My first set of fishing gear, advice

[WebSnyper]

Been fishing a long time also in NWI. I would sugest going with a medium weight rod 6'6 or a 6'9 and a decent spinning reel. If you don't care about catfish or northern a 6"9 medium light would be even better. More balance and lighter weight. Some reels come with several spools. You can line up heavier for catfish or bass and then switch out and go lighter for panfish. That outfit would get you where you want to go. If you dig fishing you will develop a style and possibly a species and branch out to more specific setups.

Brands to look at would be Fenwick, Abu, Lews, Berkley. Walmart actually has some decent stuff. On line retailers like Tackle warehouse are good. I stay away from the Bass Pro. Ive also gotten a lot of top notch tackle and gear from garage sales.

Fish with as many people as you can you will learn something from each person.

Lews is great stuff, and has a wide range of pricing. All the baitcasters I currently use are Lews of various levels.

I was going to head to cabelas tomorrow. I'll plan to walk out with ideas and go from there. It looks like I am within the budget I was hoping for. I will be getting my fishing license at the very least.

You can purchase a fishing license online at https://www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/5330.htm

I have heard great things about ugly sticks. Bought one for my oldest a few years ago. Used it once and she decided she liked cheerleading more...

I've had some Ugly Sticks in the past. At the time they were heavier for their action/size than other rods, as I believed they used glass blanks. They also had a lot of give (flex) to them for the same reason. I prefer less weight, so something with a carbon or graphite composite blank, etc. I do a lot of moving and casting and carry 3 sometimes 4 rods when I'm fishing to weight is a consideration for me.

Personally as far as reels go, I prefer baitcasters but I have been fishing them for over 40 years. There is a learning curve, but nothing you can't learn. I brought my son into fishing at a very early age with closed face, spin cast reels, then moved him to spinning reels, but he ramped into bait casters as well without issue at all, and he predominantly fishes those now as well.

With fishing as in most things, intended usage (species of fish, type of baits, etc, your fishing style, etc) all play into gear selection.

 

[Usmccookie]

Sweet, free license for disabled veterans. I didn't know that. I'm getting pretty excited about this. More so than before.

 

[DCR]

......Also, catching a shark sounds awesome! I hope to try it someday.

It is, but not as awesome as catching a tarpon or sailfish. Not having caught a marlin, I would imagine that's even cooler. Actually now that I think about it, your first bluegill will be pretty awesome too.

 

[Usmccookie]

It is, but not as awesome as catching a tarpon or sailfish. Not having caught a marlin, I would imagine that's even cooler. Actually now that I think about it, your first bluegill will be pretty awesome too.

I caught a blue gill once. It was awesome! But that was decades ago. I can't wait for#2

 

[Grump01]

Back in the'80s I was fishing for Blue Gill in a lake with a lot of Carp. Boy, hook into a 10-12" Carp and you'll have a ball fighting it.

 

[DCR]

Pound for pound, the best fighting fish I've encountered is a Jack Crevalle. I was fishing the beach a few years back, catching jack after jack, schools of them going by. I was using a 3" Mirrolure with double treble hooks. All of a sudden, there was a lot of thrashing on my line and I thought Oboy I've hooked something bigger than a 10" jack. I hauled it in to find I had a jack on each of the treble hooks.

 

[masterdekoy]

Are the fishing guys any better than the gun guys at bass pro and cabelas? It's seems like 9/10 I have to bite my tongue at some of the things I get told about a certain gun or ammo. I know I can't cast the shadow of ignorance over every big box store employee but I'm afraid to go in and be the chump that believes everything, right or wrong. I feel like the info I'm getting is relatively consistent

Some are, some aren’t. Just like anyone else you run into.

My 2 cents, get a medium action spinning rod, the cabelas brand and bass pro brands are decent beginner rods you won’t immediately grow out of. Depending on what you are targeting, start in the 6-7 ft range. I wouldn’t go any longer unless you have a boat, shore fishing in Indiana involves a lot of battling with trees in my experience.

If you want a good spinning reel that won’t break the bank look at the pfluger president. Cabelas used to combo this reel with one of their rods for a pretty good deal.

 

[Mgderf]

I've been fishing in Indiana for more than 50 years.
I've never fished in a competition, just for fun.

I started out with a closed face Zebco, and never left it.
I always had more issues with an open-faced reel than the closed, but to each his own.

I have picked up a Shakespear or two, and an Abu Garcia, but always seem to return to the simplicity of the Zebco.
That, and I always felt if something happened, say a fish managed to drag the pole into the water (it happens more than you might think) then I'm not losing much with the Zebco.

