Fishing has never been more popular, and with proven and documented benefits to mental health and wellbeing, there has never been a better time to spend some time outdoors catching a few fish and sucking in some fresh air. Coarse fishing is by far the most popular arm of the fishing umbrella, but how do you go about fishing for the first time? Don’t worry, let me talk you through everything you need to know and the equipment that you are going to need to enjoy a day’s fishing.
ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT COARSE FISHING!
So, what is coarse fishing? Well, coarse fishing refers to the type of fish that we will be hopefully catching, coarse fish are freshwater fish that do not fall into the Salmonid family (salmon & trout). Many of the coarse fish species will be known to you already, carp, pike, perch, roach, and many more. Coarse fishing anglers return their catch to the water and do not take them away for food. We either unhook the fish and put them back or put them in a purpose-built keepnet if fishing a match, so at the end, we can see who has caught the biggest weight of fish and then put them all back.
So, what do you need to go and enjoy coarse fishing at your local pond or river? Well, very little. It is remarkably easy to get started and with a bit of practice and guidance, you’ll be catching fish in no time.
First up is a licence, available online via the official website here:
https://www.gov.uk/fishing-licences/buy-a-fishing-licence
Beware of other sites that take a commission from sales, only buy from the official GOV website.
Our top tip would be to research your local angling club or commercial fishing lake and enquire about trying fishing for the first time. Many clubs and fisheries are only too happy to show you the ropes and we would even recommend a day or half-day tuition with a professional angling coach to get you started, they can provide all the equipment and get you off and running but you’ll need to kit yourself out once you have been well and truly hooked! The Angling Trust Get Fishing scheme is also worth checking out!
Here at Total Fishing Tackle, we have a fantastic selection of fishing tackle aimed at beginners or those who have not been fishing for some time and are looking to get back into the sport. We also have our team of fishing experts who can provide unbiased and useful advice to ensure you get the exact products you need. Let’s take a look at everything you’ll need to get out there catching fish!
Fishing rod and reel OR a whip. No not that kind of whip! A whip is a short pole but has no fishing reel. The line is attached to the end of the whip and you simply swing the float out into the water and lift it straight up and out when you catch a fish. No reel equals no tangles and whips are great for youngsters who are giving fishing a go. Check out the Guru A Class Whip & Rig for just £14.99.
A small landing net should you hook anything bigger that is too heavy to swing into the bank, simply scoop the fish up in the net and you can safely unhook the fish and return it. Take a look at the Maver Signature Hyperlite Landing Net and the matching 3m or 4m handle to go with it.
I thoroughly recommend a chair with a backrest to save your back from getting strained - we like the Wychwood Tactical X Chair as you can have the option of armrests and adjustable legs.
You’ll need a bag to carry all your bits and pieces, a rucksack works best, and we would suggest something like the Drennan Specialist 30-litre Rucksack, which is mega comfortable to carry and will hold all the essentials in a multitude of pockets.
Bait-wise, you can do no wrong with a pint of maggots, a tin of sweetcorn for putting on the hook and a bag of ground bait for attracting fish into your swim. The ready-made ground bait from Fjuka is brilliant and requires no preparation, just pour some into a tub and off you go - check it out here!
Lastly, you’ll need some spare floats, line, weights and hooks. All of these can be found in our End Tackle Section of the website. Feel free to pop into the onsite shop and our staff will help you make the right choices.
Your kit list is below, feel free to screenshot this and take it with you when ordering on the website!
KIT LIST
- Guru A Class Whip comes with a rig ready to go!
- Landing Net in case you land a whopper.
- A Good Chair don't let a bad back ruin your day.
- Some Bait a tub of maggots and some groundbait.
- Rucksack to hold all the items safely and securely.
- Rod Licence mandatory for everyone over 13.