bass rigs for saltwater? 2025

I.rar reply :

im moving back to miami (long story) in a couple weeks and i want to get into saltwater shore fishing. ive done it before but never really got into it like i did bass fishing. i have a citica d on the way and gonna pick up a beater MH rod.

i was curious how many of you guys use your bass rigs for saltwater? what about baits? i wont be out there everyday , but i would still like to catch some salt fish.

Raul reply :

You can use your bass gear for light saltwater fishing, all you have to do is take really good care of it and rinse it ASAP with freshwater after being used in saltwater. Most of your hard baits and lots of plastics can also be used in saltwater, just as with your gear, rinse it after use and you 'll be fine.

VAfishin4me reply :

I have used my Curado E7 on a couple outings fishing for Stripers in brackish water

I think the Curado actually made a better Striper fishing reel than bass reel

seyone reply :

I throw bass swimbaits with my swimbait rod in salt water for stripers.

SirSnookalot reply :

I'm an everyday inshore saltwater fisherman. I know there will be some feedback but to give you the heads up truth I never see a serious saltwater fisherman using a bass rig, except a bass fisherman coming out for an outing or 2. If interested send me a pm and I would give you my opinion on what I see used everyday. Most of the same tackle can be used, I use much of the same stuff for salt and fresh myself. You don't need all that much stuff, I can get you in the right direction. As mentioned rinsing equipment is of paramount importance, many beaches have water right there.

I.rar reply :

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I'm an everyday inshore saltwater fisherman. I know there will be some feedback but to give you the heads up truth I never see a serious saltwater fisherman using a bass rig, except a bass fisherman coming out for an outing or 2. If interested send me a pm and I would give you my opinion on what I see used everyday. Most of the same tackle can be used, I use much of the same stuff for salt and fresh myself. You don't need all that much stuff, I can get you in the right direction. As mentioned rinsing equipment is of paramount importance, many beaches have water right there.

thanks. i wont be going saltwater fishing often at all. maybe a few times a month. i always have rinsed my reels and rods after everything outing near salt.

the last few times i went out , we used live shrimp with long shank hooks in the marina (black point in cutler bay) and had decent luck. i may pick up some DOA shrimp since ive heard quite a few people speak highly about them and maybe some jerkbaits. im not looking to bring in 80+lb tarpon , but maybe some decent sized snapper , some ladyfish , and baby snook.

we are already planning a trip to the keys in the near future so i just want to be ready.

SirSnookalot reply :

Sounds like you prefer bait fishing, I'm thinking piers or beach will be your destination. I know what I would buy for that style of fishing, I see it used almost everyday. I'd get a pier net and make a rod spike for the beach.

I don't use bait and fish light, DOA's are great and the Cal jerk shad is my go to with a 1/4 oz jig head (DOA makes one of the better jig heads) have caught many of all the fish you named on them.

I.rar reply :

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Sounds like you prefer bait fishing, I'm thinking piers or beach will be your destination. I know what I would buy for that style of fishing, I see it used almost everyday. I'd get a pier net and make a rod spike for the beach.
I don't use bait and fish light, DOA's are great and the Cal jerk shad is my go to with a 1/4 oz jig head (DOA makes one of the better jig heads) have caught many of all the fish you named on them.

live bait was always easiest when i was younger with just a bucket , some hooks and some split shots. i may be on a pier on occasion , but mainly from shore.

i did have some jerk shads but gifted them to another member on here since ive never used them, ill pick up another bag and give them a shot.

SoFlaBassAddict reply :

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You can use your bass gear for light saltwater fishing, all you have to do is take really good care of it and rinse it ASAP with freshwater after being used in saltwater. Most of your hard baits and lots of plastics can also be used in saltwater, just as with your gear, rinse it after use and you 'll be fine.

I use my bass gear all the time saltwater fishing. Like Raul said, make sure that you thoroughly rinse them down afterwards with fresh water. The time you spend rinsing it off is minor compared to having to replace gear. That being said, picking up a cheap saltwater setup would probably be smart if you're going on extended fishing trips. I'm so d**n paranoid that I use the fresh water wash down on the boat during the day to make sure that my stuff doesn't get corroded.

