By Larry Anderson
Fishing poles are part of the equipment that anglers use to catch fish. But when they are first purchased, or have not been used for a long time, fishing poles generally are not at a point where they can be used for catching fish. They have to be rigged first. To learn how to rig a fishing pole, read on.
Instructions
Difficulty: Moderately Easy
Things You'll Need:
- Fishing pole
Fishing reel
Fishing line
Scissors
Sinkers
Hooks
Snap swivels
Lures or bait
- Fishing pole
- Fishing reel
- Fishing line
- Scissors
- Sinkers
- Hooks
- Snap swivels
- Lures or bait
Step 1
Determine the type of fishing pole it is. A baitcasting pole has a trigger-like handle below the reel seat, while a spinning rod has no such handle. Baitcasting poles can handle baitcast and spincast reels, while spinning rods should be paired only with spinning reels.
Step 2
Attach the reel to the fishing pole. To do so, place the feet of the reel into the reel seat of the fishing rod. Tighten the tightening devices that are located on the reel seat so the reel is firmly attached to the pole.
Step 3
Thread fishing line onto the rod and reel. To do so, thread the end of the line through the tip of the fishing rod, then through each of the remaining rod guides until you reach the reel. Wrap the line around the spool of the reel and tie an overhand knot so it is tight against the spool. An overhand knot is the same knot that would be used to tie knots in shoelaces. Begin reeling line onto the reel until it is 1/8 of an inch below the rim of the spool. Cut the line with a scissors so that 1 foot of line hangs off of the rod tip.
Step 4
Thread a sinker onto the fishing line and secure it about 15 inches from the end of the fishing line. Then attach a hook to the end of the fishing line. You can now attach a plastic worm or other piece of bait to the hook and begin fishing. If you want to use a bobber, fasten it to the line about 36 inches above the hook. Most bobbers do not require that you thread them onto the line; they can be attached after the line has been rigged.
Step 5
Cut off the hook and remove the sinker, if you want to fish with an artificial bait. Attach a snap swivel to the end of the line, if you want to fish with artificial lures and do not want to have to cut your line and retie each time you change lures. However, some anglers believe artificial baits perform better without a snap swivel, so they cut their line and attach another lure each time they want to change lures.
About the Author:
Larry Anderson has been a freelance writer since 2000. He has covered a wide variety of topics, from golf and baseball to hunting and fishing. His work has appeared in numerous print and online publications, including "Fargo Forum" newspaper. Anderson holds a Bachelor of Arts in print journalism from Concordia College.
