Hook Line and Sinker for the Family

In this day and age outfitting a average family with the proper fishing equipment can be a daunting and expensive task. There are many single parent families or maybe Dad just got laid off so saving a extra dollar here and there is important . Simply over-paying for fancy packaging is very common today and buying something that you cant use or that will give your grief all day long needs to be avoided .
I'm only going to talk about the basics here of things like hooks,lines, sinkers and the common bobber and hopefully give you some common sense information you can use in the store so you don't over spend.Any fishing store you walk into has an overwhelming selection of line to choose from. First lets talk about line and what line not to buy. Avoid Store Brand lines like Walmart or Kmart line. These are typically sold in bulk spools and the line loves to coil and is usually brittle. Stick to a name brand like Trilene or Stren in monofilament. Braids and fluorocarbons,which have a place in the industry, are far too expensive for the average fisherman and can be frustrating to use for beginners. A 4- 6lb pound test monofilament line is sufficient for any thing from walleye to bluegill or crappies and even on trout streams you'll be safe. My favorite is 6lb Trilene XL and I buy the big box which has 1000 yards.You should be able to spool about 6 -8 smaller reels with the big box and it runs about 14.00 dollars.
Again this isn't fancy and you should have great results with a good fishing knot and proper installation. A improved clinch knot is all that's needed.Here's a great link .http://www.animatedknots.com/improvedclinch/index.php

Next lets talk a little on hooks. Again you will find a huge selection at any sporting goods store with fancy colors and every manufacturer laying claims to the sharpest hook on the market .DON'T go overboard. Find yourself a nice bronze number 6 -8 bait holder hook and your set. I prefer bronze Mustad hooks and a box of 50 is fairly reasonable at about 10.00 dollars a box.Remember on basics its always cheaper to buy bulk knowing you will always use them if you have kids. Trees and rocks usually always win a few times on every outing.Now we can talk sinker and bobbers.Keep in mind that you want a bobber just big enough to float your bait hook and sinker. Smaller bobbers offer less resistance to the fish which helps the fish hold the bait longer. I look for the standard old fashion red and white or orange and yellow round plastic float. There are many other styles of bobbers on the market but these are great for the basics and perhaps trying out others styles down the road is what you'll want to do.These will come in a package of 3 for around 1.50. I do not look for a name brand bobber for bank fishing but the more in depth you go with fishing, the more you will learn about bobber styles and there applications.As far as sinkers go, I like lead water gremlin brand pinch on sinkers and I always stay on the small side. Nothing fancy. There is legislation that is in the works to ban lead sinkers and you will find tungsten on the shelves. Right now lead is still good to use so you can make the choice however you see fit. You can find a round tub of these with several sizes of sinkers for around 5.00 dollars as well. Hopefully this is enough information on the basics so the fancy packaging doesn't catch you and your hard earned dollar off guard. Keep it very simple when money is tight and you will be glad you did. Basic hook line and sinker will fill the stringer while keeping your wallet full too.