0119 reply :

On my side of Fl. 'real' saltwater anglers use the same tackle as bass anglers. Its the tourists that use 'saltwater gear', big cheap wal-mart surf outfits with steel leaders. In Miami some of the best places your gonna find for saltwater fish, is in freshwater anyway.

Ojurb reply :

i also recomend you get a cheap set up for salt water, specialy if you are gonna be shore fishing, all that salt wter and sand near my bass tackle no thanx

SirSnookalot reply :

Serious saltwater fisherman use saltwater equipment in saltwater, kinda makes sense to me. I would not consider freshwater gear in saltwater. PERIOD !!

I'm not a tourist and an everyday saltwater fisherman

Catt reply :

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Serious saltwater fisherman use saltwater equipment in saltwater, kinda makes sense to me. I would not consider freshwater gear in saltwater. PERIOD !!
I'm not a tourist and an everyday saltwater fisherman

That's funny right there!

Define serious saltwater fisherman?

Would guides come under your definition? or Redfish Tour, Crown Royal Redfish Cup, Texas Redfish Tournament Trail, Redfish Action Challenge Cup, FLW Redfish Series, & IFA Redfish Tour

The #1 selling reel along the entire Gulf Coast is the Shimano Curado spooled with 12# Big Game®

J Francho reply :

Most guys I know shore casting from the beach use specialized gear for heavy baits, and REALLY long casts. Bass tackle is probably not appropriate here, not because of the salt, but because of the application.

I.rar reply :

i didnt mean shore fishing like from the beach. otherwise i would know i need some giant 12' pole and 3oz pyramid sinkers.

the main place i would be fishing salt would be this local marina along the jetty or dock.

SirSnookalot reply :

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The #1 selling reel along the entire Gulf Coast is the Shimano Curado spooled with 12# Big Game®

I'd like to see proof positive of this statement.

I've yet to be with a real saltwater guide that doesn't use Penn slammers, Quantum cabos or Shimano stellas for inshore use, offshore it's conventional reels.

I've never seen a serious amateur saltwater fisherman use bass equipment for saltwater, that's like taking a knife to a gunfight.

Catt reply :

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The #1 selling reel along the entire Gulf Coast is the Shimano Curado spooled with 12# Big Game®

I'd like to see proof positive of this statement.

I've yet to be with a real saltwater guide that doesn't use Penn slammers, Quantum cabos or Shimano stellas for inshore use, offshore it's conventional reels.

I've never seen a serious amateur saltwater fisherman use bass equipment for saltwater, that's like taking a knife to a gunfight.

You need to get out more

So in your book guides from the following areas are not real saltwater guides!

Louisiana: Venice, Black Bay, Grand Isle, Calcasieu (Big) Lake, Caminada Pass, Barataria Pass, Fourchon, Buras, Dularge, Point Aux Chene, Vermilion Bay, Caernarvon, Lake Pontchartrain, Leeville, The Rigolets, Lake Catherine

Texas: Aransas Pass, Baffin Bay, Corpus Christi, Freeport, Galveston, Lower Laguna Madre, Matagorda, Port Aransas, Port Arthur, Port Isabel, Port Mansfield, Port O'Connor, Rockport, Sabine Lake, Seadrift, South Padre Island, Upper Laguna Madre

The #1 selling reel along the entire Gulf Coast is the Shimano Curado; as per Academy Sports and Outdoors whose sales in 2009 exceded Bass Pro Shops and all other sport and goods stores.

SirSnookalot reply :

Quote

Quote

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The #1 selling reel along the entire Gulf Coast is the Shimano Curado spooled with 12# Big Game®

I'd like to see proof positive of this statement.

I've yet to be with a real saltwater guide that doesn't use Penn slammers, Quantum cabos or Shimano stellas for inshore use, offshore it's conventional reels.

I've never seen a serious amateur saltwater fisherman use bass equipment for saltwater, that's like taking a knife to a gunfight.

You need to get out more

So in your book guides from the following areas are not real saltwater guides!

