This fishing rod size guide aims to steer you toward picking out the perfect rod length to deliver peak performance for the job. The right rod is the foundation for any angler’s tackle box. In this guide, we will look at how the length of the rod is influenced by the species you’re after, the angler themself, the type of fishing, and what type of rod is used. Choosing the right fishing rod length is the first step toward finding the perfect rod.

Fishing rod length greatly impacts the distance and accuracy of your cast. The right size depends on the type of fishing, fish species, and level of experience. Shorter rods under six or seven feet work for accurate casts and more control. Longer rods cast farther, with less accuracy.

Fishing Rod Sizes Explained

With such a wide range of lengths, you need to understand why there are so many different lengths of fishing rods. Choosing the best fishing pole is hard, but the length is a great launching point. The length can drastically affect the performance and success of a rod, meaning that it’s near the top of the list of things to pay attention to.

Small rods, those that are around four feet, are typically used for children or ice fishing. The shorter length allows kids to handle them more easily and makes them more manageable in a small heating hut on the ice. A short rod can be a great pick when there isn’t much action necessary.

On the other hand, a longer rod works well for a long cast, so long as you’re willing to sacrifice accuracy. Surf rods made for casting into the ocean from the beach can be insanely long, closer to fourteen feet. This allows the line to make its way into deeper water and provides the leverage necessary to haul in fish as big as a halibut.

Rods that sit right in the middle tend to work well as a “do-it-all” rod that can do almost everything, albeit not perfectly. This is why most people recommend a six-foot rod for beginners and amateur anglers. It encompasses all aspects without overwhelming novices. These mid-range rods are great for fishing freshwater lakes and rivers when more control and accuracy are needed over a long cast and strong leverage.

Fishing Rod Size Chart

So while that gives a brief look into fishing rod lengths, what is each size fishing rod good for? The length will always change depending on your fishing technique, the type of fishing you’re used to, experience level, fish species, and so much more. This chart is a great place to start.

Pros and Cons of a Short Rod

Grabbing a larger rod and trying to bring in a monster is an all-too-common goal of more novice anglers that don’t know what they’re doing. The fallacy is that long rods are the best for when you want to catch a huge fish. While it’s true sometimes, that doesn’t mean any angler can do so.

Fishing rod sizes are almost as much about the person using them as they are about what they’re being used for. Someone super tall and strong could try casting an 8-foot pole and run into trouble immediately, while a shorter person who has been fishing their whole life will know exactly how to cast and utilize an 8-footer to its full potential.

That said, shorter fishing rods have their benefits over long rods in many situations.

For starters, short fishing rods are by far the best choice for kids who are just learning how to fish and anyone that’s going ice fishing. The ultra-short rods (around 4 feet) allow the user to fish with control, learn how to cast, and fish from a small confined space like an ice shack.

Even six-foot rods are considered short when put up against their longer counterparts. These rods, which land more in the middle of the length spectrum, are perfect for any beginner, anyone fishing freshwater lakes and rivers, or anyone using rod techniques like pitching, flipping, or jigging. The shorter rod provides more control over the line, meaning you can move the bait around more intentionally.

The biggest drawback of shorter rods is that you can’t cast very far and you get way less leverage to bring up larger fish. So if you’re looking to bring big fish up from far out or deep down, a shorter rod isn’t going to cut it.

Pros and Cons of a Longer Rod

Where the short rods fall short, a longer rod excels. The longer rods are mostly considered to be anything that is seven feet or longer. In this range, you begin to sacrifice accuracy for pure power. To cast farther out, the longer rods help provide the range of motion necessary to throw a line past 50 yards.

Then, when you snag something larger, the physics of fishing starts to come into play. The rod’s length allows you to have more leverage, making it easier to pull in a heavier fish that is putting up a tough fight.

While you can get a line out an incredible distance with a longer rod, very little accuracy comes with that cast. You also lose a lot of control as the rod length increases. The distance you move your wrist will move the tip of the rod even more when there’s more distance between the two.

When you want a delicate touch, a long rod won’t give it. When you want power, nothing does it like a fourteen-foot surf caster.

Fishing Rod Length for a Beginner

Buying your first fishing rod can be incredibly overwhelming with all the different options, but getting into fishing can be a movement towards recreation, conservation, and more. A fishing rod size guide is a good place to start, but even then it can be tough because, even as a beginner, the choices vary.

The general consensus is that a seven-foot rod is an excellent choice for beginners. With that size, you can begin to understand how the rod moves and how to control it, gaining experience before moving on to something else.

I started with a 7-foot rod that belonged to my dad, and in retrospect, it was likely far too big for me as a young kid. But for older kids and above, it’s a great length to start with.

Nowadays, I am grateful for that experience, as I can control longer rods with a bit more finesse than I would have if I had started on a shorter rod.

Something like the St. Croix Victory Spinning Rod can be great for those looking to start fishing. It is an excellent balance of all the different features that makes it easy to learn.

Both lengths of the Falcon BuCoo SR make for a good rod to learn on. The 6’6” and the 7’ options can provide more range to help learn more accurately on a shorter rod or focus on practicing longer casts.

Best Fishing Rod Length for a Child

Kid rods are great because they’re tiny and made for simple use, but they aren’t always exactly what you need. If your child is getting to the age where they can figure out a spinning rod or a bait caster, it might be worth buying a five-foot rod just for more practice to be ready to move up to a longer rod.

I started fishing with my dad when I was around 8 years old. He used a seven-foot rod and would cast it for me and I would sit on the shore and watch for the bobber to dip below the water. If I was lucky enough to snag a fish, he would help me reel it in.

This scenario is the best of both worlds: a little bit longer rod, cast by someone with longer arms, gets the line out farther. But the kid still gets to feel like they’re a part of the adventure. And they have a better chance of actually catching something with the longer rod.

The shorter kid rods are best for children who won’t understand a rod and reel quite yet but still show interest in fishing. They’re unlikely to catch much, but it’ll excite them to go out!

Fishing Rod Length by Fish Species

You may need a different-sized rod depending on what fish species you’re after. This can vary due to the different techniques used for catching certain fish, and the correct length rod does wonders to help you maneuver the bait through the water just the right way.

In different environments where all these species live, you must choose rod length based on what’s around you and where the fish live.

What Length Fishing Rod for Bass

Length is at the top of the list when looking for the perfect bass fishing rod.

Rod length for bass has changed over time, significantly so with the development of the flipping technique. When this was added to the angler’s toolbox, two additional feet of rod length were added to everyone’s rods. The extra length helped move the bait around with a small flick of the wrist, dramatically affecting the other end of things.

With this new addition of technique, bass rods are typically around 6.5 to 8 feet long, depending on how you plan to fish. This is perfect for casting far enough out while still having great control over the rod.

Short bass rods (6’-6’6”): Drop shot rigs, skipping docks, and topwater baits are all the best when paired with a shorter bass rod.

Medium bass rods (6’7”-7’3”): Medium bass rods perform well for worms, jigs, buzz baits, and frogs or all other standard uses.

Long bass rods (7’4”-8’): The longest bass rods are used for jigging, flipping, and pitching, some of the most common techniques when fishing tubes.

What Length Fishing Rod for Trout

Fishing for trout can take you to some beautiful places, which will often determine the length of the rod needed. In the clear and open alpine areas, trout fishing can be done well with a longer rod that allows for a farther cast, so you can try out a 7-8 foot rod.

In the lower regions surrounded by scrub and brush, you want a shorter rod that won’t get caught up in the trees around you. This makes a shorter rod more acceptable for trout fishing. It is easier to maneuver in a tight space.

Fishing Rod Length by Rod Type

Different rod types will also call for a certain length, which can be unsurprising as you will use these other rods for various fish species. It’s still essential to understand what kind of fishing you will be doing primarily because the rod length will change dramatically between an ice fishing rod and a fly rod.

Spinning Rod Length

You want something that can set the hook well and cast a decent distance when using a spinning rod. You’ll usually want a rod no shorter than 6’6”, but a 7’ rod is often recommended. These provide a good balance of casting distance and control over the rod itself.

Spinning rods will range from 4’5” to 9’5”, but it’s more common to see people stick to a 6’ to 7’5” rod.

Baitcasting Rod Length

Baitcasting falls into a similar length category as spinning rods. When you want more accuracy, grab a rod under 6’, but when you want to go for distance, try something closer to 7 or 8’.

You can find a good bait caster rod that’s 5’5”, but you can also find them up to 9’ in length. It all depends on how and where you’re hoping to use it!

Fly Rod Length

Fly rods are typically a bit longer than others just because of the action used in casting. A good fly rod will be between 7’ and 9’, but you can find some down to 6’ or up to 10’. I have had several moments where I tangled a fly rod in some willows by a stream where I should have used a shorter rod.

The lengths will most likely be determined by where you’re fishing. Fly fishing with a dense canopy surrounding you will call for a shorter rod, but wide open spaces let you have a long rod that will make a long cast.

For fly fishing in saltwater, a nine-foot rod gives the best range of versatility and can be easily used during bone fishing.

Like fly fishing rods, Tenkara fishing rods must be significantly longer. These range between 9-14’ but are most commonly closer to 11’.

Surf Fishing Rod Length

Surf fishing rods are all much longer. You must cast from the beach, set the hook far enough to find the fish, and avoid the rocky bottom. The longer the rod, the better the cast when fishing from the shore.

Most surf fishing rods are around 12’, but a 10’ rod can also suffice when learning, or when you know the beach well enough and don’t need to cast as far. Each inch on the rod will change your distance and make a huge difference when well-practiced.

I’ve seen anglers on the coast of Alaska using 14’ rods to surf cast for halibut, bringing in the same monstrous fish you can get in deeper waters.

Boat Rod Length for Inshore vs. Offshore

A boat rod will change when you’re inshore or offshore fishing, but a middle-ground rod of 6’ to 6’6″ will work well. These are manageable without getting snagged in the boat’s ropes and equipment.

An inshore rod around 7’ can work well to get a longer cast and set your hook near mangroves or other areas where fish would be spooked if the boat came too close. Offshore fishing is more about getting depth than distance, so the rod doesn’t need to be nearly as long.

Trolling Rod Length

When trolling, you want a longer rod to help provide leverage, get the line far from the boat, and make bringing in a huge fish easy. Many trolling rods can get up to 14’ in length, but it’s most common to see some between 9 and 11’.

Ice Fishing Rod Length

Most ice fishing doesn’t involve an active cast, meaning you can use an incredibly short rod to help pull fish out of the water, and it won’t ever be in the way.

Some ice fishing rods are under two feet long, but most of them are closer to three feet, making them easier to manage. Remember that you aren’t worried about casting with these, so the longer ice fishing rods should be used when you expect to catch larger fish.

What Size Fishing Rod Should I Get?

Even at the end of a fishing rod size guide, so much information is laid out that making a final decision can be tough.

If you want something that can “do it all,” a 7-foot spinning rod is your best bet for almost anything outside the ocean. This changes when you’re hoping to get into fly fishing or trolling.

Most experienced anglers likely remember growing up with a 6-7 foot rod given by their parents or grandparents. Some probably have memories of learning with a far too-short or too-long rod, which likely hindered their learning process.

In reality, knowing the type of fishing you’re hoping to do is what can make a quick decision easy for you. Use this size guide to choose your fishing rod length, and then play around with the size you land on. You’ll get a good feel for how that rod handles before trying other lengths and gaining more experience.

The post Fishing Rod Size Guide: How To Choose Fishing Rod Length appeared first on Outdoor Empire.

Living in Minnesota provides me ample opportunities to chase these freshwater dinosaurs. The Mississippi and St. Croix Rivers offer both lake and shovelnose sturgeon.

Fishing for sturgeon is a combination of knowing their local waters and seasons as well as their main food source. Obtaining fresh and smelly bait is crucial for attracting these active predators, whether you find it or catch it yourself. Lastly, using bottom rigs can help keep your bait in the feeding zone and increase your chances of catching a sturgeon.

