The following tips for beginners on fishing equipment is the second part of a two part article on advice for those looking to start fishing around South Africa. This information touches on help with rods and reels whereas the other information on hooks and line can be found here. We hope this advice helps you getting started and set up with your tackle and out on the dams, rivers or lakes to catch some decent freshwater fish around the country.
Fishing rods are first as our tips for beginners on equipment and tackle and the function of them is to cast out the bait, to strike and play the fish. For good casting a rod should be flexible enough to bend with the force of the cast and have enough backbone to accelerate the speed of the bait as it springs straight again. During the playing of the fish the rods function is to act as a shock absorber when the fish makes sudden rushes which could break the line or tear the hook out. There are many reasonably priced rods available at tackle shops around the country but do not go for the cheapest one you can find. Visit a shop that employs fishermen first and salesmen second, these are the guys to give you the most helpful and real advice.
The fishing reel is a storage place for extra line and the ease in which it gives this line during a cast or how easily it is controlled when playing a big fish are important points to consider. For ease of casting and playing a fish the fixed spool reel is by far the most efficient for a beginner to use but it cannot be denied that a simple revolving spool reel without a mechanical drag is far more thrilling to use and makes the playing of a fish a far more personal thing for the fisherman. The reel should be capable of holding at least 200 metres of 4.5kg nylon or 300 metres of 2.7kg nylon so that in the event of a large fish being hooked after a long cast has been made the angler has ample line left to play it on. We hope that these articles have helped give you some tips for beginners on fishing equipment and contributed towards an ultimate first fishing experience.