The Ideal Freshwater Beginner Kit?

[Germanjohn]

Hello Guys,

New to this site, but I really wanna get into freshwater fishing. I've been looking into it recently, but, as you all could probably relate to at one time or another in your lives, the amount of lingo, different tips, varying information in general has my head spinning. Plain and simple, all I have to ask you guys is this.

My starting spots of choice would be the Rockaway River in Boonton, or Black River up near Randolph. What would be your recommended bait and tackle to bring? Rod, line test, hooks, spinners, etc etc?

Any suggestions would be appreciated because I am really stressing out right now.

Thanks, and here's to a lot more posts on this site!

John

[GetANet]

Welcome to the site first of all. I don't fish the streams much anymore but I know there are several guys here who are pretty sharp.
No reason to stress at all you just need some basic stuff and you'll be fine.
My advice is you don't need to buy a 1000.00 rod/reel nor should you buy a 29.95 combo either get a mid range priced rod and a decent reel with a smooth drag.
Most likely you will using 4/6 lb test and good smooth drag is priceless because sooner or later you hook into some decent fish and you will be glad you have that reel!!!!

I will leave the rest to some of the river and stream guys!!!!!

[EJS]

I would say first decide the type of fishing you want to do! Lawn chair style where you fish where you park, or do you want to hike upstream or down stream and get away from the crowds.

Since you are just getting into freshwater fishing, did you have a species in mind you want to target (trout, bass, carp, panfish) or is it simply anything that bites on a given day?

What type of fishing, artificial lure, bait fishing, fly fishing?

[Germanjohn]

I would say first decide the type of fishing you want to do! Lawn chair style where you fish where you park, or do you want to hike upstream or down stream and get away from the crowds.

Since you are just getting into freshwater fishing, did you have a species in mind you want to target (trout, bass, carp, panfish) or is it simply anything that bites on a given day?

What type of fishing, artificial lure, bait fishing, fly fishing?

I was thinking walking up and down stream, staying mobile... trout is definitely the one I wanna start out going after, and I really don't know what type of fishing would be best for trout.

I've been a big saltwater guy, going out on my friend's boat and the occasional party boat, as well as surf fishing which I just got semi-serious about this past summer, but I know diddly when it comes to freshwater fishing, outside of a couple trips I took up to a family friend's house at Lake George.

[Esox Luciano]

WORMS!! Especially for starting out and feeling out your river's underwater structure. As opposed to losing more costly lures right off the bat. I don't target trout at all but know that they, and all other freshwater fish, WILL BITE ON WORMS. I was killin it with worms before I switched to lures and caught a plethora of species by sticking to the basics. Some split shots, hooks, and a couple bobbers and you're good. Swim them, sink em, float & drift em, whatever works for that day.

Welcome to the site, and good luck!!

[briansnat]

The Rockaway and Black and similar rivers you'll find trout in stocking season (and a little afterward), maybe some small smallies and panfish. You'll likely be tossing mostly spinners, small spoons and crankbaits, along with live bait and Power Baits.

For small stream fishing I prefer a 5' 6" ultra light action rod, but I think for your first outfit I'd go for a little more versatility, so consider a light or medium-light action rod, fast taper. Since you'll be walking the shore line I'd stay away from anything longer than 6' 6". The extra few inches on a 7 footer seem to catch branches a lot more. Check out the Berkley Lightning Rod or the Bass Pro Shops Micro Lite. They are under $40 and a lot of rod for the money (The BPS Micro Lite is on sale right now).

For a reel check out the Shimano Solstace or Syncopate, or a Pfleuger President. The above will give you a pretty nice outfit for under $100.

For line you should be using 4-6 lb test. I've had bad results with fluorocarbon line on spinning reels (lots of tangles) and I don't like the feel of braid on a spinning reel, so I stick with mono on spinning reels. Your mileage may vary.

To stock your tackle box, pick up some trout sized in line spinners like Blue Fox, Panther Martin and Mepps, small spoons like Kastmaster, Phoebe and Dardelve, and some small crankbaits. You can't go wrong with some small Rapala Shad Raps (2" or smaller) in a few colors. I've had pretty good luck with the Yo-Zuri Snap Bean crank bait as well. Add a few small jigs like the Trout Magnet and some Power Baits and you're pretty much set.

I don't go much into soft plastics in streams other than perhaps a small Zoom Fluke on occasion, because the lighter rods don't have the backbone to get the solid hook set you need with most plastics.

Hope this helps.