Follow me into this article, where we’ll do a deep dive into fishing for sturgeon. Read on to find out how to find, rig, hook, and land the elusive and incredible sturgeon.

How Do You Fish for Sturgeon?

Sturgeon fishing is a set-up, bait-your-hook, cast, and wait kind of activity.

While sturgeon are sometimes caught on flies or lures, this is very rare and not a practical method of fishing for these species.

How to Fish for Sturgeon from the Bank

If you’re fishing from the bank, grab a chair and a heavy-duty rod holder. While sturgeon strikes won’t suddenly yank a rod into the water, their sheer size makes losing a rod possible.

If you have your bait, you’ve rigged a slip sinker rig, and found an excellent sturgeon area, cast your rig across or slightly downstream in a river. Reel in the line so there’s no slack and set the rod in the rod holder.

Slackline while bait fishing results in missed strikes or swallowed hooks. Taught line tension ensures that we see every strike, bite, or nibble on the rod tip.

When fishing in lakes, simply cast as far out as possible and set up as before.

FUN FACT: Minnesota anglers on the St. Croix River will ice fish for sturgeon. They sleep overnight on the ice with rattle reels that go off when a freshwater dinosaur takes the bait.

How to Fish for Sturgeon from a Boat

When boat fishing for sturgeon, one technique prevails wherever you fish.

Using the same rigs, baits, and setups we’ve discussed before, use a topo map to find holes in the river and motor just upstream of the head of the hole. Ideally, you want to anchor the boat and cast your baits downstream, so they sit just around the lip of the hole.

This technique is very effective.

Some days the sturgeon will hug the middle of the pool or bowl. On other days they will sit just outside of it. If you don’t get a bite after awhile, re-cast until you find the sweet spot. Sometimes the difference can be mere feet.

A note about sturgeon fishing with bait: Since sturgeon “taste” the water with their barbels, allowing the baits to sit for long periods helps spread the scent in the area and allows the sturgeon to find it. There may be sturgeon that follow the scent trail from downstream.

How can you tell if a sturgeon is biting?

A sturgeon bite can resemble tapping, a steady pull, a deep throb, or a steady pumping cadence on the rod tip. Every sturgeon and every bite window is different. A sturgeon strike will also change depending on the current, the size of the sturgeon, and how heavy of tackle you are using.

A guide friend of mine always says, “If you’re not sure, remember, hooksets are free.” If you think you might be getting a strike, set the hook and reel in. Even if you swing and miss, you can always re-cast.

It’s also important to know that sturgeon baits are food items that many species like. If you constantly get small strikes but the fish don’t take the bait, chances are smaller species are just nibbling your bait.

How do you set the hook on a sturgeon?

Hooksets with J-Hooks

When using traditional J-hooks, set the hook on a sturgeon the same way you would any other species.

If you see the bite, gently grab the rod and hold it steady. At the next strike, you will jerk the rod sharply away from the fish in a quick snapping motion. If you move gently and sweep the rod, the fish might feel the hook and spit it out. A sharp motion is the best way to ensure a steady connection.

Hooksets with Circle Hooks

When using circle hooks, the hook set is very different. You don’t “set” the hook at all. Circle hooks are designed to sit in the corner of a fish’s mouth through line tension.

If you try setting a circle hook like a j-hook, you risk pulling the pin out of the fish’s mouth.

Instead, when you feel a strike, reel the line in with a steady retrieve, and the rod will load with the weight of the fish. As you fight the fish, the line tension will seat the hook deeper and deeper.

Circle hooks are preferable to J-hooks when fishing for sturgeon for three reasons:

1. Sturgeon mouths are angled down and are rounded compared to other fish. Circle hooks tend to sit in their mouths better.
2. Circle hooks reduce the chances of a sturgeon swallowing the bait.
3. Circle hooks are easier to remove, especially when fished without a barb. Since barbless hooks rely on line tension to keep the hook in the fish’s mouth, barbless circle hooks are the perfect combination of low injury, low risk, and high hooking percentage.

Do sturgeon fight hard?

Sturgeon can grow to over 1000 pounds. For folks using light tackle, fighting a trophy-sized sturgeon can take upwards of 45 minutes to an hour.

Even for seasoned sturgeon anglers with heavy tackle, the fight can last a half hour, with the tug-o-war battle leaving your arms shaking from adrenaline and fatigue.

That said, even smaller sturgeon around 18 inches or more fight hard and stick to fast currents. Sturgeon are known to jump out of the water, bulldog to the bottom, and zig-zag as they try to get off the hook. You never know what you might get!

As with all large fish, make sure your drag is set correctly and learn how to fight large fish before striking out for a trophy sturgeon.

A good rule of thumb for fighting big fish is, “When they want to run, let ‘em run. When they heel, go ahead and reel.” This mantra has saved me more than a few times when my excitement got the best of me and I was almost too aggressive fighting a big fish.

Sturgeon Fishing Seasons and Rules

Sturgeon fishing seasons are strictly enforced and vary depending on certain stretches of the same river, seasonal changes, and differences in state agencies. It’s essential to check and re-check local sturgeon regulations before fishing for sturgeon, especially if you plan to keep one.

Just like hunting, sturgeon seasons are sometimes managed by tags.

These regulations ensure sturgeon populations are managed effectively, and the species are maintained for future generations to enjoy.

If catch-and-release angling, keeping the sturgeon in the water is best to protect its slime coat. Avoid setting it on the ground, gravel, sand, or concrete. A fish’s slime coat acts as its immune system. The fish is susceptible to disease if that surface covering is wiped away.

Terminology and Common Rules

The rules for first-time sturgeon anglers can feel complicated. Here are 6 words and phrases every beginner sturgeon angler should know.

1. Catch and release: Catch and release angling refers to catching fish, handling them as minimally as possible, and releasing them back into the water.
2. Keep/Catch and Cook: Catch and cook or keep anglers most often keep a fish or multiple fish for food, to have it mounted, or to have it weighed as part of angling record collections.
3. Low-impact angling: Low-impact angling aims to leave as little behind as possible. This includes trash, injured fish, and signs of angler activity like forked stick rod holders.
4. Barbless hooks: Barbless hooks are specialty hooks made without a barb. Barbless hooks significantly reduce injury to the fish and make hook removal much faster.
   Note: Some people say that barbless hooks lose too many fish. The key to reeling in fish with a barbless hook is to maintain tension on the line. If you allow slack in the line, the hook may pull free. Maintaining tension always ensures a straight line between you, the fish, and the fish’s mouth.
5. Non-remove from water: Non-remove from water rules require an angler to keep the fish in the water for the entire time they interact with it. From landing, hook removing, picture taking, and releasing, sturgeon anglers fishing on waters with non-remove rules should never lift a sturgeon out of the water.
   Depending on the season, some sturgeon anglers will wade into the water to gently cradle the sturgeon before releasing it. This is the law in Idaho and other states, so be sure and check the regs where you’re fishing.
6. Handling sturgeon: Safe handling of sturgeon includes using non-abrasive rubber nets when landing them, always using a soft material or wet hands to hold them, and using proper hook removal technique to reduce injuries around their mouths.

Rig Requirements

The sliding sinker set-up for Idaho sturgeon fishing is one example of a rig requirement in place to reduce accidental injury to sturgeon populations.

The Idaho Fish and Game manual says that:

Research has found that baited hooks, fishing line, and swivels, broken off by anglers, may be ingested by sturgeon, and in rare instances cause death. Because of this, IDFG adopted rules designed to reduce the amount of tackle lost by anglers with the overarching goal of reducing unintentional sturgeon deaths.

As you can see, sturgeon fishing rules and regulations will change depending on where and when you are fishing. Always research beforehand and talk to your local fisheries management organizations if you have questions.

These actions will ensure viable sturgeon populations–and opportunities to fish for them–for years to come.

Where to Find Sturgeon

Sturgeon habitat is a mix of gravelly, rocky bottoms and those areas adjacent to muddy flats. This combination of resources offers the most food for hunting sturgeon.

On the gravelly, rocky bottoms, sturgeon can find crayfish, small minnows, aquatic insects like hellgrammites and dobsonfly larvae, and decaying materials that get caught between the cracks.

On the muddy flats, sturgeon roam looking for clams and other stationary food items.

That said, sturgeon are always on the move and constantly “taste” the water, sucking up food items they pass.

Sturgeon seek out the deepest holes and often sit around them. This is where low-pressure zones collect food.

Professional and amateur sturgeon anglers protect good sturgeon holes because they know that sturgeon will return to these places year after year.

Good sturgeon habitat also offers deep, cold regions of riverways. While ocean-run sturgeon run upriver to spawn, most of their time is spent in the ocean. Similarly, freshwater sturgeon populations need areas of cold, deeper waters to thrive and migrate to spawn.

United States Sturgeon Fishing Hot Spots

There are a surprising amount of sturgeon fishing spots in the US. In fact, catchable populations of sturgeon exist all across the US. But if you want the chance at a world-class sturgeon, these are your destinations.

The Great Lakes Region: Rainy River

The Rainy River on the border of Minnesota and Canada is a fantastic sturgeon fishery. The fish here are densely populated, and it’s not uncommon to catch multiple fish in a day.

The Pacific Northwest: Columbia River

The Columbia River is home to some true giant sturgeon. Some of these fish can live to be 150 years old and take an hour or more to reel in due to their strength and size.

The West Coast: Willamette River

The Willamette River is a popular sturgeon fishery known for large fish and impressive numbers. These fish spawn in the rivers and live in the ocean migrating back and forth as their seasons develop.

The West: Snake River

The Snake River in Idaho holds some impressive opportunities for the adventurous angler. The Hell’s Canyon section of the river is within a wilderness access area. This means the waters are unpressured, the sturgeon are giant, and the views surrounding an angler are impressive.

Famous sturgeon water: The Fraser River

The Fraser River is where our expert guide, Marc Laynes, spends much of his time guiding clients.

His guiding company’s site says, “If you are worried about hooking that thousand-pounder, rest easy – most of the “larger” fish average between 100 and 300 pounds! However, our largest sturgeon was just shy of 900 pounds and measured 11 foot 3 inches from tip to the fork of the tail!”

The Fraser River is a famous sturgeon fishery above Seattle, Washington in Canada.

How deep do you fish for sturgeon?

When fishing for sturgeon, you should always be fishing on the bottom, no matter how deep the water is. Sturgeon feed on the bottom of the water column. It’s always a good idea to research the specific waters you plan to fish and talk to local experts for guidance on the best depth to target sturgeon in that area.

What time of day is best to fish sturgeon?

Generally, sturgeon, like most fish species, are most active in the early morning and late evening with an inactive period in the middle of the day. This may change depending on local conditions, water temperature, sunlight, and water depth.

However, seasoned sturgeon anglers know that night fishing for sturgeon is the best angling time of day. Sturgeons cover more water at night and are willing to swim in shallower areas. This makes night fishing the best option for anglers fishing from shore.

Sturgeon Fishing Setup

When fishing for sturgeon, focus on heavy, strong lines with a sinker slide bottom fishing system or a slip sinker rig in states that allow it. This ensures that our bait is always in the feeding zone.

For terminal tackle, at minimum, you will need a combination of the following:

• Weights heavy enough to stay on the bottom
• Popular weights include no-roll, pyramid, and egg sinkers
• Octopus hooks or circle hooks in sizes 8 up to 3/0 to 5/0, depending on the size of sturgeon in your area
• Barrel Swivels
• Beads
• Fluorocarbon leaders (30 to 50 pounds is common, for smaller fish 10 ponds is enough)
• Sinker slides (if using pyramid sinkers or a sinker slide rig)
• Lightweight dropper line for the sinker slide rig

Sturgeon Fishing Gear

Anglers of all species have go-to items. Sturgeon anglers are no different. Generally, sturgeon are hard-fighting fish that can grow to behemoth sizes.

