Light Tackle

Different people mean different things when they say light tackle, but in order to understand what light tackle fishing is and how it’s done, one needs to know what it refers to. The truth is, it all depends on the circumstances: the species you are planning to fish for, the average size in that species and so on. Also, what anglers consider to be a heavy tackle in freshwater fishing, is usually considered as light tackle in saltwater fishing, at least in certain saltwater fishing circumstances. For instance, a line that is 4 pounds or anything up to 8 pounds would be light for northern pike fishing, but a 12 pound line would not be light at all, especially on bait casting tackle.

Regardless of how you choose to define it or what kind of fish you plan to go for, you still need the same things for light tackle fishing: the rod, which quite limber, so as to insure a cushion for the lightness of the fishing line. Rods for light tackle fishing should be small if you are fishing for trout and other kinds of small fish and longer if you’re fishing for bigger fish. It’s not that you can’t use a short rod for the latter one, but a long rod is definitely an advantage. A long rod for light tackle fishing is a rod is a rod longer than 7 feet. Some anglers even like to use rods which are longer than 10 feet. These rods allow you to put pressure on the fish without straining your arms and wrists too much. They are particularly useful when the fish is near the boat and you need to avoid certain obstacles. Your line is also very important in light tackle fishing: it should be new or at least in very good condition. You’d better check it for abrasions on a regular basis and make sure to change it often enough if you know it’s been under great pressure. Also, light tackle requires good quality knots, tied with maximum precision, so work on your technique as often as you can.

This fishing style requires a great deal of expertise in playing and landing the fish you catch. There’s a good chance that you lose it if you don’t master the technique well enough, but precision comes with time and you do not really need a special talent to become good at it. A light line will help your cast go far enough. Try to avoid too long casts: they will make things more difficult for you once the fish strikes far, far away. This style of fishing is appropriate for both saltwater fishing and freshwater fishing. You will usually catch medium sized fish using this technique but you can also catch larger fish. All you need is a bit of experience and someone to guide you in the beginning. You’ll know when you can master it on your own.