# New to saltwater, advice needed



## GreyBow (Oct 28, 2013)

I'm new to fishing in general, saltwater or otherwise. 
But I make it to FL at least twice a year and wanted to try my luck while I'm down. 

I'm not going for monster fish like shark or anything. But I'd love some 
Pompano, Whiting, Flounder, Ladyfish, Sheepshead, Speckled Trout, Bluefish, (small Red fish?), Jacks, etc. 

So I wanted help on some very basic gear questions that for some reason I haven't been able to find answers for. 


***What rod weight do I need?
Medium-Light, Medium, Medium-Heavy?

***What rod length do I need?
7', 9-10', 12'?

***What rod action do I need?
Fast, Medium Fast, Medium, Slow?


I'd very much like to stick with mono line, but

***What pound test do I need?
12, 20, 30?

And a follow up to that question,

***What is the heaviest weight I can cast without snapping my line?
1 oz, 3 oz, 5 oz?


My bass set up is a 
7' Daiwa Medium-Light rod
Okuma Avenger AV-30a reel (200/6, 160/8, 110/10)

Which I realize is relatively anemic for saltwater. 

I have little issue with buying a new rod for FL but I'd really rather not get a new reel if I don't have to. (even though my line capacity is an obvious problem.)

PS - Just a broad question here but what are the differences between surf fishing, pier fishing, inshore fishing, fishing from a boat, etc. Can some shortly and sweetly boil those done to their most basic definitions for me, I'd greatly appreciate it.


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## Justin618 (Aug 18, 2013)

On my light to medium tackle that I use for reds, blues, ladyfish etc. I have 2 7' rods I believe and an 8'. I have 10#,15# and 20# in my reels. All mono.

I dont do a lot of pomp, sheep, flounder fishing, but for the others I use my set up witha suspending or topwater lure. I do have some leaders set up for live/dead minnows/menhaden/pinfish etc. Ive caught blues on squid, pinfish and lures. Caught reds on ladyfish head, amd ladyfish is usually just a mirrolure.

for weight I usually use a 2oz or 3oz pyramid attached to a snap swivel. 

I would look into a bigger reel if you'd like just incase a bullred comes around or a big ray. But 110/10 is fine for other fish you're after. Ill check my smaller reels to check line capacity. But I've had no issues on smaller setup catching those fish from shore with my smaller set ups.


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## foreverfishing (Nov 30, 2012)

WOW!! that's a lot of info you're trying to learn there. first rod length doesn't matter a whole lot in this area. people tell you it does but I use everything from a 7ft light-medium rod to a 9ft M-H surf rod and don't notice a difference with the fish I catch no matter where I cast(depending on conditions that is). try to hit deeper water on calmer days. if it's rough fish will sometimes be in closer. you need a bigger reel if you plan on bottom fishing in the surf. the set-up you have will work for casting small spoons and jigs. for the weight/line question 15-25 for you surf rod. I try to go by something I learned off here for the weight. 2 oz. weigh=20lb line..... 3oz. weight=30lb line and so on. you can always put a top shot on for casting a heavier weight and you are gonna want 30lb as you leader material if you are using a pompano rig.


and about the different type's of fishing, they're kinda self explanatory man. different techniques depending on what you are targeting but it's just fishing man.


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## CreekLifeFL (Jun 22, 2013)

I'm new to fishing and I have a Penn Pursuit 7' with 30lb braid and I use it for almost all my fishing for trout, redfish, spanish, and whatever else I happen to catch and I love it.


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## Redneckracoon (Jun 8, 2011)

like the last post said, its just fishing, you'll learn over time. but I use a 7'3" St. Croix mojo medium-heavy action with a Penn Battle 4000 loaded with 20lb suffix braid and I've caught 30# kings off the pier and turned around to toss topwaters and jigs at redfish, pomps, trout, bluefish, even the occasional bonito off the pier. all in all just kind of handle different rods and see which you like best.


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## foreverfishing (Nov 30, 2012)

one thing about fishing since you said you have never really done it,... everybody, including you, is a genius, but we are all still morons. with that being said don't ever miss a chance to listen to somebody who is talking about fishing, they may say some of the most stupid s**t you ever hear, but they may also know exactly what they are talking about. that's one of the coolest parts about fishing really, it's a learning process with no limit. 

the major difference in surf fishing, boat fishing, inshore, etc... is where you are standing. fish still eat stuff that they want to no matter where yo are located, the species might be different, but that's it.


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## GreyBow (Oct 28, 2013)

Thanks to all for the timely replies. I'll be sure to put this new knowledge to good use this weekend when I visit Pensacola for the first time. And it's nice to hear that I'm not lacking too much on the gear front. (At least not as much as I'd feared... still a few purchases to make at what I'm assuming is one of the many tackle shops down there)

If any more knowledge surf fisherman have any other gems to share, I'm all ears. 
Talking fishing is nearly as fun as fishing itself, to me at least.


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## foreverfishing (Nov 30, 2012)

GreyBow said:


> Talking fishing is nearly as fun as fishing itself, to me at least.


I feel the same way!! there's 4 in the pcola area that I know of. hotspots(pcola beach), gulf breeze B&T(gulf breeze), tight lines and another that I literally just forgot the name of as I was typing

and there's west marine but I've never been in there so im not sure if they are a tackle shop or just a boat/yak store...


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## Justin618 (Aug 18, 2013)

West marine does have tackle. But most likely more expensive. Walmartis always a choice too for lures, basic hooks etc. They have plenty of line and some leader. Some stuff you will have to go to tackle shops. But ive found walmart to be much cheaper on their fishing gear. Like $2 cheaper on afw leader, couple bucks on mirrolure, etc


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## HappyHourHero (Jan 31, 2012)

I fish a 10ft med heavy Penn Prevail surf rod with a Penn Sargus 7000 with 20lb mono for my main surf rod. The longer rods allow you to cast farther and I have not yet been overmatched by anything in the surf with that set up.

I also use a Diawa SL30SH on a 7' 6" Shimano Teramar Heavy rod. The reel is spooled with 300 yards 65 pound braid. I have caught rays, 5 foot sharks, bull reds, etc on that set up and can cast it pretty far but it took some getting used to.

My "lure" setup is an Abu Garcia Orra Inshore baitcaster with 50 lb power pro. It is on a 7' Teramar Medium Action rod.

The thing about reels that are designed for saltwater is that they use components that stand up to the abuse saltwater puts on them. Your bass reel is probably fine for light use but it may not hold up over time.


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