1. Basic Handline Tackle Setup
View Daggerfish Handlines and Accessories here.
Welcome to the hobby of handline fishing! This guide will show you the features of your Daggerfish handline, and cover how to set up the included tackle for your first fishing trip.
Unboxing your Daggerfish Handline
Whether you have a maple, cherry, or walnut handline, each kit includes a solid wood handreel body with 30 yards of 8lb premium monofilament line.
Your handline has two storage areas beneath the corks, one at the top and one at the bottom.
Inside the top storage area, you’ll find a bait and tackle kit including the following:
- 3 Trout Magnet rubber grubs
- 1 lead-free jig head to use with your rubber grubs
- 2 Aberdeen hooks for fishing with live bait
- 3 lead-free sinkers
- 1 float
Basic Tackle Setup
To set up for your first handline fishing trip, follow these steps (also covered in the video above).
Remove your bait and tackle kit and float from its storage area. Choose one of the rubber grubs, and grab a sinker, bobber, and jig head from your kit. Set these aside and put the rest of your kit back in storage for now.
Thread a rubber grub on jig head. The hook should emerge straight between the two tails of the grub.
Set your grub aside for a moment and grab your reel. Remove the plastic wrap covering your line by tearing it along the perforated seam.
Find the tag end of your fishing line and pull straight off the top of your reel to unspool your line.
Cut any knots off the end of your line using nippers or mitten scissors.
If you have a Handreel Sheath, pop your handline back in the sheath to make the next part easier. Otherwise stick the reel in a pocket or set it down beside you. Feed your line through the jig head eyelet and tie it on using an improved clinch knot.
Attach one or more sinkers about 8-12 inches above the jig head. A pair of pliers or mitten scissors will make this easier, and you may want to wrap the line around the sinker jaws twice to help keep the sinker securely attached.
Thread the line through the slit in the float, then gently reinsert the black plastic pin to secure it in place about 8-12 inches above the sinker.
This setup can be easily adjusted to fish at different heights; just remove the pin and slide the float to a new position to adjust your depth.
With this basic setup, your're ready to start handlining! Next,try setting up for handline-style fly fishing, learn basic casting techniques, or see how to store your tackle.
