Basic Fishing Book

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Kentucky Department ofFish and Wildlife Resources

BASICCatch the Fishing Fever


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Welcome to the world o shing. You are about to join theranks o thousands o like-minded anglers some o the bestconservationists on earth. Each o them started right where

you are todayas a beginner. You will learn rom experience and romriends and amily. You will share lietime memories with them.Parents realize how important time management has become.

Families must plan to enjoy amily activities and events. You arebeginning an activity that takes practice and patience to becomesuccessul. Try to keep this in mindshing is a lie-long sportingchallenge. It is one you will be able to pass to your children and uturegenerations. It is time well spent.

Fish is denitely good ood, and time spent with amily is atreasure, but time spent shing is also healthy or you. Stress is a majoractor in todays world, and stress relie can not be better dened thana days shing. Fishing also helps each individual develop a sense ostewardship or aquatic resources that support sh and responsibilityto maintain a healthy environment.

Youll enjoy shing. The inormation in this book will help you

nd the shing gear you will need. Dont orget your positive attitude,riendly nature, and a good riend. Youll soon nd that you arehooked on a lietime o enjoyment.

Jon GassettCommissioner, Kentucky Department o

Fish & Wildlie Resources


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Alabama Division o Wildlieand Freshwater Fisheries,Alabama Department o Conservationand Natural Resourceswww.conservation.alabama.gov/agfd

Originally created by:Doug Darr

Alabama AquaticEducation Coordinator

Revised by:Lonnie Nelson

Kentucky AquaticEducation Coordinator

(retired)

Kentucky Department oFish and Wildlie Resources1-800-858-1549www.fw.ky.gov

Revised 2010

BASICFISHINGA Cooperative Program o the


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FOREWORDThis written inormation is adapted rom the work o Doug Darr o

the Alabama Division o Wildlie and Freshwater Fisheries. It has been

edited or use in Kentucky with photographs replacing drawings wher-ever possible. This edition is intentionally created state ree so other

states can use it without extensive editing. In the original Alabama

version, many individuals and state Fish and Wildlie departments

contributed. This only emphasizes the act that shing and the stew-

ardship o our natural resources are national passions, not restricted to

any state or agency.

For the Kentucky version, I am thankul or the guidance receivedrom ellow employees John Boone, Inormation & Education Division,

on computer layout, Bonny Lafin, Fisheries Division, or stimulating

the internet page, and all Directors who supported this endeavor.

This brochure and web site entry is unded by Sportsh Restora-

tion unds. Fishery management, aquatic education and boating access

programs are not unded through general tax money. Fishery manage-

ment and aquatic education are unded by anglers through licenseees and an excise tax on the purchase o shing equipment. Boating

access projects are unded by an excise tax on gasoline.

This material is intended to be used by not-or-prot organizations.

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TABLE OF CONTENTSForeword ---------------------------------------------------------------- iTable o Contents ---------------------------------------------------- iiIntroduction ----------------------------------------------------------- 2Saety Equipment ----------------------------------------------------- 3Basic Fishing Skills ---------------------------------------------------- 4Section 1.TACKLE --------------------------------------------------- 4

Fishing Pole Selection ------------------------------------------ 4Assembly --------------------------------------------------------- 6

Knot Tying -------------------------------------------------------- 6Section 2.CASTING PRACTICE --------------------------------- 9Body Position ---------------------------------------------------- 9Beginning Casting -------------------------------------------- 10Advanced Casting -------------------------------------------- 11

Section 3.FISHING TECHNIQUES --------------------------- 12Choosing Appropriate Tackle ------------------------------- 12

Adjusting the Drag ------------------------------------------- 14Holding the Pole --------------------------------------------- 14Retrieving ------------------------------------------------------ 14Setting the Hook --------------------------------------------- 14Playing the Fish ----------------------------------------------- 15

Section 4.GOING FISHING ----------------------------------- 15Think Saety --------------------------------------------------- 15

Choosing Where to Fish ------------------------------------ 16What Fish Live Here? --------------------------------------- 18Choosing Bait ------------------------------------------------- 20

Section 5.CARING FOR THE CATCH ------------------------ 21Catch and Release ------------------------------------------- 21Catch and Keep ---------------------------------------------- 22Cleaning Your Catch ----------------------------------------- 23

Final Touches or Fillets --------------------------------------- 29Caring or Cleaned Fish ------------------------------------- 29

Glossary ------------------------------------------------------------- 30Ethics ------------------------------------------------------------------ BC

BASIC FISHING

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2 -BASIC FISHING

INTRODUCTION

This short course is designed to give basicshing knowledge to those with limited sh-ing experience and to stimulate anglers to learnmore. The objective is to help the new anglerhave saer and more enjoyable shing trips. Oncethey learn the undamentals, Basic Fishing will bea handy reerence as beginning anglers move or-

ward in shing. Numbered pictures are presentedwith the text. A glossary o shing terms is ound

on the inside back cover.


