Looking for some tips for fishing to land more fish? Here are 10 fishing tips you can put into action immediately.
I’ve been fishing for close to 21 years now and learned many things the hard way. That said, here are a few tips to help you along, so you don’t make the mistakes I did.
These tips are meant to be easy to put into action, and will immediately boost your fishing game.
Here are my top 10 fishing tips:
Tip 1: Only Handle Fish With Wet Hands
Tip 2: Bring Along Nail Clippers
Tip 3: Don’t Start With Boat Fishing
Tip 4: Don’t String Fish Through The Gills
Tip 6: Minimise Noise When Fishing
Tip 7: Make Your Baits and Lures Seasonal
Tip 10: Make Your Lures Scentless
Tip 1: Only Handle Fish With Wet Hands
Never touch your fish if your hands are dry. This includes when you’re removing the hook from the fish, all the way until you cook it.
All fish have a slimy mucus layer around them, which you probably already know. A less commonly known fact is that this layer protects them from disease and injury. Handling fish with dry hands may remove this layer. This means if you’re planning on releasing the fish, especially rarer fish, your dry hands may just have murdered the innocent fish by exposing it to diseases and injury.
Even if you’re not going to release it, you’ll want your fish to remain clean until you cook it. Either way, if your hands are dry, wet them before doing anything with the fish.
Tip 2: Bring Along Nail Clippers
Before you go on your fishing trip, always pack a pair of nail clippers. It’s not going to take up much space, but you’ll be glad you brought them.
Nail clippers will slice right through your fishing line with little effort. Nail clippers are also better than scissors. They’re less bulky, less likely to cut you on accident, and are harder to lose. This makes them a much better option for cutting lines than the scissors.
Tip 3: Don’t Start With Boat Fishing
Many beginners like to straightaway start with boat fishing. My advice is don’t. Master stationary fishing first.
There are a few reasons why I say this.
First off, it’s harder to get started. This is because you won’t just need to learn to fish. You’ll have to learn how to steer the boat as well.
Second, boat fishing is harder than it looks. You’ll need to split your attention between steering and fishing. If you’re not familiar with fishing because you never fished onshore, you might find having to split your focus really tough.
Lastly, you’ll need a boat for boat fishing. This is an extra cost that you really don’t need right at the start. Say you buy a boat, only to lose interest in fishing later on. What are you gonna do with that boat?
To sum it up, before you start boat fishing, make sure your interest in fishing isn’t fleeting, and make sure you can fish on land first. Still, if you’re just looking to have some fun, renting a fishing boat for a day isn’t too bad an idea. Just don’t buy a boat immediately.
Tip 4: Don’t String Fish Through The Gills
Another mistake beginners sometimes make is that they string up their catch through the gills. Instead of doing that, you should string it through the mouth.
The reason is simple. A fish strung through the gills dies faster. This means that by the time you get home, it might not be fresh anymore.
Tip 5: Use Smaller Bait
If you find that your bait keeps getting stripped, downsize your bait.
To explain this, here’s a simple anecdote. If I were to ask you to grab a coin from my hand, versus an apple, which would be easier to grab? Similarly, if your bait is too big, fish will find it easy to pull it off your hook, so keep your bait small.
Tip 6: Minimise Noise When Fishing
Whenever you’re fishing, make as little noise as possible. This means avoiding anything that makes noise. This includes whistling, playing mobile games, etc. Seriously dude, have some self-control.
Many fish have internal ears which are highly sensitive to noise. Noise will not only alert fish to your presence but also, as you may have heard some anglers say, “scare” them away.
Tip 7: Make Your Baits and Lures Seasonal
Having the right baits and lures for the season is crucial. You should have different lures for every season.
We all wear thicker clothing during winter. Just like us, fishes change their behaviour with the seasons. For example, during summer, some fishes prefer the warmth near the topwater, while others swim deeper to avoid the heat. In this case, a jig would be ideal, as it can reach any depth. Another example is that during winter, fish tend to be more sluggish and picky. This is when you’ll need more tempting bait, like finesse worms.
In essence, different seasons call for different baits, so make sure you have baits and lures for every season.
Tip 8: Use Live Bait
If you’re on a budget, use live bait. Live bait can be anything from worms, to small fish.
You’ll want to use live bait if you’re on a budget because you can catch them yourself and they cost you nothing. Live bait like crickets and worms can be found anywhere with grass, so it’s a great way to go easy on your wallet.
Tip 9: Sharpen Your Hooks
Before you go fishing, if you notice your hooks getting dull, sharpen them with your fishing hook file.
You need sharp hooks so they penetrate the fish’s mouth deeply. Dull hooks will result in little to no penetration, losing you your catch.
Tip 10: Make Your Lures Scentless
Make sure that your lures are scentless before you cast your line. One way is to use lava soap on your hands before handling the lures.
It’s no secret that most fish have a very keen sense of smell. The smell of sunscreen on your lure is probably not very appealing to fish, so make sure your lures don’t smell.
What You Should Do Now
I hope I helped you avoid a few mistakes, and maybe, just maybe, made you a better angler. If you want to take your fishing game to the next level, check out our guide to find out the best time to go fishing.
