Different Types Of Fishing Gear You Should Know

By Author: Lourens Badenhorst
Total Articles: 1
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No matter what kind of fisherman you are, you will need different types of fishing equipment to get the job done. The common types are the fishing rod and reel. These items are the most important item in the arsenal. The rod is the long extended part of the fishing equipment, while the reel is what holds the fishing line. It allows to cast out to catch the fish. They can vary in size, material, length, and cost.

Different types of bait can be used along with hooks and lures. Eco fish food attract the fish to your bait. They can be handmade or pre-made. Some other types of fishing equipment include different accessories such as a tackle box that helps organize hooks, lures, and other items. For distinguished or experienced fishermen, more advanced forms of fishing equipment are available.

People who own a boat often use a fishing tracker to help them locate areas where fish are plentiful. The electronic device can be helpful when trying to find areas of an ocean or a lake where the fish dwell. When attached to a boat, the locator will sound ...
... an alarm or indicate when fish have been found on a small screen. A bucket and a cooler are necessities while fishing. The bucket should be large to hold water to keep your catch fresh and house several fish. Once you're heading home, fish can be placed in a cooler on ice so they won't spoil.

A sharp, good knife is also important for cutting the line once a fish has been caught or if your line gets tangled. Rubber shoes and pants like hip waders can be good for people who plan to get a bit wet. Fishing hats are good for holding lures and protecting the face from sunburn. The fishing equipment can be found at sporting goods stores or local bait and tackle shops. The hunting supply stores also have fishing equipment. You can dig up your live bait or buy it at stores where it is often sold live. A few examples of bait include worms, minnows, squid, and even raw chicken.

Different fishing gear types have different impacts on habitat, bycatch, and rate of overfishing.

Different fish species live in different areas (e.g. surface, mid-water, bottom-dwelling) and behave differently. However, the gear used to catch fish needs to be specially designed/suited for each target species.

The Challenge
Different gear types can vary depending on their design, use, and what they are catching. The gear variance is why the same species may have different sustainability rankings or eco-certifications.

The Solution
Fisheries should use gear that minimizes unwanted impacts on the marine ecosystem and target species. Gear types with bycatch issues can be modified to minimize impacts by adding "escape zones" or excluder devices in nets to allow unwanted animals to escape. Another modification could be using traps with sunken (instead of floating) lines to reduce marine mammal entanglements. In addition, some gear types are inherently more selective and have a lower impact, such as hook-and-line or diving for nearshore species.