When sturgeon fishing, consider the average size in your area and plan accordingly.

It’s a good idea to use heavier lines and gear than you think you need for two reasons:

1. Even if the average sturgeon size is comparatively small for sturgeon waters, the larger sturgeon will feed in the same area. These fish are not territorial.
2. Sturgeon have no teeth, but the sharp spines on their backs, sides, and gill plates can cut through line. Having a thicker line ensures that it will hold up to any sharp or abrasive surfaces.

Rod, reel, and line setups for sturgeon fishing are similar to sets made for catfishing, muskie fishing, carp fishing, and surf fishing in the ocean. Catfish anglers are known to catch sturgeon as by-catch because they use smelly baits that sit on the bottom.

Sturgeon Fishing Rigs

The tried and true rigs of sturgeon anglers everywhere are bait rigs that will hold bait on the bottom. We must stay in the sturgeon’s feeding zone to entice a bite.

Here are a few of the most popular rigs for fishing for sturgeon.

Slip Sinker Rig

When people talk about a “sturgeon rig,” they refer to any variation of a slip sinker rig with a snelled hook.

Snelled hooks are hooks with a pre-tied leader attached to a swivel. The benefits of snelled hooks are ease of re-rigging and ease of selecting leaders, hooks, and bead colors depending on conditions.

You can make snelled hooks at home or purchase them online.

You can use sinkers directly on the line like a no roll or egg sinker, or use a sinker slide system paired with a pyramid sinker, slinky sinker, or any other of your favorite styles.

The sinker should be heavy enough not to move with the current.

The slip sinker rig does three things:

1. Keeps our bait on the bottom.
2. Provides the most feel and strike sensitivity since the weight is not attached to the line. Since these rigs allow the line to slide freely through the weight or slide, the sinker does not introduce drag and is very effective for light bites.
3. Makes sturgeon fishing accessible for anyone without needing specialty rigs.

Sinker Slide Rig with a Dropper

Idaho Fish and Game requires a sliding sinker rig with a breakaway system for the weight. The idea is if the weight becomes snagged, the lighter line between the weight and the main line will break, allowing the baited hook to be reeled back in.

Three-Way Breakaway Rig

The three-way breakaway rig is another option for sturgeon anglers. This rig uses a three-way swivel. One loop goes to the rod, one loop attaches to the leader and hook, and the third loop connects the weight with a short length of dropper line.

This rig has no slip component, but some anglers prefer having weights fixed to their line.

Sturgeon Fishing Baits

If you imagine a sturgeon as a giant, armor-plated catfish, then you’d be on your way to understanding sturgeon baits with one exception: sturgeon love fresh bait—the fresher the bait, the better.

In sturgeon fishing waters nationwide, a tried-and-true bait is a gob of worms on a circle hook. The larger the mess of worms on the end of your line, the better the chances of hooking into a monster sturgeon. The writhing mass of worms is smelly, has a lot of activity underwater, and is a large, nutritious offering.

We did a super deep dive and interviewed an expert guide in this article covering the Best Bait for Sturgeon. Hit the link for the best sturgeon baits and bait tips around.

The post How to Fish for Sturgeon: A Complete Guide to a Huge Catch appeared first on Outdoor Empire.

As with all fishing, choosing the right rod can be critical to ensuring your tube fishing goes well. Along with personal preference, there are a few things to look for when finding a good tube fishing rod.

The best tube rod will combine length, power, and action. This will provide a rod that allows for precise casting and reactive jigging to place and replicate a bass’ favorite food. Extra fast and fast action rods with medium power tend to be what makes a good tube rod.

DISCLOSURE: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This article contains affiliate links. If you click on a link we may earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

What is a Tube Rod?

A tube fishing rod is going to be almost any rod that is used to tube fish. While some fishing rods will be better equipped for tube fishing, you can use nearly anything to fish tubes, making it one of the more accessible fishing styles. Many of the best spinning reels for bass fishing can be combined onto a good fishing pole and set for tube fishing.

The best tube rod can operate like a jig fishing rod. Tubes are small to large plastic tubes that mimic baitfish and crawfish to lure in bass. Every tube is hollow, which allows for rigging a jig that typically has a longer piece of lead with an eyelet that sticks straight out from it.

Tube fishing is technically jig fishing. So looking for a good jig fishing rod for bass can be incredibly helpful in the search for the best tube rod.

What to Look For in a Tube Fishing Rod

There are three main factors to consider for what makes a good tube rod. Length, power, and action will all have a major influence on your tube fishing and may determine how much success you find.

Length

It can be tricky to make a broad statement about what length is best for tube fishing. That’s because the desired length varies greatly with where you’re fishing and the size of fish you’re after. Not only that, but the casting technique also comes into play when choosing the right length.

The length of the best tube rod will come down to personal preference. The longer rods will help pull bass out of deeper water as you would do during winter bass fishing. However, bass tend to stay in shallower water in the summer and early fall, demanding a shorter rod.

If you were to choose a single rod to fish tubes with, it would be safer to err on the side of a rod around 7 feet long. You can go shorter or longer depending on personal preference, but 7 feet is a good place to start.

Power

Power will help with the fight once you’ve hooked a bass with the tube. Generally, the best tube fishing rod will have medium power to provide just enough flex to bring in larger bass without making it difficult to bring in smaller ones.

The medium power will also allow some control over jigging the tube around the bottom of the water. Medium power might be enough to flip and pitch jigs, depending on the jig’s weight. Tube jigs don’t tend to be as heavy duty as others, making a medium power rod a great fit to handle everything you’ll want it to.

Action

Finally, you’ll need to determine the rod’s action. The action of the rod refers to where the rod flexes along itself. The faster action rods will flex closer to the tip, which is perfect for jig and tube fishing. A good tube fishing rod will need that quick jigging action that you can only get from fast or extra-fast rods.

Sometimes fishing with an extra-fast rod can encourage you to fish faster, but tube fishing is an art that requires a lot of finesse and patience. If you feel that you don’t have the patience quite yet, settle for a fast action rod that might force you to be patient. However, an extra-fast rod will make for more control over the tube itself.

Spinning vs. Baitcasting with Tube Baits

Once you’ve chosen the rod, you must find the right reel. The biggest debate is always between a spinner and a baitcaster. When tube fishing, both a spinning reel and a baitcasting reel work, but it also depends on what you’re fishing for.

A spinning reel is better for working finesse with lighter tubes and jigs. Meanwhile, a baitcaster will work better for heavier jigs when trying to bring in larger bass. The best tube rod will be equipped appropriately for what you’re hoping to bring in and your fishing style.

3 of the Best Tube Rods

Good

Shimano Teramar Southeast

For someone looking to get into tube fishing, the Shimano Teramar Inshore Southeast rod is a good choice. These come in various lengths, powers, and actions, making them customizable to each angler. There are both casting and spinning versions. It’s also reasonably priced for a high-quality rod that won’t force you to drop huge cash to go tube fishing.

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Better

St. Croix Mojo

The St. Croix Mojo is easily one of the best bass fishing rods out there. The 7-foot 1-inch long, medium power, fast action option for either spinning or baitcasting reels fits tube fishing perfectly. It works well for anyone that wants a middle-ground rod that will allow for a lot of flexibility in the tube fishing style they want. You can mix it up with a more powerful and faster action rod and can even add almost a foot of length.

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Best

Falcon Cara

For anyone with a lot of control who is hoping to bring in some larger bass, the best tube fishing rod is a Falcon Cara 7’3”, medium heavy power, extra fast action. You can fish a tube or a jig and bring the bass in all day, with well-balanced power and extra-fast action. It may cost a bit more, but you get the responsiveness and reliability you want in a good tube rod.

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The post What Makes a Good Tube Fishing Rod (3 Best Tube Rods) appeared first on Outdoor Empire.

Many people ask me, “why do people go fishing?” And it makes sense! Especially when there are days that you don’t catch anything after hours of casting or simply waiting.

The secret is that people go fishing for many reasons, and most aren’t about catching fish. People fish because they want to reduce stress, build friendships, reap many health benefits, pay respect to the environment, or bring home dinner.

Fishing is often a very personal experience, and everyone’s reasons differ. This is simply a list of eight reasons why people go fishing and like it, but there are plenty more out there.

1. Reducing Stress and Producing Calm

Sometimes the reason people fish is just for the excuse to spend time outside, and this time has repeatedly been proven to be incredibly therapeutic. Researchers have found that spending more time outside is directly linked to longer and happier lives, primarily due to reduced stress levels.

Let’s face it. Our everyday lives are full of the hustle and bustle that adds up and crowds out the calming and peaceful thoughts that our brains try to bring to us. Stepping outside of this every so often is a great chance to recenter and find the calm inside yourself.

Fishing requires a mindful presence and a meditative level of focus. From baiting the hook to becoming in tune with the fish, the mind takes on a different form when fully immersing itself in the stream.

Ask most anglers, and they’ll tell you that fishing is their meditation. There’s no need for a quiet room and a pillow when their line is cast out into a calm glassy pond, with all their worries left behind. So, what is the point of fishing? Sometimes, it’s nothing other than finding some quiet.

2. Building Friendships

From the time that you’re young, fishing can be an incredibly social activity. Even when you step into a small fishing shop, you can feel a sense of comradery rather than competition.

Fellow anglers love helping each other tackle personal goals, and many old-timers are willing and ready to spout out a laundry list of time-tested wisdom regarding what equipment to use and even how to cast your line.

Even when fishing involves standing on the side of a river and quietly casting, there’s something special about having a companion a few paces away doing the same. These shared moments create stronger bonds than you can get from time spent next to each other at the bar or sitting in front of the TV screen.

Ask anyone why people go fishing, and you’ll hear the same answer: for relationships. The friends you form while fishing see you go through struggles but also witness huge successes. (Hopefully!)

These shared experiences tie you together for life, and it’s not uncommon to have lifelong fishing buddies that go out on every trip you offer up. Plus, finding others to fish with will make learning how to fish a much faster process!

3. Health Benefits

Along with all the mental health benefits, a surprising number of physical benefits come with pursuing fishing as an active hobby.

For starters, simply getting out in the sun will increase your Vitamin D levels, which affects your overall mood. It can help reduce cancer cell growth, control infections, and reduce inflammation. Even if someone can’t pinpoint the exact draw for why people fish, Vitamin D is often the hidden reason. It just makes you feel better!

Additionally, getting outside demands much more from your body than sitting around the house. You must hike to your fishing spot, haul all your gear, and actively cast while standing in potentially tough waters. When you’re doing something you love, like fishing, the time spent outside doesn’t even seem like a workout, even if it is.

4. Always Learning

One thing that I’ve always loved about fishing is that it’s the perfect environment to consistently learn new skills. I feel like every time I’m out either by myself or with a friend, I find something that I can do differently or better to bring home more fish or to make my life a bit easier.

When you establish a solid fishing community, you access a deep well of knowledge that’s been passed on through generations of anglers. This allows you to challenge yourself to try new skills while thinking creatively to solve your problems.

Even back at home, I’ve taught myself to tie my flies just to add to the experience. While it can be tricky, it makes me feel even more accomplished when I can catch a fish with something that I taught myself to make.

5. Feelings of Success

The feeling that accomplishment brings is almost unparalleled in life. From the moment a fish bites the line, there’s a sense of success coursing through my body.

The build-up and anticipation that builds while I wait for a simple nibble on the end of my line just adds to the feelings of success once I snag a fish. It’s tough to find that same rush doing other hobbies.

Not only has my success contributed to my wanting to get out more and more, but I also want to see others find that success. After teaching some friends to fish, I feel an even greater sense of accomplishment when they catch a fish.

6. Respecting the Environment

Many people don’t see fishing as respecting the environment, but when done right, it’s a process filled with respect. Fishing is a way to help manage the environment.