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Safety EquipmentWhen people are learning a new activity, personal saety has to be

the rst consideration. Saety equipment includes: Personal Floatation Device (PFD) or lie jackets. While PFDs must be

readily available or each person on a boat, they are equally im-portant when you are shing rom shore. PFDs are strongly recom-mended or all anglers when shing near deep or swit water. Ileading a group o youngsters in these conditions, they should bemandatory.

Throwable foatation with a rope attached is recommended i sev-eral new anglers are shing in the same area.

Suntan lotion with a minimum SPF 15 is recommended. Insect repellent and medicine may be needed or stings or bites. Sunglasses protect the eyes rom glare and rom errant sh hooks. A hat protects the wearer rom fying lures. Wear appropriate clothes and protective gear or anticipated weather.


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Basic Fishing SkillsParticipants who use this inormation will be introduced to the vari-

ous types o equipment, tackle, and learning experiences. Ater learninghow to assemble the shing equipment and stringing the line, budding

anglers will experience knot tying and simple techniques used to cast.They will then learn to hook appropriate bait to catch common sh. Inall cases, we hope these lessons lead to shing adventures.

As you plan to go shing, you need to know where to place yourbait. Habitat eatures that typically attract sh will be described. Wecertainly hope you catch sh, so sh handling, cleaning and preparationo the catch will also be discussed.

Section 1. TACKLEFishing tackle is the connection between the angler and the sh.

The shing tackle is necessary both to get the lure or bait to the shand to get the sh to the angler.

A. Fishing Pole Selection

Fishing poles are named or the reel (or lack o reel) that holds theshing line. Each type o shing reel has an appropriate shing rod thatgoes with it.

1. Pole and Line. (Figure 1). The simplest gear is a pole with shing lineattached to the end. It is used with a foat and hook or lure. Thisgear is simple yet very eective or sh in shallow water.

2. Spincast Gear. (Figure 2). Spincast gear, a simple rod with a reel,is usually the appropriate rod and reel or beginning anglers. Theshing line comes out o a hole in the reel cover. The thumb buttonreleases the line or stops the line rom going too ar. Spincast gear isused to cast light to medium size lures.

3. Spinning Gear. (Figure 3). Spinning reels can cast arther thanspincast gear. The shing line on a spinning reel is exposed, and theindex nger is used to release the line and to control the line. Vari-ous spinning gear is used or casting very light to heavy lures.

4. Baitcast Gear. (Figure 4). Baitcast gear has more control than spin-ning gear. In a casting reel, the shing line rotates the spool as theline comes o the spool. During the cast, the thumb is used torelease the line and or control. Bait casting gear is used to castmoderate to very heavy weights arther than other reels.


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5. Fly. (Figure 5).A fy rod works dierently than other rods. In fy sh-ing the lure is carried by the line instead o the lure carrying theline. The fy rod casts very light lures typically made o eathers, uror bers. Fly shing is not dicult, but it normally takes training and

practice to learn properly.

1 5

4

3

2

(Figures 1-5)


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B. AssemblyWhen you buy a new shing pole, it usually requires assembly.

Remove all parts rom the package. Put the sections o the rod together with all guides lined up in a

straight line. Dierent reels attach in dierent ways. Loosen the attachment de-

vice and place the reel into the seat o the rod with ront o the reelpointed toward the guides.

Tighten the attachment device snugly but do not use too muchpressure, as plastic parts may break or threads will strip.

Some reels come without line. Follow package directions i lineneeds to be added.

Release line rom reel and thread line through all guides. Attach appropriate tackle or intended shing or casting.

C. Knot TyingTying quality knots is the single most important skill that should

be learned. A knot that connects the hook or lure to your line is themost important knot to learn. There are several that work well, such

as Improved Clinch, Palomar, Uni, and Surgeon knots. This pamphletwill describe these knots with diagrams or tying them.

