Going fishing for the first time and knowing what kit to use at the start can be a real head scratcher. Do you use a whip, a pole, a rod and line? The options are seemingly limitless. It doesn't have to be complicated, however, with many companies now producing dedicated fishing starter kits for those new to the sport, that include everything you need to put a few fish on the bank (without breaking the bank!).
Deciding what venue and what fish you want to target are always the best questions to ask first. If you just want to go and catch anything that swims at a mixed fishery then a simple float fishing setup would be ideal. If, however, you want to go straight into the world of big carp fishing, you will need more powerful rods and reels, due to the nature of angling for these big fish.
The best fishing starter kits shortlist
• Best Starter Fishing Pole - Maver Reality 6m Pole Fishing Kit - View offer on Total Fishing Tackle
• Best Starter Kit For Carp Fishing - Sonik Xtractor two-rod carp kit - View offer on Total Fishing Tackle
• Best starter feeding fishing kit for commercials - View offer on Amazon
• Best Starter Fishing Whips - Guru A-Class whips 3m & 4m - View offer on Total Fishing Tackle
Below, we take a look at some of the best starter kits on the market, including some real bargains. With some you won't need to buy anything else as everything you need is included, whilst others may require you to buy a few extra items like a landing net, unhooking mat and chair to sit on.
Best starter fishing pole
www.total-fishing-tackle.com
Description
This Maver Reality 6m Pole Fishing Kit is just the job to kick off your pole fishing experience. In it you get a fully-elasticated 6m take-part Reality pole, tackle box, pole rigs, plummet, elastic connector, cloth pole bag and a disgorger. You even get an instructional DVD to show you how to use all these items.
Pros
- The supplied rigs are well tied.
- The pole can withstand a knock or two.
Cons
- Could come with more for the price.
Best starter feeding fishing kit for commercials
Description
Aimed at the ‘newbie’ or intermediate angler, each of these Shakespeare Challenge XT sets contain balanced tackle suitable for a variety of methods. You get a carbon rod, a reel spooled with line, and a small tackle box loaded with all the accessories you need for the style of fishing you’ve chosen.
A 10ft feeder rod and reel is included in this package, that is perfect for starting feeder fishing - an easy method for commercial fishing venues. The 10ft length is ideal for kids or novices to handle, but will limit casting distances.
Pros
- Great starter feeder fishing kit.
- Ideal for commercials.
Cons
- Won't cast as far as a longer rod.
Best starter float fishing kit for commercials
www.ebay.co.uk
Description
Aimed at the ‘newbie’ or intermediate angler, each of these Shakespeare Challenge XT sets contain balanced tackle suitable for a variety of methods. You get a carbon rod, a reel spooled with line, and a small tackle box loaded with all the accessories you need for the style of fishing you’ve chosen.
A 10ft rod and reel is included in this package, with everything you need to start pellet waggler fishing. The kit is ideal for all manner of commercial float fishing and will handle carp, tench and bream, plus can be used in certain river fishing scenarios too. The 10ft length is ideal for kids and novices, but will restrict casting distances.
Pros
- Ideal for pellet waggler fishing.
- Rod has a great action.
Cons
- The 10ft length will restrict how far you can cast.
Best starter method feeder fishing kit
Description
Aimed at the ‘newbie’ or intermediate angler, each of these Shakespeare Challenge XT sets contain balanced tackle suitable for a variety of methods. You get a carbon rod, a reel spooled with line, and a small tackle box loaded with all the accessories you need for the style of fishing you’ve chosen.
This package includes a 12ft rod and reel, with everything you need to start method feeder fishing. The method is a simple and devastating tactic on commercial fisheries. This kit can handle decent carp and is the standard length of fishing rod used by the majority of anglers, so you can cast reasonable distances too.
Pros
- The perfect choice for starting method feeder fishing.
- Great for larger lakes.
Cons
- A bit big for smaller commercials.
Best Value Starter Pole Fishing Kit
www.ebay.co.uk
Description
Aimed at the ‘newbie’ or intermediate angler, each of these Shakespeare Challenge XT sets contain balanced tackle suitable for a variety of methods. You get a pole and a small tackle box loaded with all the accessories you need for the style of fishing you’ve chosen.
This package includes an 8m pole and everything else you need to start pole fishing. The pole is strong enough to handle small commercial carp and silvers on all sizes.
Pros
- Perfect kit to get into pole fishing.
- Pole is strong so will be ideal for carp and silvers.
Cons
- Is a little heavy at its full length, but still fishable.
Best Starter Kit for Float Fishing
Description
Aimed at the ‘newbie’ or intermediate angler, each of these Shakespeare Challenge XT sets contain balanced tackle suitable for a variety of methods. You get a carbon rod, a reel spooled with line, and a small tackle box loaded with all the accessories you need for the style of fishing you’ve chosen.
This package includes a 12ft match rod and reel, everything you need to start float fishing. This is the perfect kit to catch silvers and the odd carp on the float. The rod is light and well balanced with the reel. It will do a decent job on commercials, larger stillwaters and rivers.
Pros
- The rod is very light and easy to hold.
- Plenty of backbone for playing carp and sensitive enough for silverfish.
Cons
- Not the best rod for really big carp in snaggy swims.
