Fishing in still water or flowing water can be very different.

For flowing waters you need to make sure your chosen float has enough buoyancy. Let the tool float without lead fishing weights. Try to make a few drifts on the existing current. By blocking the float with the top of the rod you can try to lay it still. It is easy to see when the float is be too light for the current, because it would stand diagonally and it would tend to get out of the water. In this case you need to find a heavier float.

For still water you can drag the fish line by moving the top of the rod in a flowing motion. The lure will move over the food and between the hunting fish. This moving has to be done very slowly so that the fish doesn’t get suspicious. How slow? You are doing well when the float is moving so that you can hardly see its movement yourself.

The different conditions the water and habitat create call for different measures to catch its swimming fauna.

Take a look at this short summery and tips to learn more about the different methods.

Fishing in flowing water – rivers

Fishing in flowing water requires floats with a big floating body. Therefore round floats are recommended. Don’t be afraid to try some extra heavy floats. Try a floating capability of 7 grams. In flowing water you can make a so-called “drift”. The line is being placed opposite of the current direction and let it flow with the current freely; this is the easiest way of drifting. This regular drift is not very efficient in most fishing spots because this means the fish will get the lure by lying in the water with its head against the current. Often the water layer between the surface and the bottom influences the offering of the lure negatively. You need to offer the lure in the front of the current. The line needs to remain straight and not be curved by the current. To achieve this, you can place a second lead fishing weight half way through the line.

When the fishing is not going well, inverse drifting can get your fish to come to you. Let the pen and the lead fishing weights go in before the lure. This is done on purpose. To achieve this technique with its slower offering of lure, give the float some 50 cm over depth. To keep the lure at the bottom and to slow down the drift, use an anchor lead fishing weight. Place it between 15 or 20 cm away from the hook. To prevent the float from being pulled under you have to use one fishing weight less than normally. So if you need 5 weights to normally get the perfect float, use 4.

Dividing of the lead weights in flowing water:

Lead weights are necessary to bring the lure underwater to the desired depth and keep it there in spite of the current. The more current, the more lead weights (and also a bigger float) you will need to use to keep the lure in its required place. More current also means you need to place the lead weights closer to the hook. You should try to concentrate the lead weights at one place as much as possible.

Fishing in still water – pond and lakes

By moving the line that hangs in the water with short pulls, you can give an extra dimension to the lure. Give it life! This is called to “tease”. It is not strange to fish that live lure moves in the water. By this so-called teasing the fish is incited to bite. Especially in still waters, the technique of teasing will give you success.

Teasing goes well with a thin model pen, here we need to realize that the place of the top hole is important for the behavior of the pen when we pull the line with the top of the rod. If you, instead of through the top hole, connect the pen with a ring that you cut out of a piece of silicone tube, by the placement of the ring, you can influence the behavior of the pen. E.g. move the ring half way down the pen. If you pull the line with the top of the rod, you will see the pen coming out of the water. The lure will frisk over the bottom now.

Dividing of the lead weights in still water:

A very small lead weight 20 cm of the hook is what you need to let you know there is fish biting. The rest of the lead weights should be placed at a big distance from the hook, so that a biting fish doesn’t feel the resistance of the bigger lead weights when he swims away with the lure.

courtesy of cherrypatter

Successful fishing starts with the preparation at home. Clean your fishing material every time you come home after fishing. Take the right equipment for every circumstance; different fishing locations have different water conditions (depth, bottom, lure etc.). Also the weather conditions can differ (wind, rain). When you are prepared for conditions like these, you are a step ahead on your competitors.

Regularly make new lines and see to the maintenance of your rod and other material. This means a longer life span and also less costs for practicing your beloved hobby.

Nowadays there are fish barrels on the market that you can build up completely and expand to your own wishes. The amount of possibilities is endless, a tip for everyone that likes to fish.

Use a rod support to prevent damage to your rod when you stand it on the ground.

When buying a scoop net you need to pay attention to the diameter and the depth of the scoop net. A large diameter and enough depth are handier to land fish.

A fish cart is handy, especially to transport fish and equipment for long distances.

Sometimes you need to fish at a place (e.g. the shore of a lake) where the sub soil is not even. At places like this an adjustable fish plateau can come in very handy.

To store and transport your rods, top sets, umbrella, scoop net etc. You can best use a carry on bag; this will damage your material the least.

An accessory that should definitely be in your assortment is a fishing umbrella, often needed to protect you against rain, sun and wind. When you buy one, pay attention to the sturdiness and the diameter (the bigger the diameter the more protection). It is also very handy if you can turn the umbrella to the direction of the wind.

The thinner the line and the smaller the hook, the more fish will bite.

After a lot of research I came to the following conclusion: hooks from Sensas, Katana en Hayabusa NEVER, but really NEVER break (but don’t use the long steel). They are the best!

To attach a hook to a line is not simple for everyone, there are little hook machines on the market.

What one fisherman considers a good float may not be adequate for another man. Once you found a float that fit your demands, buy a stock of this brand, that way you can always fish with your favorite float.

