Step by step of Fishing Process for beginner.

How to fish in Freshwater

Learning how to fish is overwhelming. The act of dropping a line is easy, but being a successful angler is hard. That’s why they call it fishing and not catching. The 3 biggest challenges in fishing for beginners are finding fish, tying on the right fishing tackle, and using the best technique to catch fish on that tackle. This guide breaks down all 3 challenges and gives you step by step directions for your first fishing trip. Our team of fishing guides gives you exact recommendation on what to use and how to use it so you start catching fish right away without breaking the bank.

Setting Goals

In the beginning, your goal is to start catching fish in the easiest way possible. There is a lot that goes into learning the basics. Nailing the basics of fishing is best done by catching a smaller species like Sunfish near the bank. If you are ready to step your game up with larger species, check out our beginner guides on Bass Fishing and Perch Fishing.

Know the Target

Before you actually get on the way of fishing, you need to know your target fish’s habits, hidden place, fishing reel and baits. It will be much easier to help you fish the fish when you prepare all these tips. You may find out more details on Species and Skills.

Find a Place to Fish

By using our places page to find closet fishing spots around you. In Places page you can not only find spots, but also can see what kind fish you might catch. Our Place page will show you exact address, depth of the water and best baits we suggest. Please give us feedback if you catch any fish on the spots we provide.

Pick the Right Fishing Rod & Reel

In total there are two types of Fishing Gear, Spinning and Casting (except Fly Fishing). We recommend Spinning Gear for beginning and Casting Gear for Export. Spinning reel is much more easy to start and use for beginning to avoid fried line. (very common to happen on casting reel)

Spinning Rod & Reel pairing can be used to target the majority of freshwater fish, will do just fine for catch some Panfish, Bass and Pike off the dock.

Rod  :6’6” length, Medium Power, Fast Action, Line weight:6-12 Lbs.

Reel  : Size 35, 4-7 Ball Bearings, Line Capacity:6Lb/230 Yds, 8Lbs/185 Yds, 10Lb/150 Yds.

You may easily find 2 pieces Rod & Reel combo at any fishing store close to you, it should be around $30-$50 before tax. With easy floating combos or basic lure you are looking to spend $60-$80 for your first set of fishing gear. Entry combo is easy to be replaced when your skill improved, but do not through them away, you can make it becomes floating set. Sometimes floating fishing will let you enjoy the chill and peace with nature.

Spool your Reel with Fishing Line

To spool your reel, run the line through your rod guides, through line spool and tie a UNI Knot to hold line while the bail is open.

Place the spool of line in the water or lock on Reel Winding Machine, apply tension with your thumb and index finger while you reel the line on.

Basic Fishing Tackle: Hooks, Floaters and Bobbers

You need hooks, floaters and some snap bobbers. Not too fancy, just the right connection of bait holder hooks, different size floaters and small snap bobbers. For the first few trips this basic rig will land you some Panfish maybe small size Bass:

Hooks can be replace to 1/16 or 1/32 oz Jig head for faster sinking speed and stability.

This simple setup should be baited with piece of worm. Tie your hook by simple UNI knots. Pinch your floater about 1ft – 3ft away from the hook and snap the bobber in between.

Building your Tackle Box

You can easily find this kind basic tackle box on Amazon or any fishing store nearby you, but all the components are separate, you need to connect them by yourself.

How to Fish with Bait

We highly recommend with Nightcrawler, or smaller worm type, for landing fish on your first few trips. There will come in counts of 12 or 24, available at your local tackle shop for around $4-$6. You can also dig them up from the garden with moist areas under rock or leaves. If you are not comfortable to using worms since beginning, here are some replacement: you can baiting the hook with 3-4 kernels of corn, a thin slice of sausage, or a small piece of bread. However, there are not as effective as worms.

Baiting with Hook

 For the worm option, using the hook or small size jighead to pinch off a small 1-2 inch of the worm. Pierce one end of the worm and pierce one more times from the other end, secure it to the hook’s barb, but covering the point of the hook.

Getting bait out for Beginners.

If you have access to any dock on the first trip, do not worry about casting the bait out. Panfish swim closely to the dock and scavenge for anything edible that falls nearby. Simply open the bail and let your rig fall to the water right next to the dock. Try to fish in 3-5 feet of water, you should be to see the activity of Panfish underneath and may not need to use the floater. It will be very easy to determine either the fish bait or not if they are visible next to the dock.

Casting your Bait Out(Chatgpt)

If you do not have access to a dock or deeper water on the first few trips, you will need to learn how to cast. Hold the rod in your throwing hand, with the reel’s shaft in  between your middle and ring finger. Open the bail with your opposite hand while pinching the line betwen your index finger and the rod handle with the hand gripping the rod. Slowly, direct your rod to the side of your body at a 45 degree. Gradually bring the rod back to center with your body, releasing the finger that’s pinching your line once the momentum of your rod is in front of you.

