Most first-time fishermen start out fishing with live bait, either worms or minnows, and many experienced fishermen also use live or prepared baits at least some of the time, depending on the type of fish they are fishing for. A good selection of hooks is helpful in fishing with live or prepared baits of various sizes and for fish of various species and sizes. Hooks come in 3 types �- single, double, and treble -� and a number of sizes. Some hooks are equipped with wire weed guards, while others bend the points at an angle.


Single hooks have only a single point. Most types have straight shafts, although some, such as those used to fish plastic worms with the hook point buried in the worm body (self-weedless rigs), feature bent shafts. Other single hooks feature points that are bent at an angle to the shaft.
Double hooks feature 2 points, bent at a 30-degree angle from the shaft. They are more commonly found on lures such as the Hofschneider Red Eye spoon than used with live bait.
Treble hooks feature 3 points set 120 degrees apart. They are often used with prepared baits such as dough balls or marshmallows or with large live baits such as minnows when fishing for species that might turn the bait in their mouths such that a single hook would miss the roof of the fish's mouth when an angler attempts to set the hook.
Hook sizes are numeric. For hook sizes given as straight numbers (2, 4, 6, 8, etc.), the larger the number, the smaller the hook. Hook sizes that include the designation "/0" (read as "aught" or "oh" after the number before the slash) are larger than hooks without this designation; the larger the number before the slash, the larger the hook. You'll want to use smaller hooks when fishing for smaller species such as bluegill, crappie, and other panfish with tiny baits such as grubs and worm pieces and larger hooks when fishing for larger species such as bass, walleye, trout, and pike with larger baits such as whole earthworms, minnows, or shad.
 Sinkers are pieces of lead or steel that provide casting weight to lightweight baits and help the bait sink to the bottom. You'll want to use enough weight to help you cast and present your offering, but not so much that it creates an undue amount of drag when a fish takes it. Sinkers come in several types, as described below:


Split shot are small, round sinkers with an opening the center. They are designed to be crimped on your line with either fingers or pliers. Some split shot also feature nibs on the opposite side to let you remove the sinker without cutting your line. Split shot are often packaged in a round, plastic package that offers an assortment of sizes.
Dipsey, or bell, sinkers are bell-shaped sinkers molded around a metal shaft with an eye through which you loop your line to attach them. They are useful when you need more weight than split shot can provide; larger ones can also be used as practice plugs to practice your casting away from the fishing hole. Some dipsey sinkers feature special eyes that let you fish them in a fixed position on your line or as slip sinkers. You can buy individual packages of a single size or an assortment of sizes as with the split shot.
Slip sinkers are designed to be threaded onto your line and slide up and down as necessary. These come in 3 styles: round slip shot, bullet-shaped sinkers used when fishing Texas-rigged plastic worms, and egg-shaped sinkers used when fishing a variation of the Texas rig known as the Carolina rig.
 Bobbers help keep your bait afloat when you need to suspend it off the bottom and also provide an indication of when a fish has taken your bait. Bobbers come in several types:


Clip-on bobbers come in 2 types. The more common "beach ball" type is round and features a button on one side that extends a hook on the opposite side into which you insert your line, then release the button. (A variation of this kind of bobber has a second hook in the button to better secure your line.) The other type is elongated and uses a tiny spring on 1 or both ends to hold it on the line. You'll want to have bobbers of this type no larger than 1 inch (2.5 cm).
Slip bobbers are designed to slide up and down the line the way slip sinkers do. Some bobbers of this type are clear and designed to be filled with water to provide casting weight when fishing ultralight lures, such as fishing flies with ultralight spinning tackle.
 Many fishermen are perfectly content to fish with only live or prepared baits. Others, however, enjoy fishing with artificial lures. Unlike live bait, which can simply be cast out and let sit, artificial lures usually must be retrieved to attract fish. Lures are available in a number of sizes and types. You'll want to have a selection of jigs, spoons, and spinners, plastic worms and crankbaits if you fish for bass, and flies if you fish for trout.
 Some lures, such as spoons and crankbaits, can cause the line to twist as they wobble when retrieved. Attaching a swivel to your line before attaching such a lure will prevent this. Swivels can also be used as a line stop for slip sinkers or slip bobbers. The best swivels feature tiny ball bearings to help them rotate more freely.


Some swivels are equipped with snaps at one end to make it easier to change lures. Look for snap swivels with rounded snaps to allow the lure greater freedom of movement.
Some lures, such as jigs, flies, and self-weedless rigged plastic worms, are intended to be tied directly to the line.
 For most fishing, most of the time, you won't need to use a leader. The main times you'll want a leader are for fly fishing and when fishing for species such as northern pike and muskellunge, whose teeth can snag and cut monofilament fishing line.


Leaders for fly fishing are made of monofilament and tied directly to both the fly and the fly fishing line. They are of various lengths.
Leaders for pike fishing are made of bare or coated wire and usually have a swivel on one end and a snap on the other. They are usually about 1 foot (0.3 m) in length.
 Stringers are useful for keeping fish you've caught while you continue fishing. The simplest stringer is a length of heavy, narrow cord similar to that used in trot lines, while more common stringers are lengths of lightweight chain with large metal snaps attached at various places. (A more expensive form of this stringer covers the chain with plastic tubing to prevent rust.)


You won't need a stringer, however, if you practice catch and release fishing or if you fish from a boat equipped with a live well, a small tank commonly found in bass boats.
 Although swivels can help prevent line twist, over time your line can still become brittle from twists and nicks. Having a spool of replacement line can be helpful if you find your line repeatedly breaking while fishing. This line can also be used for makeshift leaders, such as when fishing a Carolina rig.


If you fish with spinning or spincasting tackle, you can carry your extra line on an extra reel spool so you can swap spools. You can even carry several spools with different weights of line to adjust to different conditions.
Carry an assortment of hooks.
Carry a selection of sinkers.
Include a few bobbers.
Consider some artificial lures.
Keep some swivels on hand to prevent line twist.
Carry leaders if the species you're fishing for requires using them.
Carry a stringer.
Keep a spool of line in your tackle box.
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