It is very important that you will be see your float well, otherwise you will not see the fish biting and you won’t catch fish. If the background is light colored, the best is to use a float with a black antenna. If the background is black, the best color of antenna to use is yellow, orange or white. Have a set of different colors on you. Taking a black marker with you is an easy way to give your colored antenna a black tint whenever you need to.

Use the lightest possible float so that the fish feels less resistance.

What to look for when buying a new fishing rod? The most important is that the rod is tight.

To protect your rod as much as possible against dirt and fine sand you can use an adjustable protection cap. This also functions as a protective cap against other damage.

Buying the right rod and knowing which line and size suits you the best, might sound complicated, but if you use basic common sense and logic, it doesn’t have to be so hard. If you know how to match the basic tools you can cast faster and more accurately and make your fishing time more enjoyable.

We all know the dreadful ‘woof’ sound that you hear when the line on the reel has hit a bird’s nest or when your line gets tangled (backlash), e.g. This happening can have several reasons, also for an experienced angler. But you can reduce the chance of this happening by better matching the rod, lure, line and reel.

There are two types of monofilament line: There is a flexible line that stretches, and has less memory. The other one is more resistant, has less stretch and has some memory and has the tendency to hold a coil when on the reel for a while, increasing the chance of a backlash.

There is also braided line, which has a smaller diameter and limper.

In addition there are also other options like a co-polymer and fluorocarbons that are resistant, soft without memory and cannot be seen in the water.

Reels are little works of art nowadays. Most of them have braking systems, magnetic or centrifugal, to slow the spool and prevent backlash from happening. You can also control how fast the line comes off the spool by using the spool tension adjustment. A reel with two, three or more ball bearings is a good reel to start with.

So, what about rods? There are 100% graphite rods, which are in the top range. There are some crank bait rods made of fiberglass or made of a combination of fiberglass and graphite. Fiberglass is good for fishing diving crank baits, as it is very flexible and more forgiving.

You will find bait-casting rods in a few variations. The most important is to look at quality and sensitivity. Most rods have a straight handle, called a trigger stick handle. There are also still some pistol grip rods on the market. The length of your rod is something personal, they used to say that you shouldn’t use a rod that is longer that your height. But nowadays it is understood that the longer the rod, the further you can cast and you need less strength to get there.

The graphite rods are light and are balanced at the reel seat. They come in different weights, ranging from light to heavy. There are markings with suggestions for lure and line sizes. 

You need to choose a lure to match the rod, line and reel. Let’s take a 1/4 ounce spinner bait for example.

For this combination we start with a 6-1/2-foot rod. A good choice is a medium light or medium and you need a rod that has a lure range of 1/8- to 3/8-ounce. There are markings on the rod, which line to use, usually it is 8- to 14- or 10- to17-pound for medium light to medium action rods.

You will need a three or more ball bearing reel with a brake system. You should look at the line size that is suggested on them and make sure it corresponds to the markings on the rod.

Choose a 15-pound line. Spool it on and adjust the reel for the lure. When you adjust the spool tension on the side of the reel, the lure at the top of the rod should allow it to fall. You should aim for a low to medium fall, not an instant fall. Try it a couple of times until you create the slow smooth fall from the top of the rod to the bottom. Then choose a midrange braking system. On the magnetic system, dial to about 5 or 6 on the scale and on the centrifugal brake pull out half the weights. Cast your rod a couple of times and adjust the braking system to the point that when the lure hits the water the line stops feeding off the spool.

When you have the right combination, the rod should do all the hard work for you. Now you should be able to cast your rod without using too much energy.

Use your forearm and your wrist to cast, but don’t move your shoulder. Try casting with something under your arm, so that your elbow stays to the side of your body. That’s how it should be done, but it needs practice!

Learn a little about the fish that is mostly angles in Europe.

Catfish

Catfish are medium to large size; some specimens can reach 3.5 meter. A well-known type is the European catfish (Silurus glanis). Most of the catfish have a hard and hollow thorn at their fins that can sting when touched. Some types also secrete a toxic protein that can be dangerous for people. Catfish that can give electric shocks do not have these thorns, also called spurs.

The Pikeperch (Walleye)

The pikeperch (Stizostedion lucioperca or Sander lucioperca) can grow up to 120 cm. It is a fish of open water and lives mainly in deep water. Both parents monitor the eggs. The pikeperch comes originally from East - and Central Europe. Since the end of the 19th century it has been set out for angling. Because the pikeperch is less dependent on clear water than the pike, the pikeperch has repressed the pike in a lot of places.

They hunt for large prey operating in schools, particularly for elongated fish. The pikeperch hunts mainly in the evening, because with its turbid, cat-like eyes it has an advantage at that time. It uses its eyes well, but uses also its sideline organ to coordinate hunting efforts even if it sees nothing (every fish can do this by the way). It senses the ultrasound bouncing off prey that is caused by movements of water.

