Fishing novice

[Squitty]

I wanted to have a go at fishing again (coarse fishing) - last went fishing when I was 12. Has much changed apart from not using lead weights?
I have been given a rod that is 9ft saracen carbon composite leger ( whatever that means) and thats all I have. What do I look for when buying a reel and what other accessories am I going to need?
Any help / advice appreciated.

[robbopike]

The rod is a little on the short side but it will do until you decide whether you are going to stick at it. Thank fully there are a lot of imported cheap fishing reels on the market and you can pick one up for around �15/�20 . I would buy a general line of about 8 pounds breaking strain and a few small leger weights in the ounce to 2 ounce range, a few hooks from size 14 to 8 will suffice. You cannot fish rivers until 16th. June so find yourself a nearby commercial fishing pool and buy yourself an Environment Agency fishing licence. Fishing methods could take up web page after web page but just to get you started , slide your leger onto the line, stop it two feet from the end with a leger stop/lsplit shot, tie your hook on the end and use a simple bait like paste or sweet corn, both will catch anything going in that pool. it is cheap and cheerful, there is no need to cast any great distance, throw a few free samples near to where you cast in. Put your rod onto two rod rests and tighten the line and when you have a bite the tip olf your rod is pulled around.

[sn�gs]

Get on ebay and look at Okuma reels. In fact. get everything you want off ebay and save yourself some dosh...