To catch fish consistently, anglers need to know some things about the fish they pursue and the habitat where those fish reside. A prepared angler is often a successful angler, so you can use a chart to help you decide what to bring on your next fishing trip. For more preparation, you should know common catches and their usual haunts. And in case you ever catch a whopper, you can compare it to the world record holders according to the International Game Fish Association.
© Alexey Yudenkov / Shutterstock.comOutfitting your fishing trip with the right equipment and clothing
No one checklist works for every fishing trip, as there are many variables to consider. Are you fishing saltwater or freshwater? What species are you fishing for? What’s the weather like? What season is it? Are you fishing from a boat or the bank?
This table is a broad list of things necessary for most trips, arranged in order from most to least crucial. Go through this list before each venture, skipping items that aren’t relevant for a particular trip. It should help you remember many of the items you need!
| Fishing Equipment | General Equipment | Clothing |
|---|---|---|
| Rods/reels | First-aid kit | Life jacket |
| Tackle carrier containing all your terminal tackle, as well as your lures and flies |
Camera | Foul-weather waterproof bag containing rainsuit, knit hat, gloves, and dry socks) |
| Line clippers | Meals and snacks | Polarized sunglasses |
| Needlenose pliers | Insect repellant | Baseball cap |
| Towel (for drying hands after catching fish) | Flashlight or headlamp | Waterproof boots |
| Cooler containing bait (keep livebait cool and dry, and keep minnows cool and wet) |
Cooler containing (nonalcoholic) beverages | Deck shoes |
| Landing net | Thermos | Gloves |
| Extra spool of line | GPS unit or compass | Waders or hip boots |
| Measuring tape | Knife or multitool | Fleece jacket |
| Castnet or seine if you plan to gather bait | Lighter or matches in waterproof case | Shirt – SPF fabric and longsleeved |
| Mouth spreader if you’re fishing for species with teeth |
Sunscreen | Shirt – SPF fabric and shortsleeved |
| Weight scale | Hand sanitizer | Long underwear |
| Hand warmers | Convertible pants (pants with zippered legs, making instant shorts) |
|
| Plastic bags | Socks | |
| 25 feet of small-diameter rope | ||
| Seat, bucket, or cushion | ||
| Toilet paper |
Matching up the fish, the water, and the offering
Almost every sizable body of water, providing it isn’t too polluted, will have some fish in it. Whether the fish have been stocked there, or appear through natural reproduction, there’s a good chance more than one species is present.
The following table lists a few common species of fish and provides typical habitats for them, as well as bait, lures, and flies that often trigger them to bite. Of course, these fish can be found in other habitats and will hit other offerings in addition to those listed.
| Fish | Water | Offering |
|---|---|---|
| Freshwater Fish | ||
| Bluegill | Ponds, lakes, and reservoirs | Worms, crickets, and small spinners |
| Largemouth bass | Ponds, lakes, and reservoirs | Spinnerbaits, crankbaits, and soft plastics |
| Smallmouth bass | Streams and rivers | Jigs, crankbaits, and topwaters |
| Channel catfish | Ponds, reservoirs, and rivers | Nightcrawlers and cutbait |
| Crappie | Ponds, reservoirs, and lakes | Minnows, spinners, and jigs |
| Northern pike | Cooler lakes and rivers | Spoons, crankbaits, and spinners |
| Rainbow trout | Cooler streams and deep lakes | Flies and spinners |
| Walleye | Cooler rivers and lakes | Jigs, crankbaits, and nightcrawlers |
| Saltwater Fish | ||
| Summer flounder | Bays, harbors, and estuaries | Jigs, shrimp, and cutbait |
| Red drum | Shallow bays, flats, and estuaries | Crankbaits, jigs, and cutbait |
| Weakfish | Shallow bays and marshes | Shrimp, jigs, and spoons |
| Bluefish | Bays, warm estuaries, and beaches | Spoons, crankbaits, and jigs |
| Snook | Warm lagoons, mangrove swamps, and estuaries | Crankbaits, livebait, and topwaters |
| Tarpon | Estuaries and mangrove bays | Livebait, spoons, and crankbaits |
| Yellowtail snapper | Coral reefs | Cutbait and squid |
| Goliath grouper | Rocky ledges, reefs, and wrecks | Livebait, cutbait, and squid |
Matching your fishing rod, lure, and line
Your fishing rod has a limit to how much weight it can lift and cast effectively. This is called the “power” of the rod. Anglers can use this chart as a guide to match up the right rod, lure weight, and line size for the right balance.
| Rod Power | Lure Weight | Line Size |
|---|---|---|
| Ultralight | 1–4 lb test | 1/64–1/16 oz |
| Light | 4–8 lb test | 1/16–1/4 oz |
| Medium Light | 6–10 lb test | 1/4–1/2 oz |
| Medium | 8–12 lb test | 1/2–1 oz |
| Medium Heavy | 12–25 lb test | 1–4 oz |
| Heavy | 20–40 lb test | 4–8 oz |
| Extra Heavy | 25 lb test and above | 8 oz and above |
Keeping up with fishing world records
The International Game Fish Association (IGFA) keeps track of world record catches for almost every species of fish you can think of. Do you think you just hauled in the next record catch? It could happen! If your fish beats the current record, get it registered at the nearest tackle shop. Then wait for those endorsements to come piling in.
| Fish | Weight | Where and When It Was Caught |
|---|---|---|
| Bluefish | 31 lb 12 oz | Hatteras, North Carolina; January 30, 1972 |
| Brown Trout | 42 lb 1 oz | Oahu Canal, New Zealand; July 27, 2013 |
| Largemouth Bass | 22 lb 4 oz | Tied: Montgomery Lake, Georgia; June 2, 1932 Lake Biwa, Shiga, Japan; July 2, 2009 |
| Blue Catfish | 143 lb. | Kerr Lake, Buggs Island, Virginia; June 18, 2011 |
| Northern Pike | 55 lb 1 oz | Lake of Grefeern, Germany; October 16, 1986 |
| Bluegill | 4 lb 12 oz | Ketona Lake, Alabama; April 9, 1950 |
| Tarpon | 286 lb 9 oz | Rubane, Guinea-Bissau; March 20, 2003 |
| Walleye | 25 lb | Old Hickory Lake, Tennessee; April 1, 1960 |
| Weakfish | 19 lb 12 oz | Staten Island, New York; May 7, 2008 |