Impromptu fishing without the gear

[Alina G]

I have never done fishing before. I would like to try some on my next backpacking trip but without buying all the gear. Especially that I do not know if I am going to like the fishing experience and preparing the fish later on. Sounds like fun but who knows once you have to do the actual work (LOL). Therefore what is the minimum required to catch a fish? I know I need the string (you see I have no idea about fishing since I am not familiar with the terminology), a hook and some sort of lure? Is worm the best lure or should I buy some artificial one(s)? If it is better to buy it then what type? I guess it is easier if I buy one so I do not have to look for one in the ground.
Any other tips?
Thank you.

[Justin Baker]

Go into big 5 and pick up a $20 collapsable rod and reel combo. You can fish with super cheap gear an still be very effective. Often the cheaper rods are the lightest.

Artificial lures are better than live bait for backpacking. If you are fishing trout then you want some small flashy lures. The basic technique for lake fishing is to cast out and reel in. The fish will see your lure and chase after it. Look for logs or rocks in the water where fish will hide.

Other msc gear you will need are weights, swivels, pliers, a good knife. Mostly you dont need a lot of gear.

Cleaning a fish is easy. Cut open the fishes belly and pull out all of the guts. Cut off the head and tail and throw it on the frying pan.

[Brian Johns]

can be done and there are many cheap hand spools (like a kite string keeper/spool) that you can use. But, most importantly, where will you be fishing? Different bait for different fish, of course, thought live bait, like worms, can catch almost anything. If you're doing that, you'll need line and weights. Depending on how deep and whether or not you'll be fishing on the bottom or top of the water (or somewhere in between) you'll need a float or bobber, thought this can also be improvised. Use styrofoam piece for a float and use hard wear – old bolts and washers work great – for weights. In some places, like the high sierras when the fish are really hungry and active, you might just need a line and hook. You could probably use a piece of bread for bait.

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