[Adrenalinerush]

I would recommend you go to a good fresh water bait and tackle store, not Walmart or a big box store. Explain to them what you want to fish for and the price range you are looking to spend. They should be able to give you good advice and set you up right. Depending on where you live there are a lot of great stores with knowledgeable people working in them. If you’re going to fish in NJ for trout a 5'-6"- 6' ultra-light or light rod is fine. Ultra-light is better but if you want to mess around with some bass in the summer then just a light rod rated for 4-8 pound test or something similar to that. For these little trouser trout that they stock in Jersey 4 pound test is all you need. Pinch a little weight (split shot size 7 or BB) about 15"-18" above a size 8 or 10 hook and tip it with a salmon egg, worm or meal worm. The state is stocking all rainbows now because of disease and rainbows LOVE salmon eggs (if you can find Mikes pink shrimp egg they are the bomb)Cast out and let your line drift down steam, you want just enough weight to tick the bottom every once in a while, if you keep getting snagged your using too much weight. If your line stops drifting or you feel a tick that's a little different from normal pick up on your rod tip slowly, if you feel a fish set the hook, if not lower your rod tip and continue your drift. In the smaller streams look for short deep runs or any water that appears a little different, fish the current edges (seams where fast water meets slow water) as that is where trout hold and feed. I hope this helps.:D

[baetis]

You want to start off fishing local streams for stocked trout, here you go:

1. You want an Ultralight combo package. Look for something by Shimano, Pfluger or Cabelas fish eagle. You can find a good set for $50-$80. Rod length is personal choice. Some people like short 5' Ultralights, other people prefer longer rods because you can tend to cast a little further. 4lb test on the reel.

2. You will need waders or hip boots.

3. Polarized glasses.

4. Size 10 gamakatsu hooks.

5. Buy the old style Gremlin split shot assortment. You put the weight 8-12" above your hook. The weight will depend on water depth and speed. You want your bait to slowly bounce down the river with the current. If your line isn't moving - too much weight. If your line is speeding down the river - too little. You want it to tick, tick, tick the bottom.

6. Power Bait. Stocked trout love the stuff. Buy 2-3 different colors.

7. Worms. Baby nightcrawlers are pretty versatile.

8. A few spinners - Mepps or Blue Fox. 1/4 oz or 1/8 oz. One or two with silver blades, one or two with copper.

9. 2" crankbait like a yozuri or rapala.

Those are your basics.

[Adrenalinerush]

LOL three of us posted the same stuff within 6 minutes of one another

[yumasdad]

Like I tell everyone who steps on my boat, the most important thing to have in the tackle box is patience!

When you start fishing it is a lot like golf....you do well at first until you start over thinking it. HAVE FUN WITH IT EVEN ON THE BAD DAYS & YOU WILL BE HOOKED FOR LIFE!

[Germanjohn]

Thank you so much guys. Very helpful. Copied and pasted this thread into a word doc so I don't lose it for the time being :)

[jimcnj]

Don't buy a lot of crank baits if you are shoreline fishing unless you want to feed the trees and snags. Go on Youtube and learn how to Texas rig Senkos.
As soon as I did that I was catching bass in park mud puddles and lakes with consistency. A decent rod with a Pflueger President or equivalent and 4 lb test is a good start. Have fun!

[ScowardNJ]

Get yourself a 5' Ugly Stick and beat the shit out of it until you learn what suits your needs and style....Isn't that how we all started??????:D

[stevejordan]

Get yourself a 5' Ugly Stick and beat the shit out of it until you learn what suits your needs and style....Isn't that how we all started??????:D

agree x1000

[jimcnj]

Get yourself a 5' Ugly Stick and beat the shit out of it until you learn what suits your needs and style....Isn't that how we all started??????:D

This.

[yumasdad]

I started out fishing with a bucket in the local streams than progressed to robbing my brothers pole when I was about 6 years old...I caught a hell of a lot more fish with it in 1 summer than he ever caught on it.;)

[jimmythegreek]

totally agree, get a 5 foot or so ugly stick in UL or L and spend like 50 bucks or so on a decent shimano or similar reel. throw on 4-6lb test and u are ready to go, just need some worms or powerbait and small hooks and splitshots. as said you could grab a few spinners and a yozuri pins minnow or rapala floater/countdown and u are set for like a 100 bucks and the reel can be transferred over down the road to a better rod once u get a feel for what u like

[briansnat]

I'm going to have to disagree on the Ugly Stik. Why start with POS rod when you can get a halfway decent one for a few buck more? Maybe if he was 12 years old and didn't know how to take care of a rod I'd say go with the Ugly Stick.

At one time I had all Ugly Sticks other than my UL. Then my wife got me a nice rod as a gift. Within a year I had replaced all 6 Ugly Sticks once I discovered I had been fishing with something just a few steps above a cane pole all those years.

[Wilson]

One thing you will want to buy is some small (size 10 or 12) Spro barrel swivels. The cheaper ones don't work well;)
Even fishing worms or power bait and without a doubt spinners your line will get twisted. Twisted line a spinning reel = a long pain in the ass day.
Tying on swivels is a pain as well but it's worth it to avoid line twist.

You said you fish the brine a bunch so you probably already know this, but twisted 4 lb. test on a windy day with 1/8 oz. spinners is a nightmare!

This is especially true when your line is f'ed up and Andy S is bailing the fish on his #@$^%&* jigs:p

[surfrod]

About the easiest style of fishing for trout, is an ultralight with small jigs like trout magnets.

I started out fishing worms in slow small streams and they were great to get a feel, on a bigger river though, better worm fishermen are more like expert nymph fly fishermen, the way they can cast a worm upstream and work it through pockets and around rocks. Not the easiest technique to start out with.

Obviously on still or slower waters, worms attract trout and a lot of other fish and are relatively easy to work with.

Bob Soldwedel used to swear by his silver #2 Mepps for any trout in NJ, anywhere, any time, and I can't say that's a bad choice to start out with as well!