A Complete Guide to Spinning Fishing for Beginners

This technique, despite recently decreasing, remains one of the most widespread, and is often indispensable for researching predatory fish. Many believe that this technique is too difficult and tough for beginners, but I can assure you that it is not so. Or rather: starting to do something is not difficult, but it requires a little effort and dedication.

Reaching to high levels requires years of commitment, as is obvious. Nothing is free, but since you can also have fun from the basic level, why not try?

So, in this spinning fishing for beginners guide we will help you to start spinning fishing. Lets get dig into it

What is needed for Spinning Fishing for Beginners

I have already spoken in other pages of how to choose the equipment, so I invite you to review those pages.

In broad terms, for an economic equipment for medium use (bass, trout, some small pike) we need:

Spinning Rod

A medium spinning rod, with 10-30- or 10-40-grams power. This technique requires special equipment, with particular characteristics; avoid rods for general fishing, bet on good quality gear. For our case, a rod about 2.10 meters long is fine. Sic and carbon rings are two advantages, and for this technique I recommend them. Interested to learn more on fishing rod then check our detailed post on types of rod.

Yarn

As a beginner a nylon is good to start with. A braid is not within everyone's reach and it is not even very simple to manage (it is less resistant to abrasion, it does not have the elasticity of nylon and requires well-performed clutch calibrations) but given its tightness when you have a little experience you can give it a little thought.

On fluorocarbon, compared to normal nylon they do not have many advantages in this technique in which the bait is always in motion. For beginnings it can be avoided. If there are many pike in your area and you think they can stick often, the steel cable may be advisable.

Baits

Start with a few, but good: three, four rotating and undulating and a pair of minnows. Better few, but make sure it is good. As a size, minnow on 7-9 centimeters, rotating 3 and undulating up to 10-12 grams. Also, the heads leaded on the seven grams and the "grub" (the sickles, like those for trout); as colors, excellent white, yellow and orange.

Accessories

Swivels with carabiner around 8, a worm-proof plastic bait box (so that it resists the "rubber") and flat-nose scissors. As usual, disgorger, scissors and a rag. The landing net can be useful but it has the problem that the treble hooks can implant in the mesh. Absolutely avoid the refinement, it is not very effective and above all it is an infamy.

By the way, here I renew the invitation present on many pages: whatever you don't eat, release it. Especially now rare species such as pike, but also crucian and catfish, even if for the latter it would be prohibited. There is no point in killing for fun, quite the opposite.

A reel

This is the hardest technique from this point of view, the continuous throws and recoveries, often in difficult environments, the recovery in the current, the problems and the struggles between obstacles or with the clutch closed are very demanding and a reel too delicate risks breaking the internal gears after a few exits.

If possible, choose a model with a double coil, so you can switch to a different diameter wire as needed. 

How do you fish?

I make a premise: this is only the beginning, so later on you will refine the technique over time.

First

Let's learn to throw. We are looking for a wide place, without problems and with medium sized fish until we have learned. Or, if you just have to learn to cast, you can also look for a totally free lawn, and instead of the bait use a 10-gram lead. Hold the rod over the reel with your right hand and hold the line with your index finger.

With your left hand open the bow. Bend the barrel behind you (obviously look for a place without obstacles and watch that nobody is behind you!). Place it tilted to the 10 o'clock position of the watch. If you are correctly positioned, the tip must be slightly behind and above you, the reel must be upwards.

Then, with a quick but not sudden movement (important: the first times launched slowly, until you have taken the necessary coordination) run an arc forward to the barrel, so that the tip is in the 2 o'clock position of the watch. While stopping the barrel, remove the index finger.

If you have done correctly, you will see the bait fly away and make at least a dozen m. However, do not be discouraged: the first few times, or you will see the bait start in a candle and fall back to a couple of meters (in this case you have anticipated too much the moment to raise the index) or it will hit you very hard in front of your feet (and then you raised the index too late).

The first few days is inevitable, after a while you will get to grips with the equipment and get better. There are other types of launches, but this is the most used. You will learn the others over time and with experience.

Once launched, there is recovery

To start, I show you the simplest technique (it is not the best, indeed, it can give some results but do not expect much, for the first few months, however, use this until you have clear ideas): take a random bait, open the swivel, insert the eyelet of the bait and close the swivel, throw and as soon as it falls into the water you start to recover.

As for speed, adjust to about one turn of the crank per second. That's it, a simple straight recovery at constant speed. If you see obstacles nearby, take a lead, put a grub on it(can be used several times) and try to launch a couple of meters from them (if it is in the current, launch a little downstream!).

If the fish attacks your bait and it is not big, raise the tip and recover with the reel. If it is large, give it a bit of thread and indulge the various joints. In all cases, be careful, when it is near the shore, prepare to give it a hurry (it is the most critical moment, the fish is rough, there is little space and the elasticity of the little nylon outside the rod cannot absorb the tears ) so that if it starts again it will not break the thread.

A friend with some experience the first few releases is very comfortable and can teach you a lot. Once set sail, after the photo release it in the shortest time possible, so as to make it suffer as little as possible.

If you get stuck

Don't Panic! First try, giving the tip a few flat strokes, to see if the bait gets loose. Then move a little, in order to change position with respect to the bait and try again. If it really doesn't move, a solution of strength is needed at this point.

You already know that in many cases you will lose your bait, it is annoying but it happens. In these cases, put the barrel horizontally, close the clutch completely and start walking away. If you can't keep the thread still, take a twig ( neverwith your hands, especially with braids!), make a few turns of thread around it and pull with that.

There are three possibilities: the bait is freed (sometimes taking a piece of obstacle with it, other times the anchor opens and will touch it later to fold or change it), the obstacle gives up and you pull it to the shore, the thread breaks ( and in this case you lose your bait). It is annoying but it happens. So, near obstacles, use anti-algae or inexpensive baits.

Some Advice on Spinning Fishing for Beginners

As usual, if you don't have a lot of experience, start with small fish in very quiet and simple environments (don't start with 10 kg pikes in a submerged forest!). The ideal to start are the small bass, some chub or trout and pike. To start, get help from a friend, you will learn better and in less time.

This technique requires patience and constancy, it is not uncommon to "coat" and go home without even seeing a bite. Even physically it is not easy, and it has a bit of a hard rhythm. But it has the advantage of being very fun and versatile, and will allow us to see our waters with different eyes.

Final Words:

With necessary gears and proper guideline you can become very good on spinning fishing with some practice. So be patient and practice more in order to be more good on it. Happy Fishing!