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Freshwater and Saltwater Fishing – What it is
Freshwater fishing, also known as coarse fishing, is one of the many sports enjoyed by anglers.
How to choose Rods and Reels for Freshwater and Saltwater Fishing
Your choice of rod will depend on the size of the fish and the bait you intend to use. Fishing rods with medium and heavy action work best in this setting, since freshwater game tends to be heavy. Remember to use a slow or moderate speed rod when using live bait, although you can switch to fast action rods for other kinds of bait.
A medium-powered fishing rod can get you a walleye, channel catfish, or black bass; while a medium heavy to heavy power rod is for catching muskellunge, striped bass, blue catfish, or flat head catfish.
As for the reel, you can choose between a bait-casting or spin-casting reel, depending on your experience in freshwater fishing.
For beginners: Most spinning reels are built for freshwater fishing. Easy to use, they are perfect for novice anglers with limited skills.
For experts: Anglers who are experienced in freshwater fishing can get away with a bait-casting reel. Baits for freshwater fish tend to be lightweight. When used with bait-casting reels, you can easily cast the rod overhead or pitch it underhand. Another advantage of bait-casting reels is that they are more accurate than spin-casting reels.
The Best Gear for Freshwater Fishing
Abu Garcia Ike Dude M Spinning Combo
Lightweight and well-balanced, Ike Dude M is a decent choice for beginners in freshwater fishing. The set includes a 6-feet rod and a spinning reel. The medium action rod is tough enough to catch different-sized fish, but also sensitive to tugging. That way, you can tell if you’ve caught a fish and reel it in before it gets away. The main body is made of lightweight graphite so you can easily move it around.
Pflueger Patriarch XT Spinning Reel
Patriarch XT is one of the best fishing rods of 2016 for freshwater fishing, though it is better suited for experts. It combines a magnesium body with a magnesium-carbon inlay rotor. These materials create a spinning reel that weighs only 6.1 ounces – the lightest in the market. As a result, you get a fishing gear that’s both accurate and easy to use, and at a relatively low cost of under $250.
It may look flimsy but a titanium shaft keeps it from breaking under pressure. Its impressive strength means you can use it for big game fishing. The sealed carbon drag keeps it lubricated and prevents water and grime from getting in the way of a fluid retrieval. When switching gears or pulling in the reel, you won’t feel jerking motions or anything of the sort.
Pflueger’s XT has a stainless steel bearing that’s resistant to corrosion. Some of its parts are made of corrosive metal, but they have been treated to protect against water damage. Still, it may not be a good idea to use it around saltwater. The protective coating may wear off and leave the under parts prone to rust – and rust happens to love saltwater. Rusting is less likely in freshwater environments. With good maintenance, you should be able to prevent it in the first place.
Patriarch XT is our top choice for experts in freshwater fishing. It’s durable and quite powerful for something that’s easy to use. Besides, fishing gear reviews of Pflueger Patriarch XT Spinning Reel have proven its head-turning performance in more ways than one.
How to Choose Rods and Reels for Saltwater Fishing
Saltwater fishing is another hobby that anglers get into. But it requires choosing from a wider range of fishing equipment. Having specialized gear is also a must for this sport to prevent damage from saltwater. Ideally, rods and reels for saltwater fishing should be made of non-corrosive materials or have some sort of rust protection. Other factors to consider include fishing location, the size of the fish, and your level of expertise in saltwater fishing.
For beginners: Slow action rods are excellent for small game fishing. These include very small to medium-small fish. You can use them by the shore, pier, and other shallow waters. Unfortunately, they are limited to confined water spaces. Compared to medium and fast action rods, they also provide the least accurate method of casting. That being said, slow action rods do have an advantage – their slow casting makes it easy to master them. But this also comes with the disadvantage of being susceptible to strong winds and bad weather. A sudden shift in the wind could just as easily throw off the accuracy of a cast.
Tips for buying: Once you’ve selected the best fishing rod for beginners, pair it with a lightweight reel and fishing line. It is equally important that you use small baits and lures. These rod and reel combinations should give you the best possible accuracy. Beginners should consider getting a combination kit as their fishing gear. Combo kits pair fishing rods with compatible reels, and include other gear for saltwater fishing like hooks and lines.
For beginners and advanced anglers: Medium action rods are typically used by people with advanced fishing skills. However, some beginners prefer them for giving better control and accuracy. Most anglers will tell you they’re the best fishing rods for catching saltwater fish, and with good reason. Medium action rods are the most versatile of the bunch, able to produce short and long casts at different strengths.
You can use them to catch most fish sizes, except for breeds that are too large or too small. They’re also more accurate than slow action varieties, and are able to withstand strong winds. Medium action fishing rods may be used in deep or shallow waters, as well as in areas where there are plenty of trees. You can take them for surf fishing, pier fishing, onshore fishing, and offshore fishing.
For experts: Fast action rods aren’t as beginner-friendly and are less versatile. But there are two things they can do that medium action rods can’t: bottom trolling and snagging large fish. Their long casts will keep you from using them in tiny spaces and areas with thick vegetation. But they are suitable for a wide range of fishing spots including shallow and deep waters, even on bad weather. Experienced anglers use fast action rods for pier fishing, surf fishing, shore casting, and offshore fishing.
Tips for buying: Fast action rods have heavy and powerful casts. To ensure accuracy, you should combine them with heavy lines, lures, and baits.
The Best Gear for Freshwater Fishing
Penn Spinfisher V
The fifth-generation Penn Spinfisher features a water-tight system that keeps moisture away from both the gearbox and drag system. This unique construction protects the fishing gear from saltwater and the possibility of rusting. You get to choose from different models starting from 3500 up to 10500 – each one bigger and better than the previous model. As you go higher, it becomes heavier and is better able to handle larger fish. Drag ratio also decreases with every upgrade.
Penn Spinfisher V doesn’t have the best drag, nor does it provide the longest cast or have the smoothest reel. But it fairs pretty well in these categories and has a couple of nice features. One of these is a rubber gasket which prevents the superline from slipping so you won’t need extra backing. This also allows you to fill the spool more effortlessly and lay out the reel line evenly. Equipped with line capacity rings, you can tell how much line you have left even if you’re in the middle of catching a large fish. The stainless steel bearings provide Spinfisher V with smooth function.
No other fishing gear is better equipped for heavy-duty saltwater fishing other than Spinfisher V. Given its toughness and durability, it is also a great choice for big game fishing.
Daiwa Saltist 6500H SP
The Saltist isn’t as well-known as Penn Spinfisher V, but that’s only because Daiwa made it for experts. Like any saltwater fishing equipment, it was built to withstand the harsh sea environment. Saltist 6500H SP is equipped with specialized stainless steel bearings that can tolerate saltwater 12 times better than other varieties of the same kind of steel. These bearings are protected by rugged metal with full resistance to corrosion.
6500H SP is the largest among the Saltist line. Surprisingly, it’s also the lightest of all 5 models that were released by Daiwa. It has a maximum drag of 33, and a gear ratio of 6.2:1 – both good qualities for offshore fishing. Due to its heavy power and fast action, it is also suited for big game fishing.
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