The minimum size for catching a pikeperch is 42 cm; so if you got a smaller one, let it go please. The pikeperch is edible. Much of the pikeperch is thus taken along after capture to be eaten instead of being thrown back. In some waters the level of pikeperch is decreasing. The pikeperch is set out for “improvement” of halieutics. It appears that it adapts well to new surroundings.

Sockeye and European Salmon

The European salmon or Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) is a fish, which lives as an adult mainly in the northern sea. It swims up river to breed and can be fished at this season. The salmon has the red color of flesh as a characteristic.

The Sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) (also called red salmon) is from the family of real salmons (Salmonidae) and belongs therefore to the order of Salmoniformes. The fish can reach a length of maximum 84 cm long and can weigh up to 7710 grams. The highest registered age is 7 years. You can find the Sockeye salmon in both sweet and salt water. This type has also been observed in brackish water. The fish prefers a polar climate and lives mainly in the large oceans.

Trout

There are a lot of types of fish that are called trout. Some of the most known are:

Sea trout (Salmo trutta trutta)

Lake trout (Salmo trutta lacustris)

Brook trout (Salmo trutta fario)

Golden trout (Salmo aqua-bonita)

Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

Brook knight (Salvelinus alpinus)

Spring trout (Salvelinus fontinalus)

All fish that are usually called trout belong to the Salmoninae sub family. Trout is usually found in cold, clear flows and lakes, and by way of nature has been spread over North America, North Asia and Europe.

Fish lovers have introduced several types in the 19th century in Australia and New Zealand. This repressed a number of domestic fish.

Trout and particularly rainbow trout is bread in Europe nowadays. They are sold on markets after their first year, but the sheer part of the grown trout are sold to trout fishing ponds. Trout are set out there to be caught later by anglers.

Bream

The bream (Abramis brama) is a fish with a maximum length of 90 cm. The bream is found in all kinds of water types. The bream belongs to the family of the Cyprinidae.
It is frequently confused with the white bream. After 10 years the bream reaches approximately 70% of its potential maximum length.

Baits: maggots, worms, bread, casters, sweet corn etc. with brown crumb and a range of continental ground baits and flavorings.

Carp

The carp (Cyprinid carpio) is a bony fish that can grow up to 100 cm long and lives mostly in east Central Asia. The differences between the different kinds are particularly stipulated by the scale pattern; the scale - and wild carp are normally covered in small scales, the mirror carp has large scales, the ranging carps a file scales horizontally concerning the flank and the leather carp has only a few scales.

The potsherd carp has a somewhat high and squat posture and in general it doesn’t grow to be very large. This type or carp is rather rare. The grass carp, also called the “Chinese carp” has a torpedo shaped body. He has a different mouth compared to other carps. The grass carp feeds itself, like its names suggests, partially with grass. The head carp, like the name says, has a large head. This carp is rare. The silver carp, like its name reveals, has a silvery coat.

The largest carp that has ever been caught weighed 37.65 kilos and was caught by Nick Massey on the Paquier of the Graviers in France. A fish of more than 35 kilos is rare.

Baits: maggots, sweet corn, bread, pastes, worms and a range of flavored boilies with an extensive range of ground baits and additives.

Pike

The pike (Esox lucius) is a large sweet water fish from the family pikes (Esocidae). The fish lives in sweet water but can also be found in brackish water. This fish can be found nearly in the whole of Europe, North America and in parts of Asia.

The pike is a fish, which hunts mainly by using visibility. In an environment where water is too turbid, it will probably nor survive, despite the wide offer of food. The sideline of the pike is also an important sensor; the line is a strip on the flanks that has sensual warrants. The pike can closely observe ultrasound waves and water movement, caused by swimming prey.

The pike has a characteristic construction. It has a very elongated, torpedo-like body with rather small fins and a characteristic nozzle mouth. The color of the pike is varies, from green brown to grey brown to gold colored dots, spots or lines on the flanks. The abdomen is yolk white. The females can reach a length of 1.50 meters, whereas the males do not become larger than a meter.

Pike is a good edible fish, even though it is full of bones. It is recommended to dilute the animal for a number of days in a bathtub to get rid of the taste of soil.

The pike is a popular sport fish. More and more fishermen try to catch a pike that exceeds the “magical border” of one meter. Pikes like to hang out at reed borders or overhanging trees, preferably in waters with lots of underwater vegetation. This accessibility makes them popular.

Bait: A range of plugs, spoons, spinners, jerk baits, pike flies and a range of small dead baits including herring, mackerel, smelt, sprat and other sea dead baits.

Perch

The perch can become up to 50 cm long and 2.5 kilograms heavy. They are known to live for 6 years. Relatives of this type are, among others, the Pikeperch and the Pos. The perch lives scattered in almost all of Europe and North Asia, in lakes, marsh country, rivers and brackish water.

The fish spawn from March to June in very shallow water; they sometimes lay 200,000 eggs in long ribbons. The young predatory fish frequently swim in schools along the river bank or on the river bed as searches for prey, which it catches with its extendable upper jaw, The older perch parent is often seen solitary in deeper water.

Baits: maggots, worms, casters, a selection of small spinners, spoons and plugs and occasionally small dead fish for bigger specimens.