Article: into the water and wait for it to hit the bottom. Rotate the reel so that there’s 10–12 inches (25–30 cm) of excess line coming off the tip of your pole. Firmly hold the handle on the pole and flick your wrist while pressing the release button in the direction that you want to cast. Wait 10-15 seconds for the weight to hit the floor in the lake or river you’re fishing in.  You’ll feel a slight thump on your line when the weight hits the bottom of the lake floor. You will catch more fish if you cast your line into areas of the water where you know there is a high density of fish. Rotate the reel ¼ turn clockwise to pull in the line. The line must feel taut or the bait will sink to the lake or river floor. There shouldn’t be any slack or looseness in the line. Slowly raise up the rod from your elbow and feel for resistance on the line. If there is no resistance or thumps then there are no fish biting on your bait. If you feel a thump or pull on the line, it means that a fish is biting and you skip the next 2 steps and sink the hook. If you don’t feel anything on your hook, slowly and slightly reel in the line. Then, lift up your rod again for potential bites. If you feel one, you can sink the hook. If not, then repeat this process until you completely reel in your bait. If you don’t catch anything after casting, repeat the process until you feel more bites. Once you get a bite on your hook, pull on your rod in an upward direction to sink the hook into the fish. Then, rotate the reel to bring the fish in towards you. Once you bring the fish to you, net it and remove the hook.
What is a summary of what this article is about?
Cast your line Reel in the line so that it’s taught. Lift the rod to feel for potential bites. Reel in the line 1–2 inches (2.5–5.1 cm) and check it if you don’t get any bites. Pull the pole up hard to sink the hook once you feel a bite.