Getting Bait in front of the Fish

Now the bait is swimming in the water, and all your hard work should start to pay off. If you are using the basic floater rig, you should see your floater halfway submerged, with the top half above the water and the bottom half underwater. Make sure your baited hook is at least 1 ft away from the floater. If your floater is submerged without a bite, you have added too much weight with your sinker or the Floater is too small.

Fish bait near Cover

 Try to position your bait near the dock, fallen timber, weedline or a swimming platform. Fish hold to cover which provides shade and an ambush point. If cover is not available, just do your best to set the rig 1-2ft off the bottom.

How to Tell if You Have a Bite.

You will notice that you are getting a bite when your floater moves up and down, or drives to one side or the other. Let the fish take the bite. Give the bite a 5-10 seconds count if your floater is not completely submerged. Small Panfish do not have to strength to completely submerge your floater. Their mouths are very small, and they suck in and push out food with their gills. You likely have a fish hooked if the floater moves erratically for over 5 seconds. If you do not give it enough time to swallow, you will run the risk of pulling the bait out of the fishes mouth while it exhales. The feeling for when to set the hook will develop over time.

Reeling in the Fish

After you have confirmed the right time of fish bite, you need to set your hook. Start by slowly reeling in your line until it is taut. Gently lift your rod tip a few inches to connect with the fish and dset the hook into its mouth, This is not the Bass Master Classic, do not over do it. You are reeling in a healthy and vibrant Sunfish and you want to keep them healthy and vibrant. Gradually reel  the fish in, guiding your rod with the movement of the fish and monitoring your line’s tension. When the fish starts to surface, lift them by your rod above the dock or ground. Be careful not to reel in too much slack or your floater will get stuck on the top of your rod’s guide. Your line will break and you will lose your catch before properly releasing it.

Keep your Catch Off the Ground.

Once your fish is out of the water, try not to contact it with the dock or ground. Keep it propped in the air as you gently place the palm of your hand underneath its belly and wrap your fingers around its body. Panfish spines are sharp, and can poke easily. Be careful to wrap your hands around the belly and hold it in a cradling form with the spine pointed upwards.

Having pliers is a convenient tool for removing the hook and you should have one. If you do not have a pair of pliers, the best method to remove a hook from a fish is to retate the hook so the barb gets close to the surface, then puch down on the hook until the barb pops back through where the hook entered. The hook should now be in the fish’s mouth, so gently rotate the hook once more so it clears the entrance of the mouth.

Taste the Fish

Regardless of their size, Panfish like Sunfish, Bluegills, Crappie and Perch taste excellent when deep fried. This is our recommendation but they are also great on the grill or in a pan. However, I do not suggest filet the fish into very small slices on your first few trips, it is a very tedious job and i also recommend you release the small fish.

Releasing a Fish

Release your fish by submerging it in the similar palm hold discussed above, letting it paddle off on its own. If the fish is not kicking, slowly guide its tail back and forth while in the palm of your hand until it starts to kick on its own. If your catch does not make it through the resuscitation process, and has accidentally passed away, please take your fish with you, either consuming it or disposing it through your neighbourhood waste management process.

Purchase your Fishing License Before you Fish

In Canada, every single province require anglers to purchase a fishing License. There are some exceptions for children in a certain age range also non-license week. This is a cost that you can not avoid. The fines and penalties for fishing without a license are typically harsh and can result in the confiscation of all your recently purchased gear. Also from an insider’s viewpoint, this is not one of those things the experienced participants skimp on.

You can purchase the Fishing License on website and wait for the mail.

All seasoned anglers but their fishing licenses annually and are very diligent with the process. The proceeds go to stocking public bodies of water and managing the ecosystems we share. Buying your license is one of those things that everyone does and is expected of doing so. You will not be in the know if you avoid this as you are technically a poacher when fishing without a license. Google your Province’s Fishing license requirements and purchase what is necessary adhead of time, most Province will enable you to buy yours online and mail the license to you in next few days.

My Favorite Fishing For Beginners Tip

The greatest fishing tip I can give is to fish with friends. Whether that’s with your family or a friend from work, you will learn how to fish quicker and catch more fish. Regardless your friend’s experience, you will either improve your skills through teaching, or you will learn a thing or two as they show you up. I was skeptical of this maxim when I heard it over a beer in an ice fishing shack on Lake Simcoe. The old timer who shared it convinced me otherwise,. stating “it’s simple math, at the very least you have 2x the chance of catching something now that your buddy has a line in the water.” I recommend this glass half full approach to fishing.