Recommended Fishing Products

     There are many products you can buy when freshwater fishing. The pole itself has a rod, reel, and line that is very important to know about. However, you will need to know about what lures to use, along with what to wear. I will go through all of these and what products work the best in my experience. There are also some products that are not as effective, and I will show you those as well.

Rods and Reels

    Your fishing pole is where it all starts. It is important to buy the right equipment so it will perform well and last long. It all starts with finding a rod to use. The best rods I have found is the Lamiglas XP Bass Spinning Rod and the St. Croix Bass X Casting Rod. These rods can be found all over the market by a simple Google search. However, if you prefer to feel what you are buying, they are sold in stores like Bass Pro Shops and Cabela’s. They are a little over $100 but are worth it with their quality and their durability. These rods will last you a long time, even if you are a frequent fisher.

    A reel is another important part of the fishing pole. Reels can be very expensive if you want top of the line. Top of the line reels can exceed $300 but if you want a reliable reel that will last, there are much cheaper options. Personally, I prefer spin cast reels that are open faced. The most comfortable reel I have found is a Shimano Sedona 4000XG FI Spinning Reel. This reel is very smooth when casting and reeling in, making it great for bass. If using a bait caster, I prefer anything by Penn. I specifically like the Penn Warfare Level Wind Conventional Reel and my preferred size is 30. I do not recommend the Abu Sport Mag because the gears are wobbly, and the drag is terrible.

    These, however, can be bought as a package and do not need to be purchased separately.  The Ghosthorn Spin Cast rod and reel combo is a great rod and reel to buy. It is already assembled and has great flow when fishing. Another great combo is the Quantum Invade Bait Caster. It is retractable for transportation and light in weight. One of my favorite rod and reel ready combos is the Sougayilang Telescopic Spin Cast. It is easily transportable, smooth, and has an easy to use and change drag that will make it easy to land your fish.

Lures

    There is an abundance of lures available for different types of fishing and every angler has their own preference. It also depends on the body of water you are in. However, I will go over some of the products I rely on anytime I go fishing.

              Top Water Lures

    The top water lure I use the most is the Booyah Pad Crasher Bullfrog. It has a great green pattern on it to give it a real look, along with great movement on the surface. Another great top water bait is the Booyah Buzzbait. It is dark like a bug, or small animal but has a metal flap that smacks the water. I like this because it causes commotion, thus grabbing attention from any fish around. I would stay away from the Arbogast Hula Popper. This top water has great color, but I have hooked so many weeds and sticks with the hanging hook. Another top water I have avoided is the Arbogast Jitterbug. Some people are a fan of this, but I am not. It has the hooks of a normal lure, which I am not a fan of. I am also not a fan of the movement it makes by having the metal wedge below the head of the lure.

              Regular Lures

    My favorite lure is the Rapala Countdown 01 Green. I have landed more fish with this lure than any other because of its natural look and movement. Another lure is the Delong 6” Weedless KILR Worm. This lure has bright colors with hidden hooks. This is great for areas with a lot of weeds as it will slide around them. One more lure I would recommend is the SPRO Fishing Bronzeye Pop Bait, Rainforest Black. This is half a frog which is great because bass love frogs. It also has great movement throughout the water. A lure I would absolutely stay away from is the Lunkerhunt Lunker Frog. The frog seems to be so realistic that you can tell that it is plastic. The movement is not as good as the SPRO, and it has proved less effective in performance.

Performance Wear

    There are many brands to choose from when going fishing. Anyone can wear anything when fishing, but some products will make you more comfortable. These are not essential, but the more you fish, the more you will want to invest in these products.

              Shirts

    For short sleeve shirts I personally will wear any shirt, but the best short sleeves are made by Columbia. More specifically the Columbia Bahama II is the most comfortable. It is light weight, but still gives a rugged look with pockets.

    Long sleeve shirts are great no matter what the type of weather. I prefer Huk fishing shirts. The Huk Pursuit Vented long sleeve shirt is great. It provides great sun protection while feeling super light and soft. Southern Fin Performance Fishing is a great shirt a well. Slick material that is sun protective as well.

              Hats

    The best fishing hat is the KOOLSOLY Fishing Hat, Fishing Cap. It is a sun hat that also has protection around your face and neck giving 50+ sun protection. This is for serious fishers, but if you are one it is a great investment. The best sunhat I have found is the KastKing Sol Armis Boonie Hate. It is a great fitting hat, but also is vented to keep you cool.

              Sunglasses

    The HUK Polarized Lens are the most effective. It is essential for anglers to have polarized sunglasses to see through the water a little. These glasses are also very comfortable around the ears. Another pair is the INFI fishing polarized sunglasses. They are lightweight, great polarization, comfortable, and long lasting.

    There are many other brands and sets of equipment that are available for purchase, but I hope this has narrowed your search to start your fishing journey.