How to Set Up a Fishing Rod

Fishing is a fun and relaxing activity enjoyed by many Aussies. If you're planning to start fishing, the good news is you don't have to be a pro to enjoy this activity. All you need to have is the right set of equipment and know the basics. And one of the basic skills you need to learn is setting up your fishing rod, here's how.

Things You Will Need:

• Fishing rod
• Fishing reel
• Lure

Not sure which type of rod to use? Check out this quick guide.

How To Set Up A Rod: Step-By-Step Guide

To set up your rod completely, you'll need the rod itself, the reel, fishing line, and a lure or terminal tackle for bait fishing. Follow these instructions on how to set up a rod:

1. Clean your rod first. Remove any debris or dirt that could scratch it. Keeping your rod and other fishing equipment clean will help extend their lifespan.
2. If your rod has multiple sections, connect the sections together by sliding them inside each other. Make sure that the circular rod guides that run along the rod are aligned best as possible.
3. Your fishing rod breaks into two parts called a ferrule. It is where the reel is attached. The ferrule is located towards the lower end of the rod and if you have a travel rod, sometimes there are multiple joints. Once you’ve located them, align the reel and slide it into the joints. If the fishing reel doesn’t fit, stop and look at your DAIWA rod's manual. Don't force the rod together as you can damage it permanently. Try to loosen the reel seat by rotating it. The reel seat is located at the bottom grip of the rod.
4. Once the reel is in the reel seat, secure the reel seat by tightening it.
5. Start spooling the reel. Lift the bale arm (the silver overhead piece on the reel) and then feed the line through the first guide of the rod and continue till it reaches the very top guide, once you have done that select and tie on your lure/bait.
6. Remember, if you hook a big fish, your fishing line should break before your rod does so make sure the fishing line you’re using has the correct breaking strain for your rod by eliminating this issue, make sure your drag setting is set correctly so there is no overloading of the rod causing any line or rod breakage..See which fishing line suits your needs here.
7. One great way to learn how to spool a reel is by watching a video. In this quick video, DAIWA explainshow to spool a reel properly.
8. Once you have your line through all the guides, thread your line through the tow point of the lure and tie a Uniknot to the lure to secure it.See how to tie lure.

Setting up a rod can be challenging, especially for first time anglers. But once you’ve done it a couple of times you’ll be able to master the basic skills, and be well on your way to catching bundles of fish in no time!