Fishing can be one of the simplest outdoor hobbies to pick up if you have the right equipment and know what you’re doing. The right equipment includes having your fishing rod, fishing line, fishing license, etc. But beyond the gear, having the correct information and knowing how to use that information will go a long way to help you catch fish with ease, especially if you’re a first-time angler.

Fishing might seem intimidating at first but knowing simple skills that you can learn will make it seem like a breeze. So, here are some tips about five skills you can quickly learn to help you catch your first fish:

1. Tying a Knot

As you begin your fishing journey, being able to tie a knot is one of the first skills to pick up. Knots are essential for securing your fishing line to the hook and reducing the strain while reeling. There are over a thousand types of fishing knots, but you only need to know how to tie about 5 or 8.

You can pick up more along the way, but the knots that should be among your top picks are; the Clinch knot, Palomar knot, Snelling a hook, Fisherman’s knot, Blood knot, and Double Surgeon’s loop.

2. Reading the Water

Reading the water is very important to help you figure out where fish are hiding and the best time of the day to fish in certain waters. Typically, fish hide around places that provide good cover, such as weeds and fallen trees, if it’s in a lake. And around overhanging banks, if you’re fishing in a river.

Also, you should be able to determine when currents and tides come in when fishing in saltwater. Waves have a considerable effect on where saltwater fish feed and live.

3. Casting

In fishing, the skill of casting is very crucial and can be mastered easily through practice. It involves releasing your lure by swinging your fishing rod at the perfect time. However, you must take note of a few techniques to be able to cast the ideal bait.

First, you must check the weight of the lure to ensure it is in sync with the weight inscribed on the fishing rod. You must stay within that range of weight. Next, you must load your spool correctly and keep the line on your reels about 1/8 inch from the maximum capacity of the spool.

Finally, you must ensure to reset your bait caster when you change the lures. Your reels should be stable and set very tight as a new angler.

4. Hooking

After casting your lure, your next expectation is to hook a fish. While doing this, you should ensure that your line doesn’t break underwater and the fish doesn’t spit out your lure. To prevent these from happening, you’ll have to correctly set the hook at the right time and pressure it into the fish’s mouth.

You can do this by pointing your rod up and pulling back with slight pressure when your bobber begins to wobble to keep the lure in the fish’s lip without tearing it off. Having a good hook lets you play around with the fish till it tires out so you can quickly reel it in.

5. Landing

Another good fishing skill to master is the landing. It’s advisable to have a net to scoop the fish once it’s within arm’s length, preventing it from jumping back into the water. Also, if you want to keep your fish alive for a bit longer, ensure not to squeeze its stomach or gills as this might suffocate it.