Susan's Place Transgender Resources

Is it hard and costly to buy the gear and to learn how to fish?

One sees a TV show where a kid uses a sturdy stick, twine, a hook, and worms or bread dough as bait and catches at a pond or river a hanging string full of fish to eat for the family dinner.

It cannot be that simple, can it?


For a novice fisherwoman for freshwater non-rapids fishing, what would you recommend to start off with, and what would each item cost.  Can you also just dig in your wet yard and find the worms needed? 

Say you at fishing from the bank of a pond (or from a bridge above) or a slow moving river.  No tall boots to wade and no boat used. 

Remember, this is for a starter set of whatever is needed.  Not what fancy / expensive gear someone who knows what she is doing would use after years of fishing!

Simple cheap rod and reel can work fine.  The pricier you go, the better it works, more bearings mean smoother retrieval.  I prefer open face reels.

You can use soft plastic tube lures which are quite cheap.  Worms can be bought at stores or can be used from your own yard.  Dawn dish soap is a commonly recommended option for bringing worms to the surface.  Mix about 1/4 cup of Dawn dish soap with a 5-gallon bucket of water.  Pour the soapy solution over moist, fertile soil—ideally after watering the area to ensure the ground is damp. The soap disrupts the worms' ability to breathe through their skin, causing them to surface quickly, often within minutes. This method is effective for collecting worms as live bait for fishing.  Rinse the worms and use them for fishing.

The soap is not environmentally damaging as it just washes away.

A lot of what you do depends on the type of fish you are going for.  Different methods and times for what you want.  Can be easy if someone shows you first time around, or if you are at a new location.  Location can sometimes be the biggest factor.  I used to use one lake for new people because of how overpopulated the fish were so they could get a feel for fishing.

Thanks Rochelle.  I would type more but I have a meeting to get to soon, so I will just type this:

If you have any costs for a basic set of fishing gear, pass that on.  If not I think someone will in time.  Maybe I will look online for "starting or beginner's fishing sets" or something like that.


Chrissy

Be careful with some of the beginners sets, they are randomly filled with things you would never need and pretty cheaply made.  Also some states have a ban on lead use for fishing, mine does for freash water fishing.  A lot of those kits include lead which precludes you using them.

I've only gone sea fishing and mostly in a boat. From a boat I've actually caught quite a lot with a simple handline which is ridiculously cheap. You can spend a fortune on rods and reels if you want to but I wouldn't bother with the expensive gear until you know you like it.

It never really grabbed me, too cold, too wet, too stinky and I didn't like killing the bait never mind the fish! Fly sport fishing where you let the fish go could appeal but not sure I have the patience to stand in a river for hours on end but I can see some would find it relaxing. My friend's partner works for Hardy Fishing (part of Pure Fishing Group) and they sell world class fly fishing gear. He supplied me with a nice boat rod on the cheap but I haven't been out much. Think this is a hobby that has passed me by.

Low frequency vibrations are proven to drive worms out of the ground.


Using earthworms is an easy and effective way to catch fish.  Perhaps too easy for those who are looking for a sporting challenge.

There's an annual worm charming world championship in Southern England. People compete against each other to coax worms to the surface in their 1m square grid. We're a little eccentric in the UK!

I grew up fishing. We had a local hardware store that sold "Cane Poles" as you mentioned. They are cheap and have no moving parts.

For starters, I would say go to Walmart and get a Zebco 202 spin-cast. You can get them bundled with the rod or separately. They are cheap and last a long time. Watch for sales since Spring is coming soon.

I would suggest learning to tie a proper fishing knot. There are instructions online, better if you can get a fisherman to show you how. Once you learn that you can tie your own hooks, lures, or whatever. If you break a line, you just tie another one on.

You will also need to buy a fishing license. You can get those at Wally World too when you get your rod and reel.

You can use a lot of things for bait: worms, crickets, grasshoppers, minnows, etc. My grandfather did well using colored mini marshmallows. I have also used peanut butter or Velveeta cheese. The type of hook varies by bait. Marshmallows, peanut butter, and cheese use a treble hook. Live baits like worms, insects, frogs, and crickets use a single barb hook.

Gosh thanks everyone!


Chrissy

Quote from: Stottie Girl on March 10, 2026, 05:30:52 PMThere's an annual worm charming world championship in Southern England. People compete against each other to coax worms to the surface in their 1m square grid. We're a little eccentric in the UK!

We used a wooden dowel or an old broomstick. Cut notches in the side of it and make one end pointy. Drive the stake into the ground. Then rub another stick up and down across the notches. As Marion said, the vibrations bring them to the surface. They think it's raining.

If you have a flashlight with a red lens, you can hunt nightcrawlers. If not, any thin red piece of cloth will work. Spray a grassy area with water in the evening. After dark, the worms will be lying in the grass. White light will spook them, so use your red filter to see them.

I mentioned at lunch with a couple of colleagues (who are direct reports though) about my desire to start fishing.  After I returned from my afternoon meeting I found some fishing gear in my office!

Weird in a way, thoughtful in a way.  I think I will give it back though but I think ethically instead I can pay for it.  I will not accept much of anything beyond maybe a small meal or coffee or a pen, little things like that from a vendor and certainly not a direct report.

