The true minnow family contains more species of fish than any other kind of family. In North America there are 225 known species. Minnows range from about 2-12 inches. They have no sharp dorsal fins on their back. They don't have teeth in their jaw, but they do have teeth in their throat. Most minnows breed in spring or early summer. Males are usually smaller than females, but brighter in color. Females are bigger but are very dull in color.

Shiners are minnows that have silver or gold sides. The Emerald Shiner is good for catching open water game fish like walleye or white bass. Dace are also minnows. There are several species of dace. Golden Shiners are attractive to big game fish like bass, pike, and catfish because of their bright colors and size. The Creek Chub, another kind of minnow, is a popular bait for big game fish such as catfish, pike, and striped bass. Male Creek Chubs develop a noticeable pearal organ on their heads in early summer.

Chubs are another kind of minnow. Flathead Chubs and Silver Chubs are relatively large minnows. The Flathead Minnow can be found anywhere, even in polluted areas. It's probably the most used bait minnow.

Killifish are another kind of bait fish, but they aren't minnows. These fish have small sharp teeth on their jaws. They also have well developed stomachs. Both males and females grow to about 4 inches in length. Adults are brighter colored. They have bold vertical stripes on their sides. Killifish have a large, flat mouth. This enables them to feed on insects on the surface. Top minnows are another kind of killifish.

There are basically two kinds of spinning reels; open faced and closed face. The easiest to use is the closed face. It is a good reel to start on. The open faced reel is more complicated. It has a bail that has to be flipped down, and the line has to be picked up with the forefinger. All you have to do with a closed face reel, is press a button and hold it down. Then let go when you throw the rod forward.

You'll want to select the proper sized rod, depending on the fish you're going to catch. If you're fishing for pan fish, like bluegill or crappie, you'll want a shorter rod that isn't as strong. But if you're fishing for big game fish, like bass and walleye, you'll want a longer, sturdier rod.

Twenty-pound test line is good for just about any kind of fish. If the fish you want to catch has sharp teeth, you will need to put a steel leader on the end of your line. Otherwise the fish could bite right through your line and get away. If the fish takes your bait and runs, you'll need to give him some slack, so the line doesn't get too tight and snap. But if the fish is taking too much line, you'll need to tighten the drag. The drag allows you to adjust the line accordingly.

There are many different brands of rods and reels. They're sold at many places. Locally, you'll find angling supplies at stores such as K-Mart, Wal-Mart, and Target. They sell rods for all ages.

 There are many kinds of baits and lures. Spinnerbaits, crankbaits, plugs, jigs, spoons, and flies to name a few artificial baits. And then there are live baits: worms, leeches, crickets or grasshoppers, crayfish, minnows and even small frogs or toads. You can mimic just about anything that moves, flies, crawls, or swims.

Worms: The most commonly used worm is the earthworm or night- crawler. Worms are good for catching just about anything, from sunfish to northerns.

Minnows: These are probably one of the most popular baits, live or artificial. They are kept the healthiest if put in a bucket with holes in it to allow water to get in. Keep the bucket in water.

Leeches: These are best known for biting and sucking blood. You can also get plastic replicas. You'll want to keep them cold or in the water when not fishing.

Crickets / Grasshoppers: They often hop on water, making them a familiar sight to fish. They can be kept alive, if kept in a cool area.

Crayfish: This lobster-looking creature is tempting bait for bass, pike, and other relatively large fish.

Frogs: Small Green Frogs, Pickerel Frogs, and Bullfrogs are the most common bait frogs. To keep them alive, keep them in a moist, damp container with leaves and grass.

Spinnerbaits: Many fisherman attach a spinner to a simple rig as an attractor. Long thin blades tend to spin faster than shorter, wider blades. Long blades sink slower than small blades.

Spoons: They're made of brass, copper, or nickel steel. One side is shiny and reflects light; the other side has colors on it. They're shaped like a tear drop, and come in all different sizes.

Plugs: They're made of wood or plastic and imitate minnows or other live baits. They're sort of like shorter and fatter crankbait.

Crankbaits: Crankbaits are a type of artificial bait. They're supposed to imitate a minnow or any other kind of live bait. These are generally larger than plugs.