Best starter kit for barbel fishing
Description
Aimed at the ‘newbie’ or intermediate angler, each of these Shakespeare Challenge XT sets contain balanced tackle suitable for a variety of methods. You get a carbon rod, a reel spooled with line, and a small tackle box loaded with all the accessories you need for the style of fishing you’ve chosen.
This package includes a 12ft barbel rod and reel, everything you need to start barbel fishing. The rod has plenty of power, meaning it can be used for stalking carp off the surface too.
Pros
- A good length and won't restrict casting with heavier weights or feeders.
- Rod has lots of power and can also be used for carp.
Cons
- A bit too powerful for smaller rivers.
Best starter kit for carp fishing
www.total-fishing-tackle.com
Description
There's a choice of rods with these Sonik Xtractor kits – you can opt for either a 9ft or a 10ft length, and test curves of 2.75lb and 3lb (9ft) or 3.5lb (10ft). As well as the rods, you also get two Vader FS reels (5000-sized models with the 9ft rods, 6000 with the 10ft rods), and a Vader two-piece 42ins landing net.
Pros
- The 10ft telescopic rods offer superb flexibility.
- Supplied landing net is a big plus.
Cons
- Reels could come spooled with line.
Best starter fishing whips
www.total-fishing-tackle.com
Description
These new Guru A-Class whips are designed for quick and effective fishing, allowing young anglers, newcomers or people who simply don’t want to break the bank to catch some fish! They’re super-simple to set up too: just telescope the whip out before attaching the rig to the connector on the tip-end. A top-quality rig is supplied ready-tied to the perfect length, so no faffing about there either, and they’re targeted towards a variety of fish species and sizes. Both whips are lightweight and strong, with forgiving actions.
Pros
- The ready rigs are the perfect length.
- Strong and little to go wrong.
Cons
- Could come with a few more accessories.
What to look for in a starter kit
When it comes to starter kits they are generally tailored towards fishing a certain style, whether that be float fishing or carp fishing. It is important to buy the kit that is suited towards the type of angling you want to do, there is no point turning up at a big carp lake with a float rod as it will be completely underpowered, conversely if you take a carp rod to fish for small fish it will be too powerful and will eliminate all the fun of catching them. Fishing gear can always be added to and you'll find a lot of anglers get enjoyment from fishing for all species, so don't dwell on the decision too much, as catching any fish is enjoyable if you love the sport.
Glossary
Whip: A telescopic fishing rod that doesn’t require a reel to use.
Reel: A fishing reel is a hand-cranked object used in angling to wind and store fishing line, typically mounted onto a fishing rod.
Feeder rod: A rod with a sensitive tip section (quiver tip), which allows you to see bites when using a leger rig. These rods tend to be a bit more powerful to help cast heavier end tackle.
Float rod: A rod that is used for float fishing, it is generally light and well balanced with a fast line pick up so you can strike into bites.
Legering: The use of a weight/bomb/lead to get the bait to the bottom but no float is used on the rig.
Hooklength: A piece of line, generally around 15cm in length that has a hook tied onto it. It is recommended to have the breaking strain less than the mainline so this breaks first.
Feeder: A plastic or metal item that can have groundbait moulded into or onto it. It is used to get bait down to the bottom and attract fish to the area.
Test curve: Usually measured in pounds, it's the weight that needs to be applied to the end of the rod to make it bend over 90 degrees. The greater the test curve, the more powerful the rod.
Landing net: A net used to safely net and lift large fish from the water, they come in various shapes and sizes depending on the size of fish you’re targeting.
Frequently asked questions on fishing starter kits
What set is best to get for a complete beginner?
If its your first time on the bank, we recommend getting a kit that contains all the necessary items to start fishing. This will mean you have everything you need and generally they come with instructions on how to use your new equipment. If you buy just a rod and reel set, buying all the rest of the items, such as floats and hooks, can be a bit of a minefield.
Should I buy a whip fishing set or a rod?
Both items of tackle will catch fish in the majority of lakes around the UK. Basic fishing whips are generally regarded as the easiest to use as they have no reel and don't require any casting, the line is simply attached to the end and you swing it into the lake. If you want a bit more versatility, it is much better to buy a rod and reel, as you can cast much further, land larger fish and use a variety of different methods, something a whip doesn't offer.
What is the difference between a float rod and a feeder rod?
Whilst the rods look very similar to one another, they do vary slightly towards the tip section. You will notice on a feeder rod the end is brightly coloured, usually orange, yellow or green and this is very sensitive. As there is no float when feeder fishing, you rely on that section to show you any indications or bites you are getting, this is noticeable on the tip as little movements or violent pulls. A float rod doesn't need this section of sensitive carbon, however, as the float is your indicator. Float rods tend to be much lighter as you are holding the rod and need to strike, whereas a feeder rod sits on the rest.
What length rod do I need?
Rod length will dictate how far you can cast and how easily you can control your end tackle. A good rod to start float fishing with is one around 12ft in length, this will give you the ability to cast and control the float without being too long to use easily. Similarly, if you are using a feeder rod on a commercial, a rod of around 10-11ft in length would be perfect to use, easily allowing you to cast to any islands or margins up to 30m away.
Author Dan Webb first became involved in angling journalism in 2015 and has worked as Tackle Tester at Angling Times since April 2021. He is a fanatical all-round match angler and former England Youth International.