Other knots are used or special purposes such as connectingshing lines together. When you buy shing line, maintain the manu-acturers pamphlet in your tackle box. You should pick a avorite knotand master the skill o tying it.

Improved Clinch KnotThe improved clinch knot is a basic knot or beginning anglers to usewith monolament line. To tie an improved clinch knot:

1. pass the linethrough the eyeo the hook,

2. makeve turnsaround thestanding

end o theline (moreor lighterline),

Standingend:

Lineleadingback

topoleorrod

Tagend:Endo

fshingline

1

2


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3. pass the tag end through the tear droploop above eye,

4. pass the tag end through the big loop,5. moisten the line and slide the knot tight

against the eye.

Palomar KnotThe palomar knot is also a good knot or beginning anglers, as it isstrong and easy to tie. To tie a palomar knot:1. double about 4 inches o line and pass loop through hook or lure

eye, (or small openings, pass line through, then pass through in op-posite direction creating the loop)

2. tie an overhand knot with loop and doubled line,3. pass hook or lure completely through line loop, and4. moisten line and pull knot tight against the eye.

3

54

1 2

3 4


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Uni-KnotThe uni knot is a third option. It is a very reliable knot or tying hooksto line or fies to leaders. To tie the uni knot:1. pass the line through the eye o the hook,2. pull 5-6 inches through the eye and orm a loop above the standing

line,3. take the tag end around the standing line and inside the loop our

to ve times,4. bring the tag end out the top o the loop,5. pull on the standing line to tighten the knot.

REMEMBER!

Standingend:Lineleading

backtopoleorrodTagend:Endoffishingline

Surgeons End Loop

The surgeons end loop is used to tie aloop at the end o a shing line. To tiea surgeons end loop:1. double about 4 inches o line and

tie an overhand knot with it,

12

3

4

5

1


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Section 2. CASTING PRACTICE(Group activity explained, works for individuals)

A. Body positionBeore using a shing rod, new anglers should understand bodyposition and hand and arm action. Start with casters eet and shoulders square to the target. This is ac-

complished by having them point the toes o both eet at the targetarea.

Next, toss a tennis or ping pong ball overhand (action similar tothrowing a dart) a ew eet or accuracy (hit my hand). Make sure

they keep their shoulders square.This is the desired body and arm action or accurate casting. Re-

lease o the ball is at a similar position as thumb release when casting.Now transition to shing rods, with spincast rods recommended.

For all knots, when

the knot is complete,cut the tag end cleanlyabout inch from theknot and discard the

tag end properly.

2. bring doubled endthrough the loop onceagain, and

3. hold both the stand-

ing end and tag endand pull loop totighten knot.

2

3


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B. Beginning CastingWhen learning to cast a shing pole or the rst time, it is recom-

mended to have new anglers tie on a casting plug without hooks,using newly learned knots.

As saety is an important habit to establish, each person shouldcheck the immediate area around and above him/her to be sureeach caster has plenty o space.

Reel in line so casting plug hangs a ew inches rom the tip othe rod.

Line all casters across the casting area. Have all anglers point the shing rod at an object on the horizon

with the hands comortably at the waist. (Some youth may have di-culty holding the pole with one hand, so the rod may be held withone hand or two.) This is the 3 oclock position.

Have each caster raise the rodto 1:30 clock position (normalrelease point), push the pushbutton with their thumb, and

practice sliding thumb o thebutton (release the line). I linedoes not come out, pull lineslightly to start. Reel the plugback to original position, a ewinches rom the tip. Repeat asnecessary.

When ready to cast, the castersshould slowly move the rods topoint them slightly behind theshoulder o the casting arm, the11 oclock position. Hands should

be slightly above and in ront othe shoulder with orearms nearlystraight up and down. Hold thisposition momentarily to concen-trate.


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With the thumb o thecasting arm, push and

hold the push button onthe reel. To cast, the handshould go up slightly andorward as the caster ex-tends the arm.

By rotating the wrist,move the rod back towardthe 3 oclock position in a

quick motion, extendingthe arm orward.

Slide the thumb o thebutton at the same pointas they originally releasedthe ball (approximately 1:30 clock position).

Stop the shing rod with itpointed slightly above theoriginal target.