 

[AMMO USER]

Ive always used the Zebco 33 reels for Blue Gills to Catfish, Bass, and Crappie.

 

[Usmccookie]

The zebco 33 keeps coming up! I'm going to have to take a serious look at these.

 

[DCR]

........If you want a good spinning reel that won’t break the bank look at the pfluger president. Cabelas used to combo this reel with one of their rods for a pretty good deal.

This would be a good choice IMO. $130. Get the 30x or the 35x for the greater line capacity.

 

[KJQ6945]

The zebco 33 keeps coming up! I'm going to have to take a serious look at these.

Fishing is a lot like shooting.
The Zebco 33 is like the cheap .22. It's where most people start out. It will allow you to catch a little bit of everything. When you decide what kind of fishing you really like, you'll get the equipment that matches the task. But, be warned, fishing can be way more expensive than shooting. It's all a matter of what you like.

 

[Usmccookie]

Fishing is a lot like shooting.
The Zebco 33 is like the cheap .22. It's where most people start out. It will allow you to catch a little bit of everything. When you decide what kind of fishing you really like, you'll get the equipment that matches the task. But, be warned, fishing can be way more expensive than shooting. It's all a matter of what you like.

I'm pretty set on it only being a hobby. I quite frankly don't have much spare time for anything besides work and the family. So finding time to fish will be hard. It has been something I have wanted to do since I was a kid. So, now I'm making an effort to try it. That being said, I doubt I will get to fish more than a couple times a year. ....

But I've heard that before...

 

[KJQ6945]

I'm pretty set on it only being a hobby. I quite frankly don't have much spare time for anything besides work and the family. So finding time to fish will be hard. It has been something I have wanted to do since I was a kid. So, now I'm making an effort to try it. That being said, I doubt I will get to fish more than a couple times a year. ....

But I've heard that before...

That's how it starts, one day it's a Zebco 33, and a lawn chair. Then you decide you need a little Jon boat, and a better rod and reel. Next thing you know, you've got a 21' Ranger bass boat, filled with several thousand in tackle.

 

[Usmccookie]

That's how it starts, one day it's a Zebco 33, and a lawn chair. Then you decide you need a little Jon boat, and a better rod and reel. Next thing you know, you've got a 21' Ranger bass boat, filled with several thousand in tackle.

Does a divorce come standard or is it separate with the bass boat?! I just checked those prices..

 

[KJQ6945]

Does a divorce come standard or is it separate with the bass boat?! I just checked those prices..

Divorce is never standard. You pay extra for them for good reason.

 

[Usmccookie]

Divorce is never standard. You pay extra for them for good reason.

Been there, done that. And I agree. Now i have one i actual want to keep around for a long while. For the money I se the boats going fir, I'l be happy with a Jon boat and a new truck to pull it. Lol

 

[KMaC]

I assume you will be fishing from the bank using bait (not lures). It helps to have a reel that will give you some distance without getting a backlash. Nothing takes the fun out of the day more than spending a half hour untangling a backlash and beginners manage to get major backlash with both closed face spinning reels and baitcast reels.

I find open face spinning reels to be the most effective to cast, especially longer distance, without fear of backlash. They're literally fool proof. Best used with a medium weight rod with some flex in the tip. Don't buy the fishing equivalent of a Desert Eagle, you won't need it, you won't enjoy using it.
After you become proficient at casting you can upgrade to a baitcast reel that will give you the extra distance to get to where the fish are.

 

[DCR]

yeah, got the $23,000 kayak. two grand for the kayak, $21,000 for the pickup to put it in. Put 16000 miles on it, almost all of it with a kayak in the back, headed down I-75

 

[Usmccookie]

I assume you will be fishing from the bank using bait (not lures). It helps to have a reel that will give you some distance without getting a backlash. Nothing takes the fun out of the day more than spending a half hour untangling a backlash and beginners manage to get major backlash with both closed face spinning reels and baitcast reels.

I find open face spinning reels to be the most effective to cast, especially longer distance, without fear of backlash. They're literally fool proof. Best used with a medium weight rod with some flex in the tip. Don't buy the fishing equivalent of a Desert Eagle, you won't need it, you won't enjoy using it.
After you become proficient at casting you can upgrade to a baitcast reel that will give you the extra distance to get to where the fish are.

I might be headed to cabelas in an hour. I gave some googling to do. Backlash... brb