For beginners and amateur anglers, walking into a tackle shop can feel like walking into a labyrinth. Rows of spinning rods. Reels in every size imaginable. Fly rods with four-digit price tags mounted like art. The problem isn’t usually a lack of options—it’s too many of them.
“[Buying a rod and reel] feels so overwhelming because there are so many choices and price tags,” says Max Hogg, a fishing guide at the Hungry Trout Fly Shop in Wilmington, New York. The solution, he says, isn’t buying the “best” fishing gear—it’s buying the right fishing gear. And an easy place to start is by knowing the water you’re fishing in and species you’re chasing.
“Location can definitely play a big part of the rod you buy,” says Hogg. “The second decision you must make is the size of the fish you are targeting—this might force you to buy a specialized setup. In the mountains chasing four-inch brook trout, you will need a tiny spin or fly rod to catch those little gems. If you are targeting bull redfish that are 40 inches long, you will need a heavy set-up.”
Of course, the type of fishing you’re doing—spin fishing versus fly fishing—will impact your choice of gear, too. But once you’ve figured out the technique you want to try, you can match your equipment to the water and the class of fish you’re chasing. More on how to do all of that below.
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