C. Advanced CastingWhen anglers advance rom spincasting to spinning or baitcast-

ing, the overhead cast is the easiest cast with which to start. However,ater mastering basic casting with each type o equipment, the anglerneeds to vary the position o the rod or dierent situations. Advancedcasting can include a quick transition rom 3 oclock to 11 oclock andback orward (constant motion) to add the rods catapult action.

If the lure went toohigh and fell short, anglerreleased the button too

soon. If the lure went toolow and fell short, the but-ton was released too late.


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A. Choosing Appropriate TackleTerminal tackle is the tackle between the sh and the rod.

Hooks. Hooks keep sh attached to your line.Hooks must be kept sharp. Hooks come in

many sizes and types. Ask your bait andtackle dealer what is appropriate or thespecies you are trying to catch and thebait you are using. The size shing line orleader you are using should be dependent

on the size hook you are using. I you getnibbles, but you are not catching them, switch

to a smaller hook.

Section 3. FISHING TECHNIQUES

Floats. Floats are used to keepbaits o the bottom and to assist with

detecting a bite. The foat should bejust large enough to do the job; i thefoat is too large, the sh will eel itand may not become hooked.

Weights or Sinkers. Only enough weightshould be used to cast the bait and keep it

at the desired depth. More weight will beneeded in windy weather or swit water. Toprevent losing a sh, weights should be at-

tached careully, especially when they clamp onthe shing line directly between the hook and the angler.

Snaps and swivels. Most hooks and lures aremore eective without snaps or snap-swivels at-tached. Crank baits (wobbling lures) are the ex-ception. I you are trying a variety o lures, a smallbut strong snap will make changing lures easier. Aswivel or three-way swivel can be used to attach adropper that keeps bait or lures o the bottom.


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Other tackle that is helpul in shing (Figure 10) includes a tacklebox to hold all equipment. A sharpening stone keeps hooks andknives sharp. A lure retriever rees lures. A rag keeps your handsclean. Fingernail clippers or scissors saely cut shing line. A pair o

long nose pliers with wire cutters is useul or holding and removingsh hooks.A sh basket keeps smaller sh alive until you nish your shing

trip. Some anglers land sh with a net ater they are hooked; landingnets are more critical or large sh, sh with spines such as catsh,and sh with sharp teeth such as musky, sauger and walleye. A coolerwith ice keeps your catch resh. A thin, fexible llet knie makes iteasier to clean sh. An inch ruler measures sh to veriy legal length.

An anglers diary helps you become a better angler by reminding youo how sh were caught, what the weather was like, and what the shwere eating.

Figure 10. Tackle that is helpul to the beginning angler: (a) stringersor foating sh baskets can help keep sh resh, (b) bait containers, (c)tackle box, (d) a landing net is useul with large sh, (e) a llet knie isdesigned specically or sh, () long nose pliers are a useul all-aroundtool, (g) nger nail clippers or clipping line.

c

b

g

f

a

d

e


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B. Adjusting the DragSee the reel diagram or your reel to nd the drag adjustment.

There are two ways to adjust the drag. One is to tighten the drag(toward the + sign) until the line can be pulled directly rom the reel

with some resistance. (I a riend is helping, have him/her pull linerom the pole, while you hold the pole as i ghting a sh). The otherway is to use a weight that is equal to 1/3 the tensile strength o yourline. Attach the weight to the line as i shing and adjust the drag untilthe weight can just be lited rom the foor with the pole.

D. RetrievingThis is the act o bringing a bait

or lure back to the angler (Figure12). Ater casting, live and prepared

bait are oten let in one spot untilretrieved. Some baits and most arti-cial lures are most eectively pre-sented while retrieving. The retrievecan be slow or ast; it can be steadyor erratic.

E. Setting the HookOnce the sh bites the lure, the hook must be pulled into the shto hold the sh. I using barbed hooks, pull hard enough to pull thebarb into the jaw. Then the sh can be brought to the angler (Figure13). When the sh bites, the shing rod should be quickly pulled up to

C. Holding the PoleEvery pole has a balance point (ul-

crum) with the reel and lure attached (Fig-ure 11). I the angler holds the pole at thispoint, leverage to ght the sh is greaterthan when the pole is held behind thispoint. This also allows the angler to placethe end o the pole (butt end) against thebelt to ght larger sh.

balance point (fulcrum)

Figure 11

Figure 12


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set the hook into the sh. The orce needed to set the hook dependson the rod, line, species o sh, and the lure or bait used. For example,a crappie caught on a light line and minnows will need only a gentleliting o the rod to set

the hook. A bass angler,shing with heavier lineand the hook buried in aplastic worm, will needa vigorous rod sweep toorce the hook throughthe worm and into thebony mouth o a bass.