First, fishing helps control populations while supporting local fisheries and hatcheries that work hard to maintain populations in certain areas. Removing ourselves from the natural food chain could be dangerous for the natural systems at play.

I have also been fortunate enough to witness many rituals surrounding fish, especially salmon, by native cultures in Alaska. The relationship that many have with fish is full of respect and love. It’s a give-and-take situation where everyone benefits. Yes, even the fish.

7. Bringing Home Dinner

One of the more obvious answers to why people go fishing is that it can provide a delicious meal for free. There’s something special about eating a fish you’ve caught. It just seems to always taste better than anything you bring home from the store.

Along with all the other health benefits, eating the fish you catch provides a wealth of vitamins and nutrients that are hard to get in other foods. Many fish are rich in Omega-3 fatty acids and Vitamin B, which have a long list of benefits for your body.

8. The Feeling

Why do people go fishing? Most of the time, it’s for the feeling that naturally comes when standing out there casting a line.

That feeling is hard to describe. It’s a mixture of the joy from being outside, the sense of success in catching a fish, and the calming nature of the outdoors.

While it’s hard to describe, it’s something that any angler can identify when they feel it. It becomes the primary reason why we go fishing, whether we know it or not.

From the moment you get home from the last fishing trip until you cast your line out on the next one, there’s a spot waiting to be filled with the exact feeling that can only be found while out on the water.

The post 8 Reasons Why People Go Fishing and Like It appeared first on Outdoor Empire.

One of the most crucial additions to fishing reel technology is drag. The drag can make the difference between snapping a line and successfully bringing home dinner.

The drag on a fishing reel is the tension that stops the reel from spinning backward. Mechanisms inside the reel are adjusted to allow some line to feed out at a certain point to avoid putting the line and rod under too much stress and potentially breaking.

Essentially, adjusting your drag correctly can be the key to success. Plus, you get to go home with your favorite fishing rod in one piece.

What Does Drag Do on a Fishing Reel?

Drag can still be a bit confusing, especially if you’re new to the sport. Many beginning anglers don’t understand the importance of drag and won’t use it to their advantage.

The Purpose of Drag in Fishing

When a fish comes and grabs onto the bait or lure you’ve cast into the water, it will start running away with it. You have it on the line, but who knows how strong or big the fish is that’s taken the bait.

If it’s too big, you risk it snapping your line and taking off. Even worse, it could be bigger than you were expecting and go well above the power of your rod, leaving one piece in the water,  and one piece in your hands.

Drag allows the fish to pull a bit of line out at a certain weight. For example, if you set the drag to let out around 10 pounds, the reel will start to feed line out when the fish pulls around 10 pounds worth of weight.

Yes, the fish will get a bit farther away from you, but this is where the game starts. Some line gets let out, but then you reel harder and bring that fish in again. The point is to bring them back in more quickly. Slowly, the fish will move closer to you and onto land.

What is drag fishing?

The process I just described is drag fishing. A little bit of line goes out. More comes in.

It’s a back-and-forth style of fishing that allows for bigger fish to come in without the constant pulling fight that could break all of your expensive gear.

Allowing the fish to take out a bit of line also leads to more time on the line for the fish. This will wear it out, making your fight easier and easier. If you try to haul it in all at once, the fish will use its biggest burst of energy to break away.

Drag fishing is all about playing the long con. The fish thinks it’s getting away, but you have it right where you want it.

How Does Drag Work on a Fishing Reel?

Now you know that drag fishing is very effective but still might not have any idea what’s actually going on. Understanding how drag works on a fishing reel will help you to set the drag better and know how to make an unbreakable setup.

Knowledge is power. So let’s look at how fishing drag actually works on the fishing reel, what max drag refers to, and the different mechanisms you may encounter.

How does it work?

No matter what mechanism you’re operating with, something in the reel allows the line to feed out at a certain point.

On most reels, this is a system of plates that trap the line between themselves and slow the line down. This can put a lot of wear and tear on the line over the long term, but it is incredibly efficient and easy to use.

Some reels use a centrifugal force mechanism that relies on the reels spinning. This is a more complicated setup but results in more fine-tuning and less wear and tear on the reel over the years.

What is max drag on a reel?

Maximum drag on your fishing reel refers to the maximum force at which the reel is rated to operate safely.

This number is significant when you put it together with line weight. From there, you can make a good combination, along with your fishing rod, to make an unbreakable setup for fishing any size of fish.

When you go above your maximum drag but below the line weight, the line will strip off the reel, and you’ll lose both your line and fish.

Any time a fish goes over the line weight and below the max drag, your line will snap.

This is only one of many examples that prove fishing is an art form and takes years to understand fully.

How Drag Mechanisms Differ in Different Reel Types

When you pick up different fishing reels, you’ll notice that the drag mechanisms often look different. The good news is they all operate on the same basis. They’re all working towards letting some line out. If you understand that, the mechanisms themselves are rather simple.

Spinning Reels

For starters, spinning reels often have front or rear drags. This just refers to the location of the adjustment knob. Many say that rear drags are easier to adjust on the fly, making them their first choice. Front drag systems make switching line out much easier but are starting to disappear as manufacturers need to install more parts.

Baitcasting Reels

Baitcasting reels have star-shaped knobs on top that will control the drag setting. This works similarly to spinning reels but is just in a different spot. The mechanism it controls, however, is the centrifugal force mechanism. Baitcasting reels are more complicated but are favored by professionals for the ability to fine-tune the drag.

Fly Reels

Fly reels most often use a disc drag system operated by a small knob on the face of the reel. Some utilize a click-and-pawl system over the disc drag. These are less powerful and not the favorite of most fly fishermen out there.

What should your fishing drag be set to?

This is a common question that is hard to answer. There are a lot of different opinions out there, just like with any topic in the fishing community. People swear that their granddaddy did this or that, but others swear by their own experience.

Either way, there’s a basic rule to follow for setting your drag.

The drag should generally be between ¼ and ⅓ of your line’s breaking weight. So, using a line with a 60-pound weight would mean setting your drag between around 15 to 20 pounds.

You can measure what your drag is set to with a scale or a drag scale. Either will tell you what your line is set to, and you can work to get it perfect before ever casting the line.

The post What is Drag on a Fishing Reel and How Does It Work? appeared first on Outdoor Empire.

While the fanciest and flashiest new technology won’t catch fish for you, it can definitely make your experience a lot better if you know what you’re doing. Knowing the top tier of a product allows you to compare other cheaper models to see what you’re missing out on.

The most expensive fishing reel in the world is Graham Turner’s “Holy Grail,” sold at auction for $58,000 in 2011. Aside from the collectibles, the Shimano Stella, Penn International, Daiwa Dendoh, and Tibor Signature are some of the best and most expensive fishing reels money can buy.

Don’t limit yourself to these models though. There are plenty of other expensive reels that boast a variety of different bells and whistles to make them the absolute best of the best.

Whether you’re looking out of curiosity or for a gift, bragging rights, or the highest quality fishing reel you can find, here are some of the most expensive fishing reels available today.

DISCLOSURE: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Links in this article are affiliate links. If you click on a link we may earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

The 7 Most Expensive Fishing Reels Available

1. Most Expensive Shimano Reel: Shimano Tiagra TI130A
2. Most Expensive Freshwater Reel: Shimano Stella FK
3. Most Expensive Fly Reel: Tibor Signature
4. Most Expensive Baitcaster: Shimano Antares DC
5. Most Expensive Daiwa Reel: Daiwa Dendoh Marine Power 3000
6. Most Expensive Penn Reel: Penn International Electric VI
7. Most Expensive Spinning Reel: Daiwa Saltiga

You can’t go out to Bass Pro and buy the $58,000 “Holy Grail” of fishing reels. However, you have many other options if you want to trade some serious cash for some serious power on your rod.

Here we’ve listed seven of the best. This is by no means an exhaustive list. There are so many expensive reels out there for you to check out, but we’ve tried to determine the absolute best of the best when it comes to expensive fishing reels.

1. Most Expensive Shimano Reel

The Shimano Tiagra TI130A is the reel you strap onto a big game fishing rod and go out into the deep waters with to bring back a champion fish. It makes bringing monsters on the boat easy due to the impressive dual-speed system with heavy cranking ratios of 1.15:1 and a high speed of 2.2:1.

Most Expensive Shimano

Shimano Tiagra TI130A

$1,449.95

Price range: $1,000-$1,500

Where Made: Japan

Type & Use: Big game fishing

Why so expensive: Engineered to perfection for hauling massive game fish.

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08/15/2023 10:21 pm GMT

All this to say, if you’re going out on the ocean to go up against one of the strongest deep sea dwellers, the Shimano Tiagra TI130A is the best companion for the fight. It beats out all of Shimano’s other big game reels by a massive margin when it comes to max drag and mono line capacity.

Shimano developed a hydrothermal drag system that rids you of problems with drag setting variances you’ll find on most other big game reels. All this power is housed inside a machine-crafted aluminum frame that allows heavy lines to move smoothly.

This isn’t a reel that a beginning angler will need or really be able to handle. People who go out either professionally or are incredibly experienced in the sport are the ones who will be bringing the Tiagra TI130A home from the store with them.

2. Most Expensive Freshwater Fishing Reel

The Shimano Stella is the reel that changed it all. In 1995, Shimano released the first model of the Stella. The featured technology was the SHIP (smooth and hip-powered system) to significantly increase the gear reeling performance. This was only the beginning.

Most Expensive for Freshwater

Shimano Stella FK

$799.99

Price range: $800 +/-

Where Made: Japan

Type & Use: Spinning reel for game, bait, and bass fishing in salt or freshwater

Why so expensive: Backed by years of engineering for a flawless reel

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08/15/2023 11:21 pm GMT

The technology moved forward to incorporate the S-system (smooth, silent, strong) in the early 2000s. Then Shimano added R for reliance, bringing about the Stella SR and the SR-3D. In 2014, they added the Micromodule Gear and became the first (but not the last) spinning reel to do so. It was a great success.

Further down the line, Shimano now uses the Hagane and X-Protect technologies to house all of the internal mechanisms that make this one of the best reels on the market, no matter how expensive it is. It’s built for both salt and freshwater fishing.

There are thirteen different sizes of the Shimano Stella that you can grab for your next trip. With one of these, you can head out and troll for marlin before turning around, re-rigging, and bait fishing on the surface with just as much ease.

3. Most Expensive Fly Fishing Reel

Tibor Reels hold over 950 world records, so there’s no surprise that they make the most expensive fly fishing rod to add to your quiver. The Signature Fly Reel came about in 2011 after 35 years of manufacturing and developing the best of the best reels out there. This is the accumulation of tried and true technologies from a USA-proud company.

Most Expensive for Fly Fishing

Tibor Signature Fly Reel

Price range: $650-$900

Where Made: USA

Type & Use: Fly fishing reel

Why so expensive: USA-made and holder of more world records than any other reel.

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These reels are made for professionals looking to dominate the field and bring in the biggest fish without worrying about maintaining the reel that helps them do it.

One of the most beautiful parts of the Signature reel is its simplicity. There are so few moving parts that the reel is likely to outlast you if well cared for. If you do hit a problem, it’s simple to take apart and fix. If you can’t figure out how to put it back together, the reel remains under warranty even after you’ve gone and tinkered around inside of it. That’s near-impossible to find.

It’s easy to see the difference in USA-made products. Look at all the brands you used to love that have been moved to Japan or China. The production quality drops significantly. Tibor isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

4. Most Expensive Baitcaster Reel

Another Shimano flagship, the Antares DC, is one of the more expensive baitcasting reels you can get. This one utilizes the best technologies that Shimano has developed over the ages and brings it all together in a low-profile bait cast reel that is made to impress.

