Your local library should have a section on fishing; many of them will have really good info on picking starting gear, bait/lures/
terminal tackle for different species, technique, etc. ! Some of these books and/
or sporting magazines may also have info/tips on local areas/conditions to guide you to likely prospects in uour area !

P.S. - Back in the day, some reel brands (like Shimano) came with a spare spool ! Now, you may have to contact the reel manufacturers to get extras, as I've yet to see any vendor stocking/selling
spares !

My suggestion would be to start with a decent reel in the 2000/2500 range ($35/$50) such as a Pfleuger 'President', Mitchell 'Black Max', or any Shimano in that size/price range, and try to find/buy extra spools for whichever model you choose ! With a good medium action rod (Ugly Stik - 6'/6'6" - $35 to $40) and extra spools for different line weights, you can use that one rig for trout (4-lb.), bass (6 to 10 lb.), walleye/catfish/pike
(12 to 15 lb.) ! You can always invest/expand your gear later, but this type of starter set-up would serve you well for myriad types of fishing situations !

Used fat garden worms or nightcrawlers most of my life; never had a problem or a complaint ! They work great for almost any species I've ever fished for, including trout, salmon, bass, perch, pike, walleye, and just about everything else where live bait was
allowed !

Seriously ? MAN UP AND GROW A PAIR ! NO woman should EVER be telling her husband what gear to bring on a fishing trip or how much ! Bring ALL the rods and reels you think you might appropriately need for wherever and whatever conditions you're fishing ! Regardless of the so-called 'feminists', the MAN wears the pants in the family or he CANNOT and SHOULD not consider himself to be a REAL MAN ! Do you consider yourself to be a 'Hemingway'-type or a 'Mr. Rogers/Pinky Lee'- type ?

Not to be a jerk, but 'FS Digest' was mistaken; if it was striped, it would probably a muskie or a tiger muskie, as they are usually lighter-colored with dark STRIPES ! Pike are usually dark-colored with rows of lighter, bean-shaped SPOTS ! Carp scales are considerably more prominent, with a sort of 'cross-hatch' pattern, just like the grass carp in your photo !

And then there's the OTHER (humourous?) version; "Give a man a fish and he'll eat for a day; teach a man to fish and he'll sit there and drink beer all day !"

Back in the 90s, I lived and fished for bass around the Mesa, Az. area using 3"
curly-tail grub in smoke or dark green with chartreuse tails and had considerable success with 2/3/4-lb.fish !
Moved back east for family concerns, then back to the Mesa area upon retiring !
The problem ? Seems that size/color combination has become scarcer around here than hen's teeth ! Tube baits in that size/color also work fairly well, but are also hard to find; also, some areas are easier to fish with Texas/Carolina rigs and grubs than tubes and jigs due to bottom structure/ snagging concerns ! Does anyone in this area know where to find these grubs in this size/color combo that won't 'break the bank', as some that come close at Bass Pro Shop or Cabela's can sometimes be a little pricey ? (Retired,
remember ? That means a TIGHT budget !)

Besides the needlenose pliers and a decent (sharp) pocket knife, fishing clippers on a lanyard makes changing lures and flies so much quicker and easier, especially if you're out in mid-stream ! A small pair of nail clippers on a nylon cord will also do in a
pinch !

Before retirement, I had more money to play with, but still didn't go 'overboard' on gear; started with $25/$30 rods and $20/$25 reels ! Although I usually only upgraded after breaking something, I've pretty much stayed in the
$35/$40 dollar range for rods (Ugly Stik GX2 or Lite Pro) and same range for reels (Shimano 'Sidestab'); this allows me to afford back-up rigs or go either to heavier or ultalight gear for different species ! Other than accidental breakage, they have served me well for many years without 'breaking the bank' !

Hi, y'all !
Moved to Arizona from the northeast a few years ago; been wanting to try pike fishing for a while, but not much of that back home ! Thinking of trying my luck at Ashurst Lake and/or Upper Lake Mary soon; any advice from locals on preferred bait, lures, etc. ? Also, since there are trout and other species in these waters, should I use steel leaders or not ? Any input would be greatly appreciated !

I'm a 70-yr.-old senior and I've been fishing for about 60 of those years; I find getting out on/near the water and back to nature very stress-relieving ! I also practice catch-and-release for the most part, unless the fish is injured or exceedingly stressed and may not survive ! If it's a trout, I may keep it for the skillet or give it to a friend who also likes trout; other species I'll usually give away to friends or neighbors who may eat it or grind them up to fertilize their garden ! Either way, I try to make sure it doesn't go to waste ! As far as ethics are concerned, if I see someone fishing illegally in any way, I have my Fish & Game Dept.'s 'Game Thief' number on speed dial and will not hesitate to turn in people for unlawful or unethical fishing practices !

Remember; always try to get your best match to your rod type/weight when buying a new reel ! That said, Okuma, Shimano and Penn all make decent reels, although Penns tend to be a little more pricey ! Get on the 'net' and bring up the brands you're most interested in and see what features they have that you would prefer, as well as making price comparisons!
Once armed with the info you need, then peruse such stores (or their catalogs) as Walmart, Cabela's, Bass Pro Shop, etc. ALWAYS match your rod, reel and line weight for best results !

Nice shot ! Did you land that brown, and if so, how big was it ?

I am currently using an x2000 Shimano, which I bought as a substitute for the two reels damaged in the accident ! Also have another 'Mickey Mouse' reel which came as part of a cheap combo I bought as a temporary replacement for my two better rods; I can't even remember the brand name ! Rod and both reels are just 'fill-ins' until I can afford to replace my 'good' gear ! Looking to get a couple of Shakespeare 'Ugly Stiks', either the GSX or Lite Pro models ($35/$40 each), with Shimano 'Spirex' rear-drag reels with bail 'trigger'; this model, however, starts at around $60, whereas my
Shimano 'Sidestab' reels were only around $35/$40
each ! Which is why I wish they'd bring back that older model; those reels served me well for nearly twenty
years !