F. Playing the FishAter setting the hook,

the line should be kepttight so the sh will notshake the hook loose. Theshing rod should be held

between a 10 oclockand a 12 oclock position.

Allow the rod to ght thesh. Properly adjusteddrag will allow the line torelease prior to breaking. Large sh must be moved by a pumping ac-tion; a large sh is repeatedly pulled toward the angler with the rod.

Ater pulling the rod to the 12 oclock position to move the sh, reelin the shing line to maintain a tight line as the rod is lowered back tothe 10 oclock position.

Section 4. GOING FISHINGA. Think Safety

When taking a new person shing, it is important they have anenjoyable experience. Thereore, nd a pond, lake or stream that issae and easily shed. As they learn and advance their skills, new chal-lenges can be introduced; however, always include the saety equip-ment required or the new situation.

Figure 13


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B. Choosing Where to FishSome shing areas are better than others. The quality o sh-

ing depends upon the waters productivity, the sh species present,and the size o the sh present. Productive water has more sh than

unproductive water; up to a point, the greener the water is, the moreproductive the water. In some waters, undesirable sh compete withdesirable sh. Fishing is better in a lake with a high proportion o theright size sh. Check the shing orecast or predicted hot spots.

Habitat is the key to sh survival, and shing near habitat willresult in more bites. Stumps, weed beds, and man-made sh attrac-tors are all good examples o sh habitat. During summer, sh can beound near shing or boating docks, as they preer shaded areas.

In streams and rivers, anglers ocus on rifes, the swit areas thatbring ood into the deep, slower portions. Fish congregate in this area

and eed more actively as water begins to rise and carry more ood.Also you should try areas that sh use or resting. Fish rest in areaswhere the current is slowed by rocks, trees or in eddies near the switwater.

Current attracts sh in reservoirs as well as in streams. Currentfow rates are higher under bridges; thereore, bank shing romhighway bridge approaches or near bridges rom a boat can be good.Saety should be a top priority in these bank areas, including the useo lie jackets.

The areas below dams are called tailwaters. As sh migrate upriver to spawn, they sometimes encounter a dam. Since many sh aremigrating together, sh are concentrated. Fishing can be very good

farm ponds


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at specic times o the year. Caution should be used in these areas,including the use o lie jackets. I shing these areas rom a boat,maintain appropriate distance rom the discharge areas or saety and

as required by law.

1. Private Waters. Private ponds, streams and rivers are otenexcellent places to sh. The permission o the owner is required to shwater when you are walking on private property. A ew simple courte-

city lakes

streams


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1 -BASIC FISHING

sies will help you get invited back. I you desire to keep any sh rom a stocked pond, ask how many,

what species, and what size sh you may keep. Ask the owner i they would like any o your catch. Ask beore you bring anyone with you. Do not litter. Close all gates behind you. Report any problems immediately to the owner.

2. Public Waters. Larger lakes are normally managed by publicentities such as the Army Corps o Engineers, Tennessee Valley Author-ity, state wildlie agency or perhaps a power company. Public access

points allow anglers boating and shing access. For more inormationcontact the inormation division o your state sh and wildlie agency.

C. What Fish Live Here?Most ponds have a combination o large-

mouth bass, bluegill, redear sunsh, and chan-nel catsh. Larger lakes will have more variety.

Streams and rivers will have many o the na-tive shes, plus a ew introduced species.

Bluegill

tailwaters


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Check the shidentication

booklet rom yourstate sh and

wildlie agency tond the proper

habitat to sh or agiven species.

Rock Bass

Pumpkinseed

Largemouth

Bass

Smallmouth

Bass


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D. Choosing BaitEvery angler has a avorite bait or lure to catch sh. It works be-

cause that lure is on the line most oten. By sharing inormation withnew anglers, we help them be successul while learning the variety o

shing techniques.Live bait simulates ood items that sh normally eat. Bait that isalive and moving ater you hook it will catch more sh. Some bait isavailable year-round and some is seasonal. See your states sh IDbook or ideas on what baits work or which sh.

Meal worm - Insert a size 6 - 8 hook into theunderside o the meal worm (note tiny legs)near one end. Run the hook inside and bringthe point o the hook out near the oppositeend.