Most Expensive for Bass Fishing

Shimano Antares DC

$544.85

Price range: $550-$800

Where Made: Japan

Type & Use: Bait casting reel for freshwater fishing, a favorite for bass.

Why so expensive: Sleek body filled with world-renowned technology.

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The casting with the Antares is buttery-smooth thanks to the 4×8 DC brake system that allows for a multiplier effect and farther casting distances. This makes the Antares DC versatile for long-casting and big days out on bigger waters.

This is one of the more expensive reels that you can actually afford and get the full use out of. It won’t completely break the bank, and it will be a great addition to your gear.

While the traditional Antares DC is for freshwater use, the Monster Drive model is tuned up for saltwater fishing. It’s sold as the reel to take down to the Amazon when you’re after the freshwater monsters you can only find in South American waters. This is the reel to take on a big trip.

5. Most Expensive Daiwa Reel

Electric reels are still relatively new in the fishing world. They fit into a tiny niche of people who can afford them and feel it’s worth the money to help them bring in big fish. That being said, electric reels are great for what they’re designed to do. If you have the money and feel like spending it, then there’s no reason not to get one.

Most Expensive Daiwa

Daiwa Dendoh Marine Power 3000

Price range: $3,000-$4,000

Where Made: Japan

Type & Use: Electric big-game fishing

Why so expensive: Electric assistance in big game fishing.

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The Daiwa Dendoh Marine Power 3000 is a prime example of an electric big game reel that will make your life much easier in the deep waters. When you go out to bring up deep-sea fish, a long fight is bound to happen with anything you get on the hook. A reel like the Dendoh MP3000 makes the task a whole lot easier.

Even getting your rig set up at the right depth can take ages. The auto stop and line depth measurements make the initial stages of deep-water fishing a breeze.

The electric reel market is just getting a proper start, and we’re bound to see even more start to pop up. Watch for features to boost the experience and make things that much easier for you.

6. Most Expensive Penn Reel

Imagine going out and hooking your phone up to your reel via Bluetooth, determining the depth you want your line at, and your reel doing it all for you. That’s the Penn International Electric VI in a quick and tiny nutshell.

Most Expensive Electric Reel

Penn International Electric VI

$5,029.95

Price range: $4,000-$6,000

Where Made: USA

Type & Use: Electric big game fishing

Why so expensive: Bluetooth connectivity, massive capacity for deep water, and big game.

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08/15/2023 11:00 pm GMT

The International Electric VI features a digital line counter and level wind in addition to the auto stop functions. Now you can connect via Bluetooth and see the RPMs, depth, and control speed from your phone while sitting back and prepping for the monsters to bite.

If you’ve been big game fishing, you can attest to how physically challenging the sport is. It requires massive willpower and stamina to bring those fish from the depths up onto the boat. This reel is more than just a fun gadget. It helps make that physically demanding task just a bit easier.

While it can really change the game, not many people buy this reel to improve their fishing experience. This is the kind of reel people buy because they don’t know what else to do with their money. It makes things easier, but it probably won’t pay for itself like some other reels on our list.

Penn offers a variety of reels in its International lineup, all of which are considered high-end.

7. Most Expensive Spinning Reel

The Daiwa Saltiga is a much different model than the Daiwa’s Dendoh MP3000. Both can bring in some huge fish, but the Saltiga can do it for a significantly lower, albeit still expensive, price. The Saltiga has gone up against the Shimano Stella as the best spinning reel for a long time, and both are worth mentioning when talking about expensive reels.

Most Expensive Spinning Reel

Daiwa Saltiga

Price range: $900-$1,200

Where Made: Various countries

Type & Use: Spinning reel for bigger fish, both fresh and saltwater.

Why so expensive: Huge amount of power from years of engineering.

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The Saltiga was introduced in 2002 and has pushed the boundaries for heavy-duty saltwater spinners ever since. The 2020 model is engineered to bring all of the newest developments into one reel, from Magseal technology to protect everything to a brand new drive gear inside.

With this, you’re paying for the years and years of development that comes together for an outstanding product. A lot of heavy-duty salt and freshwater anglers will use the Saltiga and come home happier because of it.

Are Expensive Fishing Reels Worth It?

Window shopping for expensive fishing reels is easy. The showy features of these flashy reels can make the temptation to get your own almost irresistible. But is it really worth all that money?

Well, a lot of people will quickly say yes. The popular belief these days is that the more expensive something is, the better it is. But that’s not always the case, and you don’t need to spend $6,000 to bring home a big deep sea dweller.

Like everything, there’s a middle ground that tends to hold true. Sure, you can catch monster fish with a $50,000 reel. But you can’t also catch them with a $300 reel and be just as happy. (Especially since you’ll be saving all that money!)

Similarly, you don’t need to buy an electric rod that does a lot of the work for you, but that comes down to personal preference. Are you okay with fighting the tough fight, or do you want or need tech to help you out?

Expensive fishing reels can be worth it at times. More “conservatively expensive” reels like the Shimano Stella and the Daiwa Saltiga bring a lot of bang for your buck and will likely last you a lifetime. You can drop $1,000 on one of these, or you can spend $300 multiple times throughout your life as the cheaper models break down.

Sometimes it’s worth it. If fishing is what you love most and an expensive reel makes it better, then why not?

The post The Most Expensive Fishing Reels Money Can (and Can’t) Buy appeared first on Outdoor Empire.

This is where it’s easy to get stumped.

You have your broken reel. You know it needs to be spooled. But where do you take your fishing reel to get it spooled? And how do you get it done without spending a crazy amount of money?

You can get a fishing reel spooled at most big box sporting goods stores like Bass Pro Shops or Cabela’s. You can also visit local tackle shops to get the job done. In general, expect to only pay for the new fishing line since most shops spool a reel for free, even if you bring in your line.

If you want a challenge, you can learn how to do it yourself. If you’d rather find someone to do it for you, read on.

Where can I get my fishing reel spooled with line?

Spooling a fishing reel can take time and training that you may not have. When finding someone else to get the job done, you need to know where to look. Fortunately, you can explore many options and find someone to spool your fishing line in no time. This way you can get back out on the water as quickly as possible.

The most common places you can get your reel spooled include:

• Big box sporting goods stores
• Local bait and tackle shops
• A savvy friend or family member
• Someone on Craigslist or Marketplace
• At home with a spooling station

Sporting Goods Stores

The big box sporting goods stores tend to be everyone’s first pick when it comes down to getting gear repaired or buying your first-ever rod and reel. They have the best reels, help you pick out the right reel for you, and will take care of the rest for you.

These big stores have pros and cons, just like anywhere else. Your quality of service is typically up in the air, but you know you can find what you’re looking for 99% of the time.

Generally, when you buy a new setup, you can get your reel spooled wherever you buy that new reel. That way, you can choose your line and have it ready to go the moment you walk out of the store. While that’s not always the case, you’ll find a lot of places that will have full service.

I called each of these box stores at various locations to get a quick quote on the prices for having your fishing reel spooled. It turns out that most big box stores will spool your reel for free if you bring your own line. Otherwise, you only need to pay for the line rather than the labor for spooling the reel.

You may also show up to one of the bigger shops and find out they don’t have the services you’re looking for. If you want to get your fishing reel spooled, head out to any of the following big box stores.

Cabela’s

Cabela’s is going to be the go-to for a large number of anglers out there. They have just about everything you could be looking for and have an excellent reputation for service. If you bring your line in, you can have your reel spooled at no cost.

They’ll spool any reel you buy there for free, with the line typically coming complimentary as well.

Bass Pro Shops

Since Bass Pro and Cabela’s merged into a single company back in 2017, there should be no surprise that they offer similar deals. Bass Pro Shops also will spool a reel for free but will charge for the line if you don’t bring it with you.

Dick’s Sporting Goods

Dick’s Sporting Goods turned out to be the outlier in the big box store department. While it depended on the weight of the line and the reel, the fishing department told me it would cost around $5 in labor to have your reel spooled.

When put up against all other stores that do it for free, it may not be the best place to have it done.

Sportsman’s Warehouse

Sportsman’s Warehouse is another hugely popular shop for those who want to bring in more fish. The shop follows the same trend as most other big box stores and doesn’t charge for the labor to spool a reel.

You pay by the foot for the line, and that price will change depending on the line you choose. But no matter what, you don’t need to pay to get it onto the reel.

According to the department worker I spoke with, it’s cheaper to buy the line while having it spooled than to buy it separately and do it yourself.

Academy Sports

At Academy Sports, there’s a similar expense. You’re going to pay for the line to put on the reel, but you aren’t going to pay for the labor. If you buy your new reel in-store, you can choose from their spools of bulk line without an additional charge.

The line comes for a small fee if you’re bringing your own reel, which can be a pretty good deal.

Bait and Tackle Shops

Smaller bait and tackle shops that you will find in popular fishing areas are, not surprisingly, similar to the bigger stores. When I called a few local shops near me, they had the same response as all of the bigger shops, with way less time spent on hold.

They need to keep up with their massive competitors’ services, so they will spool a reel for free. If you’re looking for where to spool your fishing reel, always choose a small and local shop if you have the choice. Bringing these services locally will help keep the small-town economy alive and well.

Working with Friends

Fishing is often more of a community activity than an individual one. When you go out with all of your buddies or even by yourself, you have a great opportunity to meet more people who love to fish as much as you do.

Once you build a strong fishing community, you’ll likely have friends who like to spool their reels rather than bring them into stores. When you find a good group of friends like this, you can ask them to spool reels for you. Better yet, ask them to teach you how to do it yourself.

Marketplace or Craigslist

Social media and internet resources are some other great places to turn when looking for someone to help spool your fishing reel. You can look on Facebook Marketplace to see if there’s already someone offering the service. You can put out an ad asking for someone to help you.

If someone near you has their own spooling station, they’ll likely be willing to do it for a low cost, or even help you learn how to do it on your own.

Spooling a Reel at Home

Your final option is to do it yourself. While this can be interesting for some, others don’t want to do the work on their own. This is where it really comes down to personal preference.

For the most part, it’s pretty easy to spool your fishing reel at home. You can buy a pretty decent spooling station for $30 and it won’t take too long to do the work. But again, it’s up to your own preference. Sometimes it’s easier to just bring it into a shop and have it finished in no time.

How much does it cost to spool a fishing reel?

In general, spooling a fishing reel is pretty cheap. If you bring your reel into a shop, you can choose from their bulk spools of line that they get at a much cheaper price.

If you spool your fishing reel at home, you have to buy a box of 300 yards of line or more. You don’t always need that much line, so sometimes it’s not worth buying.

As we discussed earlier, almost every shop doesn’t charge for labor to spool a fishing reel. While there are a few exceptions, you probably shouldn’t be paying for it if you don’t have to. When you buy the reel at the shop, you often won’t need to pay for the line either and the service is typically included.

If you’re re-spooling a reel, you should only be paying for the line. If you choose a cheap mono line over a more expensive fluorocarbon or a nice braided line, you are looking at a small price shift overall. You can buy it by the foot at the shop when you get it spooled rather than buying a box of line, which typically costs more.

The post Where to Get a Fishing Reel Spooled and How Much It Costs appeared first on Outdoor Empire.

The St. Croix River in Minnesota is the home water where I’m learning to catch sturgeon. There’s a ton of information online. But I thought there had to be some expert tips and tricks that only the folks spending weeks on the water would know.

So for this article, I interviewed an expert sturgeon fishing guide, Marc Laynes, owner of Cascade Fishing Adventures INC. Marc has spent most of his life fishing for sturgeon, and he shared his thoughts with me on the best bait for sturgeon fishing. I also did a deep dive into sturgeon biology and behavior to decide on the best bait for sturgeon.

Is there a secret sturgeon bait? We’re going to dive into the best bait for sturgeon, why it’s the best, how to rig it, and then we’ll explore what sturgeon eat in the wild.

