Beginner Help

[DustyOH]

Hi,

 

I am just getting into fishing as an adult. It wasn't something my family did growing up, but I want to learn and be able to fish with my kids as they grow older. I was wanting advice for a few good tackle options to start my journey with. 

 

I am in Cincinnati and most of my fishing will be on the East Fork Little Miami river (a smaller river) and local ponds and lakes.

 

My plan to start was to get a Ugly Stik GX2 Spinning Rod 7' Medium Heavy or 6'6" Medium as more of an all around rod to learn on and then once I find what techniques I enjoy the most to invest more into rods that are better suited for those techniques. Yes I know it's not the best rod, but it is something that is inexpensive to get into and I could potentially pass down to my kids when they get bigger.

 

What tackle would you recommend me to get to have a good variety of rigging options?

[Jar11591]

I would get 8lb Berkley Trilene XL to spool the reel with. Great, user friendly line for a variety of techniques. I would also get some 1/0 Gamakatsu Finesse Wide Gape hooks, and some 4/0 Gamakatsu offset EWG worm hooks. Some 1/4oz tungsten bullet weights I’d recommend as well. For baits, I would get some 4” and 5” Yum Dingers or Yamamoto Senkos in some kind of watermelon or green pumpkin color. You can wacky rig these with the finesse wide gap hooks, or Texas rig them with the offset EWG. I would also get a some 7.5” Culprit ribbon-tail worms that can be Texas rigged with the bullet weigh and EWG hook. You’ll be able to fish that cleanly through weeds. With bullet weights, finesse hooks and EWG hooks, that will give you good rigging options. 
 

 

[DustyOH]

Thank you so much for the recommendations. Can't wait to get out fishing.

 

My other option that I keep going back and forth with for the rod/reel is splurging a little more and starting out focusing on the finesse fishing with a Dobyns 702SF with a Pflueger President reel and then if I eventually want to do heavier fishing buying a better M/H Rod and Casting Reel. That would probably give me a better experience to start, but not sure if I want to commit fully to starting with finesse fishing ?

 

Are there some hard lures that would work well with the GX2 and line combo, or would sticking with more finesse be an easier start?

[PhishLI]

2 hours ago, DustyOH said:

Are there some hard lures that would work well with the GX2

If you haven't picked up either GX2 yet, bump it up $14 and get a Daiwa Aird X spinning rod instead for $54. Less expensive on sale. It simply feels $100 better to fish with.

[SproDD79]

21 minutes ago, PhishLI said:

If you haven't picked up either GX2 yet, bump it up $14 and get a Daiwa Aird X spinning rod instead for $54. Less expensive on sale. It simply feels $100 better to fish with.

Excellent advice, I concur.

[Anthony Watson]

3 hours ago, PhishLI said:

If you haven't picked up either GX2 yet, bump it up $14 and get a Daiwa Aird X spinning rod instead for $54. Less expensive on sale. It simply feels $100 better to fish with.

Agree 110%. The aird x is a phenomenal rod for the money

[papajoe222]

Spool up with neon braid and a mono leader. That will give you the benefit of detecting bites when using soft plastics as well as acting like a shock absorber when fishing faster moving baits

Focus on one technique to start,I suggest a wacky worn or a drop shot, until you feel comfortable moving to another. 
Lastly, remember there is no magic lure that can guarantee catching fish every time, so don’t get caught up buying everything someone tells you is the best thing. 

[bloom]

I agree with papajoe, work on one or two techniques at a time,   Last year I did pretty good with paddle tail swimbaits on a jighead,  a wacky rigged senko is a fish catcher. You don't need a bunch of colors either maybe a light and a darker.

I use hi visibility braid tied to a mono or fluorocarbon leader. The knot from braid to leader can be a tricky one to learn. I would suggest learning the double uni knot as you can use a version of the same knot to tie your lure. Otherwise there is nothing wrong with good old trilene xt.

Most importantly relax and have fun--Good luck!!

[MickD]

Pflueger President is a good choice, as is the Daiwa Fuego.  

[Catt]

Familiarize yourself with Zoom products!

[WRB]

Starting off to learn bass fishing today can be confusing and easy to over load information both good and bad.

Glenn has user friendly and honest advice videos, good place to start.

Catching bass isn’t about finding the panacea lure or tackle, it’s learning how to find bass where you fish, lots of ways to catch them.

Invest in decent rod and reel within your budget, lots to choose from.

Tom

[ironbjorn]

Get the Aird-X

 

Also get some KVD 1.5 squarebills. Excellent river bait for me.

[MN Fisher]

1 hour ago, ironbjorn said:

Get the Aird-X

Agree - I may have Victorys and Mojos in my lineup...but I still have two Aird-Xs in there as well...darn good rods for the price.

[Jmontgomery87]

The Aird-X is a great rod. I would start with a medium fast spinning and then look for a medium heavy baitcaster down the road. I would go with some dingers or senkos, gamakatsu 2/0 or 3/0 EWG hooks, weights, jig heads, trick worms, paddle tails, grubs, a small spinnerbait, and a popper or small spook.

[WRB]

Tackle Warehouse is a good online fishing tackle site we all use.

Lures that catch bass consistently for over 60 years everywhere are;

1. Soft plastic worms

2. Top water lures

3. floating diving minnow shape lures.

Soft plastic worms come hundreds of shape, sizes and colors. Hard to choose 1 stand out for beginner anglers.

My choice when teaching new anglers is a 4” to 6” finesse worm, green pumpkin color, split shot rigged using spinning tackle. Close 2nd is a weightless wacky hooked 5” Senko.

Minnow lure is the original F13 Rapala Silver w/black back.

Top water with spinning tackle is the Baby Or Tiny Heddon Torpedo, baby bass color.

The 3 basic lures give top, middle and bottom lures anywhere you bass fish.

Hooks for soft plastics is another confusing subject, my advice stay with premium sharp worm hooks size 2/0 or for finesse worms and size 1 weedless wacky hook for Senko’s.

Line 8# premium monofilament like Sunline Super Natural is good.

Tom

[Mbirdsley]

Bandit, bomber, Norman, and strike king are all affordable cranks that produce fish.  I would swap the hooks out to what ever premium hooks. 
 

strike king, smithwick, and rapala make affordable jerk baits.  Same deal though swap out the hooks.