Sep
02
Help with saltwater fishing gear for starting?
ByI’m from Iowa and never went saltwater fishing before in my life. I’m going down to Pensacola FL to do some fishing in the gulf this week (probably just off a pier or something, no deepwater stuff) and could use some help with deciding what gear to bring/buy. For example:
Would my graphite pole and baitcast reel with 12 lb mono work for down there?
Will the saltwater corrode my gear?
What kinds of lures are good for gamefish down there?
What are the most common gamefish i might catch?
Any help would be appreciated.
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3 Comments
September 2nd, 2010 at 11:29 pm
I definately wouldn’t suggest bringing your freshwater stuff. I used mine after moving to Houston and it tore them up. Many of the piers rent gear for a small fee. 12lb mono is out. Saltwater fish, even small ones fight pretty hard. Also use steel liters between the line and hook. Most saltwater fish have teeth, even though most are small, and will cut right through monofilament. If you bring a rod and reel, I would get a cheap zebco or something like that since you’re only going for a week or so. For bait I would suggest live such as shrimp, mullet or shad. Cut bait works too but not as well.
September 3rd, 2010 at 12:17 am
Your rod and reel should be fine as long as you aren’t going after Billfish or game fish over 50lbs and rinse off your gear with freshwater at the end of the day most inshore rods and reels are rated in the 12lb line range . 12lb test will work as long as you got a net or gaff to bring the up from the water, I catch bullreds and 26 inch Speckled sea trout on 12lb line but it wouldn’t hurt to get a 30lb braid and some Mono or Fluorocarbon leader, steel, or titanium leader should only be used if your likely to be catching sharp toothed species like shark, Bluefish, Barracuda. A Mono or Flouro leader should always be your first choice since they are less visible in water witch means more strikes even though snapper, grouper and sea trout have scary pointy teeth they are not designed to cut. The best thing to use on a pier would be natural bait live or dead, Shrimp is one of the best.
September 3rd, 2010 at 1:09 am
It would work fine. Not too light and not too heavy.
Yes, saltwater does not go with freshwater gear. Rinse off your rod and reel. Not too good of a job though, you’ll wash out all the oil and lube.
Plastics.
Redfish.