To get an idea of these best sturgeon baits, read on as we learn how to catch a living dinosaur: the sturgeon!

The Best Bait for Fishing Sturgeon

The best bait for sturgeon will depend on their habitat. Sea run sturgeon are used to eating sea run food like squids and sand fleas. Freshwater sturgeon eat shad, nightcrawlers, and cut suckers. Switching between the top baits in the area is your best bet to catch a sturgeon.

That said, during certain times of the year, the sturgeon may only want one food item, whether it’s a smelt spawn or a herring run.

Here are five of the best baits for sturgeon fishing in North America.

1. Nightcrawlers for sturgeon bait

Nightcrawlers as sturgeon bait are one of the best. They have a strong scent in the water, worms are present in nearly every water system, and they can be bought everywhere.

They have two drawbacks. First, you might have trouble keeping small fish off your bait since everything eats nightcrawlers. Second, nightcrawlers are fragile and it only takes one fish to strip your hook.

2. Shad, Herring, Smelt, and Anchovies for sturgeon bait

Shad, herring, smelt, and anchovies are extremely popular as sturgeon bait.

Use them whole, in crosscut chunks, strips, or halves, these baits are very versatile. The general size of these baitfish prevents small fish from stripping the hook. They are also oily and stinky, making them a go-to option as sturgeon bait.

When using baitfish as sturgeon bait, find out the primary forage in your water. If shad swim in the river, start with shad.

That said, there might be days where smelt works better or a week straight of great fishing with herring. Keep changing baits until you find out what works.

3. White sucker for sturgeon bait

White suckers can be great sturgeon bait but these fish are usually too big to use whole. Fillet the fish and cut the fillet into strips to spread the oily scent. White suckers are found all around the US and are eaten by most predatory fish species.

4. Shrimp for sturgeon bait

Some people swear by raw shrimp when fishing for sturgeon. Like worms, many fish species will eat shrimp but the strong scent and enticing meatiness is a popular bait for sturgeon.

5. Squid for sturgeon bait

Squid is a popular sturgeon fishing bait, especially for sea-run sturgeon who are more familiar with it in their food system.

Proponents of squid claim that it’s the most durable sturgeon fishing bait. They say you can catch multiple sturgeon using the same chunk of squid, and smaller fish won’t pull it off the hook.

A Sturgeon Guide’s Notes on the Best Bait

Pro sturgeon fishing guide Marc says, “I have fished for sturgeon since the early 1980s while in high school. I enjoy sturgeon fishing and thought others would as well. I decided to start a guiding business in 1990 for sturgeon, salmon, and steelhead. With my post-secondary education in Fish and Wildlife, I was not only able to guide anglers but also provide my service to sturgeon and other fish-related work for the government and other consultants in our area.”

“My favorite bait is whatever is currently in season, in the river, that the sturgeon would be feeding on. Coarse fish such as pikeminnows and pea-mouth chub are available during the entire sturgeon season and work well throughout the season.

However, during certain times of the year, we experience migrations of specific fish species in large numbers that attract the attention of the sturgeon.

When this happens, the sturgeon will key in on these fish. This places other baits further down the priority list – these other baits will work, but not as effectively. For example, the Lower Fraser River sees a large migration of smelts, called eulachons, from late March to early May.

When these eulachons move into the Fraser to spawn, they do so in large numbers. This mass of fish is the main focus of the sturgeon’s diet during that time and will be the bait to use.

Other baits such as lamprey eel (early summer migration up the Fraser), sockeye salmon (summer), and chum roe (fall) are excellent baits throughout the season, but particularly during the timing of their presence in the river.”

Related: How to Fish for Sturgeon: A Complete Guide to a Huge Catch

Sturgeon Rigging Tips for Live Bait

Whichever bait you choose, bait fishing rigs for sturgeon are very similar.

Sturgeons have protrusible mouths meaning their lips extend to suck up food from the bottom of the water. In fact, it functions very much like the extension on a vacuum cleaner handle.

Since sturgeon are bottom feeders, we must ensure that baits stay near the bottom. Also, our hooks need to increase our chance of a solid connection with the fish.

Are you using herring for sturgeon bait? Do you have a secret sturgeon bait? Regardless, the best fishing rig when using live bait for sturgeon is a slip-sinker bottom rig.

You will need a combination of the following:

• Weights heavy enough to stay on the bottom
  • Popular weights include no-roll, pyramid, and egg sinkers
• Octopus hooks in sizes 3/0 to 5/0
• Barrel Swivels
• Beads
• Fluorocarbon leaders
• Sinker slides (if using pyramid sinkers)

Sturgeon bites are subtle. A bite is usually seen by a slight bend in the rod tip, a throbbing cadence different from the river, or the line moving across or against the direction of the current.

Since bites are light, the slip-sinker bottom rig telegraphs a gentle strike to the rod tip faster than a fixed-weight rig. This leads to more detected strikes and more fish in the boat.

Using octopus hooks instead of traditional J-hooks ensures that a hook sits firmly in the fish’s mouth. Sturgeons are known to jump out of the water and thrash. An octopus hook is designed to stay attached even in these aggressive attempts to escape.

A Sturgeon Guide’s Notes on Rigging Live Bait

Marc says, “When fishing with lamprey, eulachons, or coarse fish, I will tie the bait onto a J-hook using cotton or elasticated thread in a manner that the hook is fastened to the bait at the “downstream” end of the bait.

This keeps the bait straight so it will not spin against the current and twist the leader and keeps the hook well-positioned. (Not laying flat against the bait, but protruding away from the bait.)

When I am fishing salmon roe, I mostly fish the bait in a bait bag using nylons or fine mesh to avoid coarse fish eating the bait off the hook. I simply poke the hook through the roe bag.

When using fish strips, I will cut long narrow strips and simply hook the strip at the end of the fish strip onto a circle hook.

Virtually all sturgeon rigs utilize a sliding weight style rig above a quality swivel, with a leader of your choice (mono or braid/dacron) attached to the hook of your choice.”

What are sturgeon attracted to?

Similar to a catfish, sturgeon have barbels on the underside of their snout that they use to “taste” the water. These barbels detect certain chemicals in the water released by items they can eat.

This is why sturgeon anglers say that your bait has to be smelly.

However, sturgeon anglers also talk about the importance of having fresh bait. While a catfish loves to eat rotting, decomposing food items that are bloody and thick, sturgeon prefer live foods like crustaceans, worms, and fish.

What do sturgeon like to eat?

Sturgeon prefer to eat living crustaceans (like crayfish), mollusks (clams), and many kinds of bait fish.

The baits in this article are best when they are fresh. They are fatty and oily, meaning more scent dispersal in the water.

Overall, a sturgeon feeds by roaming just above the river bottom and drags its barbells over the surface. When they sense food, their mouths protrude and suck it up.

Sturgeons don’t have teeth. Instead, their powerful stomach muscles crush up any food that gets consumed.

Artificial Baits and Lures vs. Stink Baits and Live Baits

When deciding between lures or live bait for sturgeon, the clear winner is live bait. This is because it matches a sturgeon’s feeding habits, including where they feed, how they feed, and what they feed on.

A Sturgeon Guide’s Notes on Artificial vs. Live Baits

Marc says, “While sturgeon are known to take lures on occasion, the vast majority of sturgeon are caught using natural bait.

Sturgeons have an extremely keen sense of smell; therefore, natural bait attracts a fish far sooner than lures.

Sturgeons are generally found holding near or at the river bottom. Therefore, a static, natural bait laying on the bottom will provide the most effective presentation to hook a sturgeon.”

Where to Get Sturgeon Fishing Bait

Now that we know what bait to use when fishing for sturgeon, it’s time to get some!

There are several ways to source sturgeon bait.

The simple option: Local bait vendors

Many local bait stores carry most of the sturgeon bait in this article. If you can’t find these options alive, see if you can find the dates that the baits were frozen. Never use preserved baits as these scents are unnatural and mask or destroy the natural fats and oil that we want.

If they don’t sell this item, some vendors can special order baits. Ask them about special ordering sturgeon baits for your local sturgeon community. Chances are, they didn’t know there was a market for it and the shop may end up becoming your go-to for sturgeon bait.

The best option: Harvest sturgeon bait yourself

The best way to source fresh, live, healthy, and local sturgeon baits that will take your next trip to another level is to harvest it yourself. Check your local regulations when attempting to harvest your bait as some states have strict rules around this.

There are four primary ways:

1. Cast Netting

Cast netting involves throwing a large net over a school of baitfish and trapping them. You drag the cast net over to a bait bucket and shake it out.

2. Dip netting

Dip netting involves using a long-handled mesh net to scoop schools of baitfish out of the water. This is an excellent method for tightly schooling fish like shad and smelt.

3. Trapping

Trapping baitfish or other live bait involves using specialty fish traps that you can bait with dog food or bread. Some of these traps can be left overnight.

4. Hook and line

Finally, many baitfish, including shad and smelt can be caught using a traditional hook and line. Using small hooks, small pieces of worm, and a light rod, bait harvesting can feel like a micro-fishing trip before the main event!

Conclusion

The best bait for sturgeon is going to depend on many factors. The main things to consider are to match the bait to the local forage, make sure the bait is fresh, and keep it very close to or on the bottom of the lake or river.

Following these general rules will make sure your next sturgeon fishing adventure is full of lights-out action that ends in holding living dinosaurs in your hands!

Check our guide on Where to Catch Sturgeon.

The post Best Bait for Sturgeon: A Pro Fishing Guide Weighs In appeared first on Outdoor Empire.

As water temperatures begin to cool, bass will start to seek out water that has less temperature change. The upper portion of the water column and surface has the most temperature variance throughout all seasons. The fish will begin to seek deeper water during the winter, choosing the lower portion of the thermocline as their sanctuary.

This leaves many anglers confused about how to target their green quarry throughout the coldest months, wondering if it’s the bait, the depth, the time of day or just plain bad luck.

One of the essential things bass anglers can focus on during the winter is the color and choice of lure.

Winter is like no other time of year when it comes to bass fishing, with neutral and natural colored baits yielding the best results. When it comes to lure choice, anglers must pick a bait that matches the environment but creates enough of a disturbance to trigger the predatory instinct of a bass.

In this article, we cover how to select the right bait and color for bass fishing this winter and how to chase lunkers during the coldest time of year.

Winter Bass Fishing

When angling for lunkers during the coldest time of the year, anglers often ask a few questions.

• What is the best bait for winter bass fishing?
• What are the best colors for winter bass fishing?
• How to target bass in the winter?

Below, we cover each of these in depth.

The Best Bait for Bass Fishing in Winter

Lure selection is significant when it comes to winter bass fishing. Size, style, and color all matter far more than in spring or summer when bass ravenously attacks anything that remotely resembles prey.

Below are some of the best baits for winter bass fishing.

1. Jerkbait

If you’re going to attract a passive bass in deeper water, jerk baits work well for two reasons. Their steady retrieve and oblong shape resemble a crankbait but with a longer profile. This bait can meander by a hungry, lazy bass, providing them an easy meal without spooking it from erratic behavior.

However, sometimes erratic behaviors are necessary to lure a bass out of its hibernation state. The jerkbait also excels with a pause-and-go retrieve, mimicking the action of a wounded baitfish that bass love. Weighting the jerkbait down allows anglers to work lower portions in the water column where the bass may lurk during colder weather.

2. Jigs

Jigs are excellent for fishing through the ice or working lower portions of the water column, as these lures are suspended at whatever target depth anglers want. Completely interchangeable when it comes to the plastics, the weighted jig head means that anglers are not required to introduce any extra weight onto the line.

3. Blade Baits

Because colder water is usually clearer, blade baits truly shine during winter bass fishing. The sunlight that penetrates deeper into the water is reflected off of the metallic frame of the minnow-shaped lure, drawing attention to it from every species in the area.

