Catching your first fish is a moment you'll never forget. The excitement, the sense of achievement, and the curiosity about what lies beneath the waters surface creates a truly memorable experience. Speak to any angler, and they'll vividly recall their first fish, what they caught, the venue they visited, and how they caught it.
If you're looking to make a start in fishing, be it a new long-term hobby or something to try on a holiday, the good news is that getting started is easier than you might think. While serious anglers will think nothing of investing thousands in their gear, you can catch your first fish with simple and affordable tackle. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know to successfully catch your first fish.
STARTING FISHING ON A HOLIDAY IS A GREAT WAY TO GET HOOKED.
Finding the right fishing venue
The best place to start is your local fishing tackle shop. The staff will happily point you towards a beginner-friendly fishery where you’re almost guaranteed to catch. Many of these venues are well-stocked with fish and offer facilities suitable for newcomers to fishing. While you’re there, you can also pick up the essential items of tackle and ask for advice on what bait works best.
BEFORE VISITING A TACKLE SHOP GET AN IDEA OF THE BEST ITEMS OF FISHING TACKLE IN OUR BUYERS GUIDES.
Choosing the right tackle
Fishing requires skill, but that doesn’t mean you need to start with complicated equipment. There are lots of starter kits available to get you started. Instead of using a rod and reel, which can take time to master, opt for a whip, as these are much simpler to use, effective, and perfect for beginners.
You can find inexpensive whips on the market, or if you want to invest a little more, a short or margin pole is a great option. You'll also need a ready-made rig, which comes with a float, shots, and a hook already attached, basically everything you need to start fishing straight away.
Alternatively you can purchase the terminal tackle items separately and tie your own rig. Other essentials include a landing net, a plummet (to ‘plumb’ the depth), a disgorger (to unhook fish safely), and of course, bait. Don't forget to purchase a fishing license before you go too.
WANT TO GET IN TO CARP FISHING? THEN OUR CARP FISHING BEGINNER GUIDE IS WHERE TO START.
Choosing the best bait
Maggots are the best bait to use. They are eaten by almost every fish, increasing your chances of getting a bite quickly. Maggots are affordable, easy to use, and widely available at tackle shops. If you aren't overly keen on using maggots or struggle to get them, then worms are a good bet but you can also use things like sweetcorn and bread to great effect and they are readily available at your local supermarket!
OUR EXPERT GUIDE EXPLAINS HOW TO CHOOSE THE BEST HOOKBAITS.
Setting up your tackle
A whip or short pole is simple to set up, it is either telescopic or comes in sections that fit together. Some are fitted with elastic, while others are not, your tackle shop can help you fit elastic if needed or if you would like to attempt this yourself, see our how to guide. If you prefer the idea of fishing with a rod and line, we have a really useful guide here.
OUR GUIDE EXPLAINS HOW TO SET UP POLE ROLLERS CORRECTLY WHEN USING A POLE.
Attaching the rig
Take the rig from its winder. You'll see a loop at the opposite end to the hook, this attaches to the connector on your pole tip. Ready-made rigs are often longer than needed, so once you determine the fishing depth, you may need to trim the line.
Plumbing the depth
To ensure your bait is on the bottom, you need to measure the depth of the water. This is done using a plummet:
Firstly, attach the plummet by passing the hook through its eye and securing it in the cork or foam on the base of the plummet.
Next, lower the plummet into the water until it touches the bottom. By keeping the line under tension without lifting the plummet off the bottom again, you can read the depth of the water you want to fish.
Now it’s time to adjust the float so that only the body and bristle are visible above the surface when the line is under tension. This is known as ‘dead depth’, your bait sits just on the bottom suspended from the float without any line laying on the bottom where fish are feeding.
Trim any excess line above the float, so that the rig is a similar length to your whip allowing you to easily bring fish into a waiting net or change your hookbait without having to get up and down.
CHECK OUT THE 5 BEST CARP POLE FISHING RIGS AND HOW TO TIE THEM.
Feeding the swim and baiting the hook
Before your first cast, it’s important to attract fish into your swim. Introduce a small handful of maggots. This will attract fish to the area where you're fishing.
FIND THE BEST FISHING VENUES NEAR YOU WITH OUR WHERE TO FISH GUIDES.
How to hook a maggot properly
Maggots have a pointed end, where the maggot moves the most, and a blunt end, where you’ll see two tiny breathing tubes. Hook the maggot lightly through the skin between the breathing tubes. This keeps the maggot wriggling and more attractive to fish.
A MAGGOT FEEDER IS A GREAT WAY TO CATCH FISH, FIND OUT HOW IN THIS GUIDE.
Catching your first fish
Now that you have baited the hook, you’re ready for your first cast, gently lower your rig into the water, the shot will sink the line and the hook to the bottom. The float will sit on the surface suspending the bait ready for a fish to come along and bite. Be patient, soon enough, you’ll see the float dip below the surface.
That’s a bite! Gently lift your pole to set the hook. Fish on! You’ve just caught your first fish.
Caring for your catch and returning to the water
Now you have caught your first fish, gently scoop up in your landing net be careful to handle the fish carefully and use your disgorger to remove the hook, now delight in your first ever fish capture before gently returning the fish back to the water. Rebait your hook and catch another one!
OUR GUIDE TO THE BEST BEGINNER FISHING RODS WILL HELP YOU PICK YOUR NEW ROD.