Chrissy

Looks like there is a little plastic box with some little red and white balls, lot of little thingies.  Also a reel of fishing line.  Zebco I think.  Also a pole that seems to be made of sections of metal and at the other end a handle that looks like cork.  Also a Stren reel that has some fishing line that is towards one end the pole.   The real said something like 650 or 750, that I think was length and strength of the fishing line.  I gather that line can break because it gets caught in something or the hook was snagged by a powerful fish.

I will look up all this stuff to learn about first what it cost.  Then ai will ask them what was paid.  There were no live worms but in that little plastic box there were things that I believe attract fish.  Maybe hooks.  I did not break the seal from that box.

This will probably do for my first time out fishing. 

Quote from: Rochelle on March 10, 2026, 02:10:28 PMBe careful with some of the beginners sets, they are randomly filled with things you would never need and pretty cheaply made.  Also some states have a ban on lead use for fishing, mine does for freash water fishing.  A lot of those kits include lead which precludes you using them.

 I will check for lead parts.  Thank you so much.


Chrissy

Quote from: Lori Dee on March 10, 2026, 05:36:49 PMWe used a wooden dowel or an old broomstick. Cut notches in the side of it and make one end pointy. Drive the stake into the ground. Then rub another stick up and down across the notches. As Marion said, the vibrations bring them to the surface. They think it's raining.

If you have a flashlight with a red lens, you can hunt nightcrawlers. If not, any thin red piece of cloth will work. Spray a grassy area with water in the evening. After dark, the worms will be lying in the grass. White light will spook them, so use your red filter to see them.

Interesting, that is.

Chrissy

Quote from: Lori Dee on March 10, 2026, 05:32:09 PMI grew up fishing. We had a local hardware store that sold "Cane Poles" as you mentioned. They are cheap and have no moving parts.

For starters, I would say go to Walmart and get a Zebco 202 spin-cast. You can get them bundled with the rod or separately. They are cheap and last a long time. Watch for sales since Spring is coming soon.

I would suggest learning to tie a proper fishing knot. There are instructions online, better if you can get a fisherman to show you how. Once you learn that you can tie your own hooks, lures, or whatever. If you break a line, you just tie another one on.

You will also need to buy a fishing license. You can get those at Wally World too when you get your rod and reel.

You can use a lot of things for bait: worms, crickets, grasshoppers, minnows, etc. My grandfather did well using colored mini marshmallows. I have also used peanut butter or Velveeta cheese. The type of hook varies by bait. Marshmallows, peanut butter, and cheese use a treble hook. Live baits like worms, insects, frogs, and crickets use a single barb hook.

Thanks for all this information.

Quote from: Stottie Girl on March 10, 2026, 05:30:52 PMThere's an annual worm charming world championship in Southern England. People compete against each other to coax worms to the surface in their 1m square grid. We're a little eccentric in the UK!

Interesting, that is.

Quote from: Maid Marion on March 10, 2026, 04:34:45 PMLow frequency vibrations are proven to drive worms out of the ground.


Using earthworms is an easy and effective way to catch fish.  Perhaps too easy for those who are looking for a sporting challenge.

Okay, thank you Marion!  Have you got any new golf clothing so far this year?

Chrissy

So many variables.


We fish in a way that suits the body of water and the species we're after, plus the goal of the whole thing (having fun versus catching a big one versus catching something to eat).

Since you mentioned a "slow-moving river" I'm assuming this is in the more southern part of the U.S.A.? In that case, you need to find areas where "cover" exists as most fish take advantage of the protection of logs, rocks and stuff for both protection from predators and to create an ambush opportunity for them to feed. Straight off the bridge or a dock might work, but you need to fish a depth appropriate for the season (fish season, not calendar), species and water temperature. Generally speaking, an earthworm on a hook with a bit of weight and a smallish bobber above can be very effective. The trick is getting that bait set to the depth the fish are at and placing it close to where the fish are hanging out.

I can make some pretty specific gear and presentation suggestions, taking into consideration skill level and budget, but I need to know the water and fish species present. Not to brag but I'm very good at this.

Quote from: ChrissyRyan on March 10, 2026, 05:57:34 PMOkay, thank you Marion!  Have you got any new golf clothing so far this year?

Chrissy

I bought a 17.5 inch pink and navy ruffle skort.  It is knee length for me.

Marion

Quote from: Maid Marion on March 10, 2026, 10:31:58 PMI bought a 17.5 inch pink and navy ruffle skort.  It is knee length for me.

Marion

Very nice.

Quote from: Lori Dee on March 10, 2026, 05:36:49 PMWe used a wooden dowel or an old broomstick. Cut notches in the side of it and make one end pointy. Drive the stake into the ground. Then rub another stick up and down across the notches. As Marion said, the vibrations bring them to the surface. They think it's raining.

If you have a flashlight with a red lens, you can hunt nightcrawlers. If not, any thin red piece of cloth will work. Spray a grassy area with water in the evening. After dark, the worms will be lying in the grass. White light will spook them, so use your red filter to see them.

The competition rules say no digging so not sure if that's allowed. Some peole sing to it others pat the ground some play musical instruments. It's barking mad!
Your rain technique is essentially what sea gulls are doing when you see them rapidly stamping their feet after a rain shower.

I have been too busy to think much about fishing gear these past few days but I will pursue this.  Thank you so much for all these posts, and please keep them coming along.

Chrissy