Additionally, if the water is cloudy or visibility is reduced due to low light conditions, blade baits rattle and produce vibrations that can summon bass no matter how cold the water temperature is.

4. Crankbaits

Tried and true, crankbaits are good year around. However, winter orders anglers to up their game and be more selective about which crankbait they throw.

Ones that resemble minnows or shad are your best bet, and they better be deep diving if you plan to hook into a big bass. A steady retrieval with a few pauses is always a good game plan but if the bite isn’t happening, don’t be afraid to try something new.

Pro Tip: Go with Rat-L-Traps. It makes more noise, is easier to stop and go, and is excellent for middle to lower portions of the water column.

5. Soft Plastics

While soft plastics may be a year-round lure choice, anglers must be very specific in selecting the bait’s body type, size, and color. Because actual lizards and frogs will be hibernating during this time of year, anglers will want to avoid using artificial plastic ones as lures.

Pumpkin seeds or deep purple soft plastic worms and crawfish have always been my go-to during the coldest time of year. Not only are they incredibly versatile lures, but you can also work every part of the water column with these lures. Pick small to medium-sized plastics and always keep your retrieve a little slower than you think it should be.

6. Live Bait

Live bait is often overlooked and underutilized when it comes to bass fishing. Particularly in the winter, I have fished plenty of lakes with a minnow or nightcrawler under a cork in the middle of the water column and have caught plenty of medium-size bass.

The combination of natural prey, placement in the water column, and movement create the perfect storm to trigger the predatory instinct of a bass.

How My Dad Picked the Best Bait for Winter Bass Fishing

Mike Pelle had just called it in on his three-day hunting weekend. The wind coming in with the cold front meant the deer would smell him from a mile away and there was no sense in freezing his tail off in a treestand without much chance of a kill.

On a whim, he stopped by a family member’s property on his way back to New Orleans and decided to fish the pond for an hour before getting back on the road. The pressure was dropping, and he suspected the fish might be trying to squeeze in one last meal before the cold snap.

Armed with a rod and reel nearly as old as he was, Mike tied on a faded red and white Heddon Lucky 13 and cast into the 3-acre pond.

His lure landed just in front of a small, half-submerged log, and on the first rotation of his reel, the lure disappeared.

To hear my old man tell it, he first thought he had hooked on a massive patch of grass…until the pulling started. Though it didn’t fight nearly as hard as a spring or summer lunker, the 20-inch bass still put up a struggle.

The Best Colors for Winter Bass Fishing

Picking the best colors for winter bass fishing can be tough. Most anglers think brighter, more radiant colors like neon, chartreuse, or bright red are the best colors for winter bass fishing. Unfortunately, you will probably go home empty-handed if you use those colors during the coldest months when angling for lunkers.

Generally speaking, winter bass bait colors should look like a bass’ primary food source at that time of year.

1. Neutral Colors are the Best

Keeping your baits neutral is essential when bass fishing during the winter. While spring and summer often spawn various insects and amphibians, winter sees very little of these creatures. Most of the food consumed by bass consists of other fish, crustaceans, or tiny aquatic organisms.

Because most of these creatures are not vibrant, anglers should select lures that match these prey species.

2. Dull Hard Plastics

When it comes to hard plastic baits such as crank or jerkbaits, the shiny green or gray colors with vibrant metal hues are a no-go. Think dull, think subdued, think natural. A bright metallic lure racing through the water might work during the hay days of summer, but it’s not likely to yield results in the winter.

3. Gold Spoons

When it comes to spoons, stay away from silver. Gold does a much better job during the colder months, and especially farther down the water column, it appears more natural to bass.

4. Green and Purple Soft Plastics

Your soft plastics that usually come in neon colors and often feature silvery flakes are things of the past. Stick to deep greens, purples, or pumpkin seeds.

5. Natural Crank Baits and Topwaters

Finally, if you’re going to work the upper portions of the water column with a shallow running crankbait or a topwater, don’t pick the most visually stimulating lure full of bright colors. Instead, go for the most natural-looking lure that closely resembles naturally-occurring prey in both style and coloration.

Visiting your local bait shop or doing some research before hitting the water can inform you about what species are native to the lake, stream, or pond you plan on fishing This can help you select the right color lure to catch bass.

How to Target Bass in the Winter

While picking the right color and lure may be easy, many anglers struggle with targeting bass in the winter. With the popular summer and spring hotspots empty, anglers must change tactics and pay attention to feeding patterns, weather, and time of day to catch bass during the colder months.

Feeding Patterns

Bass feeding patterns during the spring, summer, and fall can often look like targeting top water prey or schools of bait swarming in the shallows. During winter time, this is not the case.

Much of the insect and amphibian population hibernates during the winter, meaning the surface activity is lower. Additionally, the water exposed to the elements on the surface is usually cooler than that of the thermocline, making it so that the bass rarely venture near the surface or shallows unless the sun has warmed it up.

During winter, many bait fish that bass predate upon will find themselves at the bottom of lakes or up in creeks near structures. These bait fish are similarly lethargic to the bass, and their suspended activity doesn’t trigger the predatory instincts of the bass nearly as much as in spring or summer.

Weather

Winter is known for colder temperatures, less sunlight, and snow or ice in many locations throughout the United States. These factors can directly impact anglers’ ability to catch bass in myriad ways.

Cold

The ideal temperature spectrum for bass is water between 61 to 85°F. In this range, bass can spawn and feed unhindered, thriving in their aquatic habitat. The upper and lower ends of the spectrum do see a decrease in activity and bass will seek out deeper water where the variance in temperature is less.

Colder weather induces lethargy, making bass less aggressive and hungry as they stay in the thermocline. With cold weather often comes strong winds blowing cold air over the surface of the water, disturbing the water, polluting the clarity, and dropping the service temperature even further.

Less Sunlight

Because bass are sight predators, the limited amount of sunlight restricts their feeding hours significantly. Depending on the time of year and location in the United States, the difference in sunlight from spring and summer angling could be a few minutes to several hours.

The limited sunlight also reduces plant life and photosynthesis in the water for microorganisms and inhibits the water warming near the surface. Finally, less sunlight means that when there is direct exposure to the sun’s rays, bass will capitalize on this opportunity in colder weather to be comfy near the surface, providing the optimal time for bass anglers to target the upper portions of a water column.

Snow

Many locations throughout the United States face snow in the winter. In such cases, the water temperature drops rapidly with the introduction of ice into the environment. The surface of the water will plummet in temperature, while the thermocline and depths will take longer to change in temperature.

From an environmental standpoint, insects, amphibians, small birds, or mammals that bass may strike on the surface will hunker down on land and wait out the snow. When it’s snowing, it’s not the optimal time to angle for bass because the upper water column will be completely shut down. Anglers are limited to the lower portion of the thermocline, rapidly plummeting in temperature.

Ice

While many anglers may think ice fishing is entirely off the table for bass, that’s untrue. In northern states, bass can be caught beneath the ice regularly, provided the body of water has enough depth to accommodate vast transitioning from the colder upper portion of the water column into the thermocline.

If the lake is frozen, anglers should target the deeper locations that regularly have bass. Because ice is translucent, the surface of the water beneath the ice sheet is susceptible to change from exposure to sunlight. Anglers should target sunny days when ice fishing for bass, as enhanced water clarity and increased sunlight helps the bait stand out for lethargic bass.

4 Stellar Winter Bass Fishing Tips

1. Slow Your Roll

If winter bass fishing could be summarized in a single word, it would be slow. Anglers are required to have an abundance of patience when it comes to winter bass fishing due to the lack of activity and aggression by the fish.

When working a lure, anglers need to slow their retrieve down and present in a fashion that assimilates to the lethargy of the bait fish and bass in the water. Rather than the darting maneuvers or quick start and stop retrieves used during spring, summer, and fall months, winter angling is about presenting the bait to the bass as long as possible to allow it to strike.

2. Right Place, Right Time

The success or failure of a winter bass fishing trip can be decided by as little as place and time. Anglers should try to find days with the mildest weather conditions and target locations exposed to as much sunlight as possible. The more moderate the water and overall temperatures are, the higher the likelihood of increased activity from the bass.

With little cloud cover, the middle of the day can provide a high level of visibility, warmer water, and optimal bass fishing conditions. Additionally, anglers should stick to the basics of bass fishing, such as targeting submerged structures and areas with a high density of bait.

3. Size Matters

No matter what they tell you, size matters. This is especially true when winter bass fishing, as anglers cannot be picky and choosy about which bass they catch. The smaller the bay, the larger spectrum of bass you have a likelihood of catching. Pick baits that match the ecosystem in size, color, and species, and put them out there for the bass.

4. Hit the Bottom

Anglers should target the lower end of the thermocline and the bottom of the water column when fishing for bass during the winter. This is because there is little change in water temperature in these locations, and bass prefer that over the constantly fluctuating surface temperature. It is also where most of the bass will head if they can find structure in deeper water.

This is not to say anglers should try to dredge up mud or silt on the bottom of the lake or pond they are angling in. Instead, look to have the bait 1-6 feet off the bottom, depending on the overall water depth.

Conclusion

While bass fishing is one of the most popular kinds of angling in the US, it takes a hit during the colder months. Anglers are often hung out to dry by their favorite quarry who seem to have given up and vanished at the first sign of cold weather.

However, with the right lure and color combo and understanding bass patterns during the winter, anglers can still rip lips during the coldest time of year. We hope this article helps you fish for bass this winter.

Related: Early Fall Bass Patterns

As always, good luck, and stay safe out on the water.

The post The Best Colors and Baits for Winter Bass Fishing appeared first on Outdoor Empire.

My time as a guide and educator taught me how to take the most popular types of fishing and make them easy to understand. I do this by looking at the big picture, then zooming in on the most popular techniques in each category.

We’re going to look at the types, styles, or methods of fishing as opposed to where people most commonly fish (e.g., freshwater vs. saltwater) or what they fish for (target species).

The most popular types of fishing are lure, bait, and fly fishing. Common fishing methods often vary by region or season, and bowfishing is growing in popularity. Though commercial fishing accounts for most of the fish harvest in the US, there are more people who fish recreationally.

For that reason, we can say that the most popular types of fishing, in terms of how many people practice it, are done recreationally. Let’s dive in and look at some common fishing methods worldwide.

How Many Different Types of Fishing are There?

While we have identified (and will explain) six popular types of fishing along with well over a dozen common fishing methods, these are just those which are particularly popular in developed countries like the US. The actual number of fishing methods cannot be quantified.

Fishing is an activity practiced all over the world. In some places, it’s a sport, but in others, it’s a subsistence activity that people use to feed themselves. The different styles of fishing are nearly endless.

Each species will live in a different area and have a different diet, so we must change our techniques and tools to fit the situation. Rods, nets, pots, spears, and traps are only a few tools used to catch fish, let alone the methods employed to use them.

Most Popular Types of Fishing

The most popular types of fishing are broadly categorized into lure, fly, bait, regional/seasonal, bow, and commercial. However, each of these types has multiple techniques that fishermen and anglers use depending on the kind of water they are fishing and what they are fishing for.

These are the most popular types of fishing and the most effective fishing methods within each category:

1. Lure Fishing – Baitcaster, Float, Clear Plastic Bobber, Snap Jigging, and Topwater
2. Bait Fishing – Bottom, Bobber, and Keiryu
3. Fly Fishing – Traditional fly fishing, Tenkara, Spey Casting, and Euro Nymphing
4. Regional and Seasonal Specialties – Trolling, Centerpin, Ice, and Ayu
5. Bowfishing
6. Commercial Fishing

This list also includes rising and exotic methods of fishing that many people have never heard about.

Lure Fishing Styles

Lure fishing is a form of angling (fishing with a rod and reel) that involves using an artificial bait with a hook (a.k.a. lure) at the end of your line to catch fish. A lure is intended to mimic a fish’s prey and attract it through scent, motion, or sound as it is reeled in or propelled through the water.

