I bought a fishing rod today. I’ve never been fishing, but my daughter really wants to try it. The lady in the shop said to tie a swivel onto the line, then an extra 2’ of line then sinker and a hook. If we catch something edible, then hit it behind the gills with a knife to kill it. They sell prawns for bait. That is the sum total of my fishing knowledge.
Anyone here like fishing? Any good stories, or advice for beginners? We are thinking of going fishing tomorrow afternoon, at the park by the river. She said we could catch leatherjackets there.
Did you get a fishing license? The $50 fish I caught was a result of fishing without a license.
I’ve never used craw-daddies (they are just too cute) instead I use worms or a different set-up to use stink bait.
You might want: a net to bring the fish out of the water, a line/bucket or fish basket to keep your catches in (you don’t need to catch and kill right away) and a pair of pliers or hook retriever for when the darn things swallow the hook. A couple of chairs to sit on, bug spray, a wash cloth or baby wipes for your hands, and cooler filled with water/beverages and snacks.
Fresh water then? Find out what fish you’re likely to catch and tailor your tackle to that. Australian bass and Murray cod (not a cod) are popular, and then you probably have the intentional pest from the PNW, trout.
I can’t wait until my kids are coordinated and patient enough to try fishing. So far it’s been stubbornness and impatience from the one old enough to take instruction.
My sole fishing experience was when I was 11 years old, a on visit to my grandparents in Eagle Bend MN. My grandad took us out to 2 or 3 nearby lakes and we caught tons of bluegills and crappie. I even pulled in a pike. It was fun enough at the time but I’ve never felt the urge to go fishing again.
That said, I do like to eat fish, I love them as beautiful and sometimes very strange animals, and one of my all-time favorite outdoor shows is River Monsters.
I love to fish. Standing thigh deep in a clear stream with my fly rod is a great day. I don’t eat the fish. I cut the barbs off of all my flies so the fish are in better shape for catch and release
Ask around and find someone who likes to fish to go with you. I expect virtually everyone here who fishes first learned by accompanying someone who knows how–parent, relative, friend, neighbor…
blondebear, I think River Monsters is 90% responsible for my daughter wanting to go fishing in the first place.
I got a licence from the fish shop, and downloaded an app for bag and size limits. I am not sure if it will be fresh or salt, as it is near the mouth of the river, and I think the tide goes a long way up. So maybe it depends on the time of day.
Yes, I like fishing, I have fished a lot, and I have a lot of good stories. I don’t have the time to get into it right now, but I will when I can. There are some really ridiculous ones.
I go fishing once or twice a week - it’s my favorite thing to do(after reading maybe), and the reason I moved to my current neighborhood. The thing to keep in mind is that you’re doing this for your daughter, so don’t get hung up on trying for much-sought-after gamefish. Kids get bored pretty quick, so let her fish for the most common (but edible if you want to take some home) fish around. I’m an avid kayak fisherman and love to wadefish and chunk lures for flounder, trout, and redfish, but that’s not for someone who’s not really into it. When with kids or anyone who’s only fishing on a lark, we always go to the beach where they will always catch something, desirable or not. Everything eats dead shrimp.
You’re in Australia, so I can’t help with any specifics, but if you are near the mouth of a river it will definitely be saltwater regardless of when the tide is in or out. I do know that the Parramatta river is tidal as far inland as the town of Parramatta(from an online discussion long ago), and unless there have been recent flooding rains it will be salt for almost all of that distance.
Also, set yourself up for some early success for you and your daughter. If there is a small pond with sunfish, it can be a blast to pick them off and learn how to fish.
Yeah, bluegill, sunfish (the little freshwater ones, not Mola mola!), crappie, or whatever equivalents are in Australia are a “cheating” way to get kids into it. Also potentially catfish and small trout.
I heard a story once on NPR about a forest ranger who would don diving gear and step out of the water to bust illicit fishermen, either unlicensed or over the limit, I don’t remember which.
You need a pair of needlenose pliers, or forceps if you’re targeting very small fish. You need them to grab the hook and remove it from the fish. The deeper the fish is hooked, the more necessary this becomes. If you cannot reach the hook, it is best to cut the line as close to the hook as you can and hope for the best.
Do not go fishing without pliers.
A piece of fresh shrimp on a hook will catch just about anything that swims. Have fun!
Wait a minute, that’s not exactly true. Some friends and I were camping along Rock Creek in the eastern Sierras and I caught a trout with my bare hands (mostly to show up my hipster friend who was unsuccessfully trying to impress everyone with his mad fly-fishing skills). I later found out that bare-handed fishing without a license was illegal…oh, well.
So apparently you need to know what kind of fish you want to catch before you start. Then get the right bait, hooks, line etc.
We went down the estuary, and fish were jumping everywhere. We tried casting towards them, but they didn’t take our bait. We were told later that they were mullet, and you need bread and a tiny hook to catch them. My daughter caught a stick and seemed to feel that that was at least something.
Around here, bream seem popular, but everyone has a different theory in how to catch them.
I think your best bet is if you know someone who fishes that can take you out and help you get set up. If not that, then maybe some YouTube videos. I think what we call bream is different than what Europeans and Australians call bream.
