Notable Classification of Handy Fishing Gear

Are you thinking of rocking your boat and heading out for a fishing expedition? If your answer is yes, then you are probably wondering what fishing equipment to arm yourself with before you hit the waters.

The choice of fishing equipment usually depends on the type of fish you intend to bring home and the scale of your fishing. All the equipment that aids you in catching and drawing the fish out of the water is referred to as fishing gear. Therefore, having a successful fishing trip starts by having the right fishing gear at hand.

Unfortunately, the market is saturated with all sorts of fishing gear and may sometimes pose a dilemma when you want to select just a few from the park.

In this article, we will explain the major fishing tackle classifications that you are likely to find in most fishing tackle shop.

Table of Contents

Active Fishing Gear

We will kick it off with the active gear, mainly used to target specified species of fish. Active fishing gear is mainly designed for shallow waters that require little to no navigation to access fish.

Some of the active fishing gear include;

Bows and Harpoons

For several decades, people have been using harpoons for fishing despite their inefficiencies compared to other methods, such as line fishing. The use of harpoons is still popular, especially among the native tribes that are off the grid.

A harpoon is a long straight stick that is sharpened on one side to allow easy penetration into the fish’s flesh upon contact. A harpoon is thrown by hand like a spear while standing on a boat.

However, there are some smaller harpoons similar to arrows that are projected using crossbows and have ropes attached to help reel in the catch.

Trawl Baskets

Trawl baskets, as the name suggests, are fishing baskets that are dragged along the waterbed using a boat. The construction design of a trawl basket is unique, whereby the basket is open on one end (the end facing the direction of the drag) and completely shut on the opposite end.

When the boat starts moving, the trawl basket collects fish and other materials and traps them inside the basket. Once the basket is full, the fisherman draws it out, harvests the fish, and repeats the process again.

Purse Seines

A purse seine mimics the working principles of a purse; the seine is attached to two vessels that collaborate to operate it.

Contrary to a trawl basket that is dragged along the waterbed, a purse seine catches fish by enclosure, such that one boats remains stationery while the other one circles a shoal with the net.

Passive Fishing Gear

Passive fishing gear, on the other hand, is a class of fishing equipment that works by the principle of lying and waiting.

Lying and waiting literally means that the fishing gear is positioned underwater or across a river, and you wait for the fish to approach. Some of the passive fishing gear include;

Fish Nets

Fishing nets are designed to catch fish by entanglement, whereby as the fish attempts to swim through the net, they get trapped in between the net holes.

Gillnets trap the fish by wrapping around the gill spaces of the fish, while trammel nets trap the fish by its whole body. The trammel nets have multiple net layers that are loosely attached to wrap up the fish as it continues to struggle.

Long Lining

The long lining method of fishing uses a long chain of hooks and baits that are set stationery underwater for a period of time to attract the curiosity of the fish. To make the long lining more enticing, fishermen attach baits and lures on each individual hook, making it irresistible for the fish.

Traps and Basket Pots

Basket pots have a unique funnel-like mouth design that allows fish to enter inside the basket and not get out. Therefore, you can fit the basket pot with many funnel-like openings to allow many fish inside the basket at once.

However, a trap uses low-visibility material to build an enclosure that automatically closes once it’s reeled in.

Conclusion

A successful fishing trip starts with selecting the right fishing gear. In order to choose the right gear, you need to be clear on your fishing objectives. We hope the classifications above shed some light into your decision-making process.