Advice for Women Who Want to Fish

I am in no way implying anything sexist, as if fishing is only something a man would enjoy. Fishing and hunting can be fun, but if you want to try it it is important that you are interested for the right reasons.

Soooo, if you are only interested in fishing because you want to see what your boyfriend or husband is really up to when he goes away for those long hours... then you might want to reconsider. Unless you are really, really interested in giving is a shot; you'll be bored, and not only will you be miserable but you will make him miserable as well.

If you are interested in fishing, be sure you can check off the following 3 requirements:

1.) You have patience. Can you sit still for hours, without feeling restless? Understand that even if you are tight line fishing (which is the best way to start for females) you may start to wonder why it's taking so long. Can you imagine sitting by water for hours, and not getting so much as a bite? It could happen, and if you don't have the patience to enjoy it anyways, then you might not enjoy fishing.

2.) You're not afraid to get dirty. A good man will show the patience to teach you how to set up your pole, bait your hook, remove a fish, etc. Even the best men will not want to repeatedly do this for you. If you want to fish, you are in charge of your own fishing responsibilities. This involves not only touching a worm, but digging through mud, pulling a worm out, pinching it apart (you may even get worm guts and dirt under your fingernails) and then stabbing a hook repatedly through the worm as you twist it around.

Even if you can handle that step, women also seem to have a hard time with the removal of a fish. There are different techniques involved with removing a fish, depending on the fish and how the hook is caught. Many fish have spikes on their back. You will have to smooth those spikes down (and not be jumpy about being stabbed) and possible yank the hook out. If the hook is swallowed, this can be especially difficult for some women. It is not their nature. If you would rather ask your man to do these things for you, then you might as well stay home or do something else while he fishes, because all you would be doing is watching the pole. Neither of you would be having any fun.

3.)You're willing to learn about it. If you are really, really, really serious about fishing, you would want to know certain things. It might even impress your boyfriend/husband if you know what type of bait to use for what type of fish, and then where to cast. It can be really easy to find this information in books, magazines, and online. If you can read about fishing, and learn about it, then you just may have enough interest to give it a try.

If you are still sure you would like to give fishing a try, then have fun with it. There are many techniques and varieties of fishing available, so it's okay to know what you like and don't like. For example, you may prefer tight line fishing over a more skillful, constant, repetitive form of fishing (spinner bait.) Try it all, find what you prefer, and then you can begin getting yourself your own fishing gear!

I bought a tackle bag this year that absolutely won me over. It cost only $12, and it has a strap that I can loop over a shoulder. It folds out into a chair, and it included a tackle box, a water bottle/fishing pole holder, lunch bag, and several other feautures. I especially love the mobility, because wether I am tight-line fishing or moving around, I like to travel. Set up and take down is very easy, because I can throw in my cigarettes, wallet, and other things right into one of the extra pouches and I can leave my purse in the car (well hidden of course.)

Aside from tackle boxes, you also want to pick out your own bait. Don't buy anything you don't know anything about! If you are confused, ask somebody who works in the store where you are shopping. Wether you are purchasing your fishing goods in a sporting goods section at a convenience store like Walmart, or a sporting goods proffessional store like Bass Pro, there should be a representative trained to answer all your questions and offer advice.

After buying my own tackle bag, I began picking out bait that was just for me. Bait I already knew I liked. And you better believe, I was girlish about it. My rubber worms are pink and purple. My absolute favorite bait (salties) are pink and white. Do not pick out bait based on the colors! Pick out bait based on the type of fishing you are doing. If you are fishing for catfish, you'll want to find out what they're biting, usually live bait, and use that. You would not want to pick out a 'pretty, colorful' spinner bait for cat fish, because spinner bait usually works best for bass fishing.

The only reason I recommend picking out you're very own bait and gear is because it is your very own. Once you know the type of gear you need, you'll be much more involved knowing that you chose the gear yourself. If it happens to come in your favorite color, even better.