Red worm - Run the hook, usually a size 6 - 8,through the worm about inch rom oneend. Go through the worm about every inch

leaving inch wriggling at the other end.

Night crawler - Use larger hooks, such as size 2.Can either be hooked like a red worm or in onespot only. To give the worm a natural look, runthe hook inside the worm to hide the shank andbarely bring the point o the hook through theskin o the worm.

Minnow - Size o hook varies depending on sizeo minnow and target sh. Two methods: 1.Run hook through both lips o the minnow.2. Run hook through the back behind the dorsal(top) n (be careul not to pierce the spine).

Cricket - Use a size 8, long shank hook. Lookingat the back o the cricket, run the point o thehook under the sheath behind the head. Bringthe point o the hook out behind the sheath.


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Articial lures - I you donot want to use live bait, you

can select rom a variety oarticial lures.

Section 5. CARING FOR THE CATCHBeore your shing trip begins, you should plan how you will care

or your catch. The decision to catch and release or keep should bemade beore you catch your rst sh.

A. Catch and ReleaseI the decision is to release sh, all sh should be handled as little

as possible and sh should be returned to the water as quickly as pos-sible. The best method is to hold the sh in the water, reach to the shand remove the hook with needle nose pliers (Figure 14). I you needto remove the sh rom thewater, return it as quickly aspossible. In warmer water,moving the sh back andorth with water entering

the mouth will help thesh recover more quickly.However, in some cases, shcaught rom deep in a lake(cool water) can not swimback down to the cool waterdue to air bladder expan-

sion. They may not survivei released in warm suracewater, and anglers shouldconsider keeping legal shrather than releasing them.

Figure 14


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B. Catch and Keep.Anglers who choose to keep and eat the sh they catch should

reer to their states annual shing guide or the latest updates oncreel and size limits plus sh comsumption advisories. By knowing

how many sh you intend to keep and what size (selective release),you can plan or other equipment. Many sh are kept in foating shbaskets or on stringers; however these work best in cooler weather.In warmer water, sh tend to die quickly due to stress rom heat androm being caught. All sh are best when they are kept resh on ice.To keep your cooler clean and to keep sh out o the water, use aplastic bag to isolate your catch.


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C. Cleaning Your Catch.Ater you leave the water with your catch, you want to properly

prepare it or eating. There are two dierent ways to clean your catch:lleting and dressing.

1. Filleting (Figures 15-19) involves cutting the edible part o the shaway rom the inedible part; no bones are let in the edible portion.

2. Dressing (Figures 20-22) implies taking o parts that cannot beeaten, and most bones are let with the edible portion. Some sh, likecatsh, have a skin that must be removed (Figures 23 and 24). Othersh have to be scaled with a knie or a spoon (Figure 20).

Figure 15. Filleting sh, such as bass, removes all bones rom themeat. To llet a bass, place the sh on its side on a rm, fat surace.Make a cut behind the gill plate rom the top o the sh to the bellyand into the fesh to the backbone. Do not cut through the backbone.

FILLETING


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Figure 17. Flip the llet over, skin side down, and insert the bladebetween the skin and the meat.

Figure 16. Without removing the knie turn the blade toward thetail, cut through the ribs, and continue on the tail, closely ollowing thebackbone as a guide. Do not cut through the skin completely at thetail, but leave a hal to one inch intact.


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Figure 18. With a sawing motion, ollow the inside o the skinclosely with the blade and cut the meat away rom the skin.

Figure 19. Cut the ribs away rom the skinless llet. Repeat thesteps or the other side o the sh.


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Figure 20. Small sh, such as bream (sunsh), are usually dressed.Dressing a sh leaves some o the bones in the meat, but less meat is

lost during the cleaning process.

DRESSING

Figure 21. To dress a small sh, place the sh on its side on a rm,fat surace. Use one hand to hold it in place by the head. Scrape thescales rom the tail toward the head by using a sh scaler, spoon, ordull knie. Remove the scales on both sides o the body.


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Figure 22. Use a llet knie to cut along both sides o the dorsal n.Grasp the dorsal n and pull orward to remove. Spines should pullout with n. Repeat process to remove the anal n and spines.

Figure 23. Cut o the head immediately behind the gills and removethe organs. Wash in cold, clean water. The sh is now ready to reezeor cook.


