least a 4 or bigger,. you can use trebble hooks for them, "I do"[/li][/ul][li]a stringer[/li][li]a cheep net[/li][li]a fillet knife with a good case[/li][li]a box to put it all in.[/li][/ol]Extras,
ya dont realy need but are fun to fish with that do produce fish.
[ol][li]Mr. Twiser [/li][li]Mepps spinners[/li][li]Repallas[/li][li]Jitter bugs[/li][li]Soft plastics "rubber worms"[/li][li]Soft Plastics "Curly Tails'[/li][/ol]I do fish with live bait also, so the first shopping list is what you need for fishing with live bait. but in addition to that list you may want to add these things depending on the live bait you like to use.
[ul][li]worms, primarily for hot days a worm box is nice to keep your worms live and fresh. "gills perch bass crappie cat"[/li][li]minows, a clean pail, any clean plastic pail with a lid will work or you can buy a minnow bucket. "gills perch bass crappie cat"[/li][li]crickets, a large coffie can metal or plastic with holes in the lid. "gills"[/li][li]Leaches, nothing "bass, walleye"[/li][li]There are others but these are the main ones but you will get the best out of these. but if you do get in to it that far we will be happy to help you when you get that far along.[/li][/ul]
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congradulations on taking up one of our greatest past times.
I empithise with you on the staff thingy, I get that a lot in my town too in just about every store I go in to. It is hard to keep skilled labor at the lower end of the pay scale.
that being said, I will toss you a bone fish.
you dont need to spend big bucks.
and for a beginner I will make a few suggestions that will get you on the right track.
If you saw a [font "Comic Sans MS"][#000000][size 4]closed faced zebco 404 or 808 combo[/size][/#000000][/font] that is a good place to start. They are on the cheeper end of the scale, but they are not junk. they are actualy better than some of the open faced reels you are going to see in the same price range. The 404 and 808 will handle every fish you mentioned and then some. Zebco makes a 202 wich is smaller, I have landed 15 pound carp with it on a regular baises. This is realy the best beginner peice of equipment to get for the money.
When you get them, the first thing you need to do is strip all the line off of it or them. and replace or have it replaced at the store with [font "Comic Sans MS"][#000000][size 4]Silver Thread N40 8 pound test[/size][/#000000][/font]. Those reels are rated for bigger test line, but for what you are targeting you dont need any heaver line. The line that comes on the reel is junk and that is why it needs to be replaced right away.... This will be the same with any combo you buy, they always put the cheepest line on the reel they can get thier hands on.
Next thing you will need are [font "Comic Sans MS"][#000000][size 4]Swivel Snaps[/size][/#000000][/font] size between small and medium. We use swivel snaps because it is a great way to place leader lines on with out having to wory about line twist and knotting of the line you will get with out using one. You can even put most of your crank baits "lures" directly on the snap.
You wil want a lighter peice of line so when you pick up the new line, pick up the smallest spool you can find of [font "Comic Sans MS"][#000000][size 4]4 and 6 pound test. the same brand N40[/size][/#000000][/font] will do fine. This leader line is what you will tie your hook to, it will be a lenth of any where from 6 inches to 5 foot depending on what you are fishing for.
Shopping List
[ol][li]Zebco rod and reel combo 404 or 808[/li][li]Swivel Snaps medium small[/li][li]Bobbers.[/li][li]a good sized package of different size of split shot sinkers.[/li][li]Hooks, "the smaller the number size on the hook the bigger the hook is"[/li]
[ul][li]for gills and perch you will want size 8 [/li][li]for crappie you wil want size 6 or 4[/li][li]Bass, any size will do, but most people I know like to use large hooks 0/0, the trick is with bass you want a hook to fit the bait your using.[/li][li]for cats, at least a 4 or bigger,. you can use trebble hooks for them, "I do"[/li][/ul][li]a stringer[/li][li]a cheep net[/li][li]a fillet knife with a good case[/li][li]a box to put it all in.[/li][/ol]Extras,
ya dont realy need but are fun to fish with that do produce fish.
[ol][li]Mr. Twiser [/li][li]Mepps spinners[/li][li]Repallas[/li][li]Jitter bugs[/li][li]Soft plastics "rubber worms"[/li][li]Soft Plastics "Curly Tails'[/li][/ol]I do fish with live bait also, so the first shopping list is what you need for fishing with live bait. but in addition to that list you may want to add these things depending on the live bait you like to use.
[ul][li]worms, primarily for hot days a worm box is nice to keep your worms live and fresh. "gills perch bass crappie cat"[/li][li]minows, a clean pail, any clean plastic pail with a lid will work or you can buy a minnow bucket. "gills perch bass crappie cat"[/li][li]crickets, a large coffie can metal or plastic with holes in the lid. "gills"[/li][li]Leaches, nothing "bass, walleye"[/li][li]There are others but these are the main ones but you will get the best out of these. but if you do get in to it that far we will be happy to help you when you get that far along.[/li][/ul]
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