Baitcaster Fishing

Baitcasting reels are free-running spools that spin to let out the line. To cast one of these, a person has to “thumb the spool.” Thumbing the spool is a simple way to slow down the spool spin rate.

People who use baitcasting reels like to use them for their accuracy when casting lures under docks or alongside weed edges.

Contrary to popular belief, there is no clear benefit between a baitcasting reel vs. a spinning reel. These reel styles can be used interchangeably for lure and bait fishing, and people’s use of them comes down to personal preference.

Float Fishing

Float fishing involves casting a floating bobber and a lure like a marabou jig or a grub. This keeps the bait higher in the water column.

The bobber can be slowly reeled, left to bob with the waves, or jerked to move the lure.

Clear Plastic Bubble Fly Fishing

Clear plastic bubble fly fishing is a style of spin fishing that lets an angler use weightless fly fishing flies. The bobber is usually made of a clear plastic that is heavily weighted. Some types can be filled with water. The bubble is nearly invisible in the water.

The fly is attached to the bubble using a leader—the fly trails behind it as an angler casts and reels.

This rig is popular for situations where a fly rod is unavailable or you’d like to cast long distances. It’s also popular among folks who want to be able to switch between flies and bait. An angler only needs to change the hook to change the lure or fly.

Snap Jigging Fishing

Snap jigging is a lure fishing technique using a blade bait or jigging rap from a boat. As the boat slowly motors, is pushed by the wind, or flows with the river’s current, you snap the rod tip up and slowly let it drop.

Keeping the lure just off the bottom makes loud vibrations in the water and entices a fish to strike the erratic bait.

Topwater Fishing

Topwater fishing is a technique that utilizes high-floating baits like poppers and frogs to skip or bubble along the surface of the water. Aggressive surface-eating fish like largemouth, smallmouth, and striped bass will attack a surface bait. This style of fishing is visual and very exciting. You never know when a fish will strike!

Bait Fishing Styles

Bait fishing is similar to lure fishing in that it uses a rod, reel, and line with a hook or “rig” at the end designed for targeting a specific kind of fish or environment. Unlike lures that rely primarily on motion and noise to attract fish, bait fishing relies more heavily on scent.

Bait fishing generally involves infrequent casting and reeling. Instead, you let your bait sit stationary or drift with the water’s current and attract fish to come and find it.

Bottom Fishing

Bottom fishing is one of the most popular types of fishing with bait and uses different bottom fishing rigs. This technique lets the worm, minnow, leech, cut bait, or crayfish sit on the bottom of the river, lake, or sea.

Since fish feed primarily on or around the bottom, bottom fishing is a high-producing technique.

Common bottom fishing rigs include:

• Slip sinker
• Fixed sinker
• Pier rig
• Float rig
• Jighead
• Split shot rig

Bobber Fishing

Bobber fishing is a style of fishing using a float to keep your bait suspended in the water column. These floats are broadly split into two groups: fixed and slip bobbers. Fixed bobbers attach to the line at a certain area and cannot move up or down until you change the orientation.

However, slip bobbers freely slide up or down the line and only stop at a “bobber stop,” which is a piece of thread tied onto the fishing line. The bobber stop is easy to adjust and can be put anywhere on the fishing line.

While a fixed bobber has a max depth of about 6 feet or less, slip bobbers can reach depths of 30 feet or more.

Keiryu Fishing

Keiryu refers to a specific kind of cane fishing pole called a keiryu rod, and this technique is gaining popularity. The exciting and unique fishing experience of catching big fish with a cane rod is second to none.

The keiryu rod is a long rod with a thicker backbone meant to fight larger fish. The bait is attached to the hook on the end of a fixed line and dropped into fish-holding areas.

This technique offers a “drag-free” drift meaning the baits can float with the exact speed of the current. This creates a natural look that won’t scare the fish away.

Without a drag-free drift, fish can tell that something is up and may ignore a bait.

Fly Fishing Styles

Fly fishing is also a form of angling, but it uses different equipment and attracts fish differently than lure or bait fishing. It involves a lot more casting of various types, and it generally takes longer to become proficient at it.

The most distinguishing characteristic of fly fishing is the fly at the end of the line, which attempts to mimic insects (or sometimes small animals) that fish prey upon.

Traditional Fly Fishing

Fly fishing’s origins are unclear because many cultures worldwide have historical records of fishing techniques closely resembling the fly fishing we know today. Early fly lines were made out of horse hair, and flies were often tied as a nondescript bundle of feathers and fur.

However, fly fishing in the US and Europe has a clear history all its own.

These days, fly fishing lines are made of special tapered materials so the flies are easier to cast. Since flies are nearly weightless, the fly line is used to cast the lure using specialty casting techniques such as the roll cast and the overhead cast.

Some different styles of fly fishing include:

• Dry fly fishing
• Streamer fishing
• Terrestrial fishing
• Indicator nymphing
• Swing fishing
• Popper fishing

Euro Nymphing

Euro nymphing is a tight-line fly fishing method using specialty lines and a long fly fishing rod. The flies are heavily weighted. An angler holds the rod directly above the water where it is drifting. To adjust depth, the angler only needs to raise or lower the rod tip.

This style of fishing results in a drag-free drift and is gaining in popularity. Instead of watching a strike indicator (a fly fishing bobber), the angler feels the strike with their hand. This technique is highly effective.

Tenkara Fly Fishing

Tenkara fly fishing is a technique originally created to fish mountain streams in Japan. The thick foliage and quickly moving streams would have made fly fishing with conventional gear nearly impossible.

Early anglers devised a special rod made of long bamboo and a single strand of fine hairline they could use to dabble the fly in high-producing holes and pockets. Specialty flies that kept the fly in the water while keeping tension on the line made this technique perfect for these anglers’ home waters.

Many businesses now offer tenkara rods and kits for anglers worldwide.

Spey Casting Fly Fishing

Spey casting was created to cast heavy salmon flies in waters that didn’t have enough casting room for a traditional fly cast.

The Spey rod is a long, two-handed fishing rod that uses a specialty spey cast to launch the fly. The weighted line uses a water load to bend the rod using the surface tension of the water. As it snaps forward, the line is released from a pre-formed coil in the hands.

The flies are then swung through the water and fish are caught, fought, and landed using special techniques unique to Spey casting.

Specialty Fishing Styles

People have developed numerous ways to attract and harvest fish within their specific region or in harsh environments.

You can’t very well fly fish on a frozen lake or river. Enter ice fishing. That’s just one example. Here are a few common fishing methods developed for specific purposes.

Trolling

Trolling is a technique used for fishing from a boat. Lures and live bait are slowly pulled behind a boat as it travels. This means that the hooks are constantly in motion and is a good technique when looking for fish. It lets you cover water and offer the fish different techniques.

When trolling with bait, spinner rigs on bottom bouncers are very common. The bottom bouncer is a heavyweight with a thick wire that sits vertically in the water. The wire warns an angler when they hit bottom and prevents the rig from becoming stuck.

The spinner rig then trails behind the bottom bouncer with a minnow, worm, or leech while a small spinner swirls around the line.

When trolling with lures, common choices include spoons, spinners, and crankbaits that flutter or wobble as the lure is trolled. The fluttering action causes loud vibrations in the water that mimic live fish.

Centerpin Float Fishing

Centerpin fishing is used primarily for salmon fishing on large rivers. It allows precise control over an angler’s drift using long rods and special reels.

The “centerpin fishing reels” are called so because they have no drag system and instead spin freely around a center pin.

This technique usually involves floating specialty bobber rigs with baits like eggs sacs, fake eggs, and even worms and minnows.

Ice Fishing

When the lakes and rivers freeze over, access to the water is sealed off. However, later in the winter months, when the ice reaches at least 4 inches of clear thickness, there is enough ice so a person can safely walk on it.

Ice fishing is done by drilling a hole through the ice using a giant drill called an auger. Baits and lures are dropped straight down the hole.

Like fishing in the summer, there are specialty rods, reels, baits, and lures made just for this activity. Rods are rarely longer than three feet long, and the reels are often made so you hold part of the reel instead of the grip.

Ayu Fishing

Ayu fishing is unique to Japan and is used when targeting a specific species called ayu. The ayu is very territorial and large ayu will head butt smaller ayu if they get too close to their territory. Ayu anglers catch a small ayu, attach a circular ring to the nose, and then a single free-floating hook is attached near the head.

The smaller Ayu is then swung from a long rod into prime ayu territory as bait. When the larger ayu sitting behind a large rock or in a large eddy sees the smaller ayu in its territory, it will body slam the smaller ayu and get caught by the dangling hook.

This technique is very unique to mountainous regions in Japan and is only used when fishing for ayu.

Other Fishing Topics and Their Styles

Then we have fishing methods that evolved from other activities, like hunting.

Bowfishing

Bowfishing involves using a specialty reel setup on a bow and arrow. A special arrow is attached to the string of a bow-mounted reel and allows a person to reel in a fish after it’s been struck by the arrow.

While not considered fishing by most anglers, bow fishing is gaining in popularity among the bowhunting community as a way to practice their bowhunting skills in the off-season.

Darkroom Spearfishing

Spearfishing is a technique that coincides with the ice fishing season.

First, spear anglers will cut a large hole in the ice using a special ice saw. Then, an ice fishing hut is erected over the hole to block the sunlight from above. This increases the water visibility for the spear hunters in the hut.

A decoy or live sucker is dropped into the hole, and the spear hunter waits for a predatory fish like a northern pike, muskie, or walleye to investigate the struggling food source.

When a fish is close enough, the spear hunter throws a heavily weighted spear resembling a pitchfork. They pin the fish to the bottom of the lake and attempt to lift it out. Curved barbs on the end of the spear prevent the fish from sliding off.

Spearfishing

Spearfishing is an underwater snorkeling technique where participants use a pole spear or spear gun to shoot and capture their quarry. This technique is most common near the ocean.

A spear hunter will do long breath holds as they swim in the water looking for prey. They will shoot the fish, lobster, or other species when they see one and swim back to the surface.

Their speargun is often attached to a float on the water’s surface. Some spearguns have an attached reel that can be used to reel in the fish after it’s been shot. This way, the fish can tire itself out, and the spear fisherman can swim back to the prey on the next breath hold.

Commercial Trawling Fishing

Trawling is a method used only by large boats. It involves setting out long nets that are towed behind a boat. When the net is filled with fish, a trawling boat pulls the net to the surface and drops the load in storage and sorting areas on the boat’s deck.

Trawling is very effective. However, it’s so effective that overfishing can decimate a fishery’s health. Special regulations, research, and studies are in place to prevent this.

Conclusion

The most popular types of fishing are broadly categorized into lure, fly, bait, regional, bow, and commercial.

Regardless of the technique and the type of fish, we should always follow ethical fishing practices. Wetting our hands before touching the fish we plan to release is an excellent way to protect their slime coat.

Doing our research and asking folks for help is a simple way to take our skills to the next level. There are so many different fishing styles, it’s fun to try them all!

Types of Fishing FAQs

What is the most common type of fishing?

The most common type of fishing is bait fishing. Bait fishing is the method that most people use when they first start. Bait fishing is also extremely effective around the world for everything from minnows to sharks.

What is the best type of fishing?

The best type of fishing is based on the water and the fish we are targeting. I determine the best type of fishing for each situation by accounting for factors like time of year, type of fish, weather, gear, and many other things.

The best type of fishing is the one that works at the right time and place on your local waters.

Where is fishing the most popular?

There is no single place where fishing is the most popular. Why? Every region that has access to water has a community of anglers.

That said, fishing is very popular along coastal towns and islands. Many inland states with lots of water, like Minnesota, or unique fishing environments like Colorado are home to thriving fishing communities.

The post The Most Popular Types of Fishing (Common Styles & Methods) appeared first on Outdoor Empire.