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Figure 24. Some sh,such as catsh, areusually skinned. Toskin a catsh, rst

remove the spinesto prevent punctureo a hand or nger.Cut through the skinaround the head andpectoral ns. Do notpenetrate the bodycavity.

Figure 25. Using a pair o pliers, pull the skin away rom the meat,working rom the head toward the tail. Break or cut the head

away rom the backbone and remove the internal organs.

Figure 26. The nished product, ready or the skillet.


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E. Caring for Cleaned FishOnce sh are cleaned, they should be washed thoroughly, then

rozen immediately or rerigerated and cooked within three days.Frozen sh may develop reezer burn unless they are tightly wrappedor rozen in water. When reezing sh in water, you should use just

enough water to cover them. Plastic reezer bags work well or llets, ithey can be sealed without leaking.

There are numerous cookbooks that have a variety o recipes andmethods or cooking sh or the table. By trying many dierent ways oxing sh, the angler nds those dishes that best suit individual tastes.

D. Final Touches for FilletsMany sh have a dark strip on the skin side o the llet. This is

what is let o a blood vessel that took blood to the tail. It is also a placewhere at has been stored, and at is associated with some o the pollut-

ants that accumulate in sh fesh.Using a llet knie, lit that at anddark area out.

(1) Make a v-cut the ull length othe llet rom both sides o thedark area.

(2) Now lit out the dark meat out,

gently cutting underneath it, anddiscard that portion.

Next look on both edges o the l-let or white or yellow at. Trim that atand your llet is ready or your sh ry!

Eating sh, even sh rom an arealisted in sh advisories, is a choice

you make as an angler. By limitingyour consumption rate, selectingsmaller sh to eat (less time to accu-mulate pollutants), removing as mucho the potentially polluted fesh (at) aspossible, and cooking it properly, youlower your risk dramatically. For moreinormation on sh advisories, see

your states shing guide.

1

2


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30 -BASIC FISHING

GLOSSARYbait - usually reers to something natural or live that is used to attractsh to bite. The terms bait and lure may be used interchangeably.

bite - when a sh tries to take a bait (or lure). Also called a strike.

casting - the skill o propelling a bait or lure into the water.

cleaning - preparing your catch or eating.

conservation - the wise use o natural resources.

creel limit - the number o sh an angler can keep in a day.

dressed - sh prepared or eating complete with bones.

dropper - a separate line tied onto the main line near the hook. It isused to attach a weight to a separate line or to sh two hooks.

llet - cleaning a sh by cutting the edible portion rom the bones.

shing line - special fexible ber; connects shing reel to the hook.

foat, bobber or cork - maintains bait at given depth, indicates bites.

habitat - combination o ood, water, shelter and space that attractsgiven animal.

land - bringing the sh to the land or to a net or capture.

leader - the piece o line attached to the hook.

lunker - a large specimen o a species o sh.

lure - usually reers to man-made bait used to entice sh to bite.

monolament - shing line with a single strand o material.

multilament - shing line that is several strands woven together.

playing - process o bringing a sh to the angler so it can be landed.

reel - a device that holds and retrieves shing line.

retrieving - the act o bringing a bait or lure back to the angler.

rigging - how you hook your bait and where you put your hook, snapor swivel, weight and foat.


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BASIC FISHING

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Notes

rod - a pole with guides that is used to cast a lure or bait.

selective harvest - personal ethics that includes reduced harvestwithin established legal size and creel limits.

setting the hook - pulling the rod up sharply when a sh bites.sinker - used to help cast or help sink the bait or lure; a weight.

slot limit - a limit to protect sh between specied sizes. Usuallyextends lie o predators or reduces number o small sh.

snap, swivel or snap-swivel - a small metal device tied onto shingline; used to quickly attach lures to the line. Keeps line rom twisting.

strike - when a sh takes or tries to take a lure (or bait).

structure - any area that causes sh to be concentrated.

tailwater - area below a reservoir.

terminal tackle - placement o tackle at the end o the line.


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EthicsAn ethical angler: Keeps only the sh needed...

Does not use illegal live bait... Uses only native aquatic species or

bait and does not release aquatic bait...

Properly disposes o trash and waste,including old sh line... Observes all applicable laws and

regulations... Practices sae angling and boating... Hones angling and boating skills and

passes knowledge to others... Respects the rights o other anglers and

property owners... Supports local conservation eorts.

Basic Fishing Book

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Transcript of Basic Fishing Book