Fishing can be great fun for you and for your friends and family. However, it can easily be frustrating and very boring for the kids. With a little planning and practice, it's easy to have a productive and fun day of fishing for river trout and possibly some quality time with others.
Know the rules. Fishing is regulated by your state or province. You have to buy a fishing license. Most sporting goods stores sell them. Your state's wildlife management department also publishes a booklet on regulations,limits and restrictions. It is important to know and follow these--not only because it's the law, but also because a lot of time and energy is put into keeping fish populations and ecosystems as productive and balanced as possible.
Get your equipment. If you shop around, you can find rod and reel combinations starting at about twenty dollars. You will also need hooks, line and weights. Although there are cheap pieces of equipment, the more you pay, the longer the equipment will last and the better it is likely to be.
- The rod/reel will may come pre-spooled with line. Check that line to make sure it can withstand its rated strength, if not, you will have to buy 4 to 8 lb. test fishing line and spool the line onto the reel. Many sporting goods stores have top quality line in bulk, and can spool it for you at a very reasonable cost. You will also need #6 to #10 hooks, the "split shot" weights that are simply pinched onto the line, and a net. Reusable split shot is usually only a few cents more, and well worth it. You might wish to buy steel shot as some believe that lead weights can harm the fish and the environment.
Buy the right tackle. Light tackle is preferred for river trout. The fishing pole will have the weight range of the line printed on it. You need to buy a rod that is rated between 2 to 8lbs. Buying the rod/reel combo is usually the best and cheapest way to accomplish this. Some experienced anglers suggest that you stay away from the enclosed type fishing reel that has a button on it that you press to release line during the casting of the bait. This type of reel is prone to internal tangles, and will frustrate a new angler to the point of turning him or her away from the sport. On the other hand, closed faced reels are very easy to use. It depends also on the style of fishing that you will be doing. Closed faced reels are great for bait fishing, but are ill-suited for using spinners or other lures. On the other hand, open faced spinning reels work well for both styles.