Using circle hooks gets you more fish than your average hook, because of the small gap and inverted point. They are also better for the fish if you plan to release them since they generally hook the lip.

If a fish sees a shadow moving across the water it will think it’s a predator and will retreat and move away from your line. If you are fishing near the shoreline try to lessen your shadow on the water by crouching or sitting. If you must stand, move slowly whenever your shadow is cast upon the water. Getting down low will help to hide your presence. Or try to position yourself so you are facing the sun so your shadow will be behind you.

Tangles are most often caused by improper filling on both casting and conventional reels, which are loaded differently than spinning wheels. The line should be put on the reel the same way it comes off the spool. The spool of line should be vertical, with the hole horizontal and perhaps with a pencil through it. The line should be coming off the top of the spool, not the bottom. Finish up by filling the spool to the fill line, which is identified by a painted or etched line on the spool.

If you don’t have access to a boat, fishing from a high pier or bridge may be the only way to fish during a seasonal run. A useful trick is to modify a net so that you can lower it down to the water from your perch above. This way you can better secure a fish once you’ve hooked it. A simple way to modify a net is you use a drill to make a hole in the base of the handle and then attach a long rope to it so you can lower it down to the water.