The Fishing Kit...

Now, fishing is something that is very special for lots of people and it is also very boring for the rest. Fishing with a line is an option only for those that have fished in the past or still do regularly. The fishing kit i have and use is something that evolved during the summer when everyone does a bit of fishing here.

I live in a city near the sea, shadowed by a mountain(lucky me...Thessaloniki rules!) and there are many lakes in Northern Greece and they all have fish...So the fishing kit i show here is a kit that can be carried with you very easily and be ready to use anytime you like to throw a line and enjoy the sunset.

These are two kits that contain everything you need. the one on the left is a smaller one stored in a Kinder egg that can be used a floater and because of its bright color(they come in reds or yellows) you can easily see if the fish are biting the bait.

I am going to show the one i carry with me when i go fishing, that is the largest of the two even if it is still small in size...
Important : In some countries you may need a fishing permit to fish. Ask around and find out what you need. If you fish often it is worth it as the fines at times are rather steep. Here in Greece fishing permit is required only if you use any kind of boat out in the open sea and it costs about 40$ to get one.. And remember, you don't have to carry one of these kits with you, unless you know how to fish and want to fish when you go outdoors. Those "survival fishing kits" business is just a load of bull. Either you fish, or you don't, so get the right stuff.

The contents, laid out. From left to right we have, sterile surgical blades, fishing line 25 meters, some bit of cork, small light sticks for fishing, salt/fresh water lure (for small to medium sized fish), hooks on a bit of eraser(very useful that..), hooks pressed on sticky tape, those twirly metal thingys(i don't know what they are called in English...) and assorted weights (clamp style). The Japanese have the best lures and hooks and generally everything about fishing that is Japanese is perfect! Those guys really know how to do it...
My advice, if you want to really use this kit often is having it ready before you set out. Which means tying the line to a hook, tying off one of those twirly metal things, and practicing some fishing knots beforehand.

The line is ready and that's a closeup of the all-purpose lure.(it works fine on both water types and the tail can be replaced with spares...
They all fit inside here and that's a handy fishing kit for any situation.

As you can see i fitted some knot tying instructions around so i don't forget how to set up my line. The knots are somewhat specialized because nylon line is used and not rope... You can find excellent knots for fishing HERE. 

A little story of how i started fishing and liking it...When i was in the army i was stationed at the beautiful Island of Samos. Because my home was 22hours by ship away on my weekends off i went fishing with a friend whose father was a fisherman on an adjacent island. We started fishing squid from the docks down at the other side of the harbor (the waters around the island are among the clearest and cleanest of Greece) and there i learned of a little fishing trick. Colored line, especially blue/green or gray/blue are the best for fishing. Avoid the classic cheapo transparent/clear line because it shines in the water and startles the fish. So we fished and learned and at times called my friend's father and asked for help....We started getting results when we switched to colored line and good quality Japanese lures for squid...What we fished we took to the camp's cook and we organized ourselves small feasts. The cook was allowed to eat but only if he brought the wine...;) 

So after 6 months on an island i came to know and value fishing as a means of passing time but also getting enough food to fill you belly...And remember. a fishing kit is useful if you live near or around lakes or seas. If you live in areas where lakes and oceans are scarce then a fishing kit is useless but you might practise some game snares while you're out.