Louisiana: Venice, Black Bay, Grand Isle, Calcasieu (Big) Lake, Caminada Pass, Barataria Pass, Fourchon, Buras, Dularge, Point Aux Chene, Vermilion Bay, Caernarvon, Lake Pontchartrain, Leeville, The Rigolets, Lake Catherine

Texas: Aransas Pass, Baffin Bay, Corpus Christi, Freeport, Galveston, Lower Laguna Madre, Matagorda, Port Aransas, Port Arthur, Port Isabel, Port Mansfield, Port O'Connor, Rockport, Sabine Lake, Seadrift, South Padre Island, Upper Laguna Madre

The #1 selling reel along the entire Gulf Coast is the Shimano Curado; as per Academy Sports and Outdoors whose sales in 2009 exceded Bass Pro Shops and all other sport and goods stores.

I see no proof, just a statement and a host of locations that do not not coincide with what I see on a daily basis here in Florida. Supply unbiased documentation of fishing reels sold, not a statement of overall sales and I will believe it, but still would stay with saltwater gear. If in fact the curado is the #1 sold how can it be proved that it is mainly used in fresh or salt? My guess would be freshwater and for the record it's a good reel.

I'm out everyday, beach, pier, drift boat, private boats and Icw and there is way more to saltwater fishing than just redfish.

Bassn Blvd reply :

I'm with SirSnook, for the most part. If you plan on wading the flats for trout,snook and redfish with artificial then yes, your bass gear will be fine.

If you plan on fishing the docks, bridges and inlets then no, your bass rods won't hold up, unless you're targeting sandperch and spots, which is like bream fishing.

A 10-15 pound barracuda, jack, tarpon, snook grouper, mutton snapper or kingfish is not the same as catching a 10 pound bass. These fish will flat out ruin your gear. Sure, your bass rod may hold up for a few catches but if you plan on catching them on a regular basis then leave your bass rod at home and get some real saltwater gear.

Catt reply :

Barracuda, jack, tarpon, snook grouper, mutton snapper or kingfish are caught outside of Florida.

The fishing from New Orleans to Brownsville Texas will rival anything in Florida

Catt reply :

"Host of locations that do not not coincide with what I see on a daily basis here in Florida."

So in your words none of these places rival Florida?

Venice, Grand Isle, Caminada Pass, Barataria Pass, Fourchon, Buras, Dularge, Point Aux Chene, Leeville, The Rigolets, Aransas Pass, Baffin Bay, Corpus Christi, Freeport, Galveston, Lower Laguna Madre, Matagorda, Port Aransas, Port Isabel, Port Mansfield, Port O'Connor, Rockport, South Padre Island, Upper Laguna Madre.

SirSnookalot reply :

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"Host of locations that do not not coincide with what I see on a daily basis here in Florida."
So in your words none of these places rival Florida?

Venice, Grand Isle, Caminada Pass, Barataria Pass, Fourchon, Buras, Dularge, Point Aux Chene, Leeville, The Rigolets, Aransas Pass, Baffin Bay, Corpus Christi, Freeport, Galveston, Lower Laguna Madre, Matagorda, Port Aransas, Port Isabel, Port Mansfield, Port O'Connor, Rockport, South Padre Island, Upper Laguna Madre.

No one said the fishing didn't rival Florida fishing, in fact I hear it's quite good, but as Bassn said the equipment will not hold up. I consider Bassn quite knowledgeable, he fishes bass more than I do but also fishes saltwater. Bassn knows me personally and how I fish, a bass rig doesn't get it.

Red fishing is a lot like bass fishing so I see where you are coming from, but there is so much more. Try catching just a juvenille 30-40# tarpon off the beach, where you can't run it down with a boat and I bet your bass rig won't last long.

I haven't yet seen documented proof that curado is the #1 selling reel, it very well may be, but probably for freshwater and light inshore fishing. As said a bass or redfish are not tarpon, kingfish, jack crevelle, bluefish, cuda or bonita, there is just no comparison.

jacob83 reply :

it depends on what you're fishing for, whats around like rocks, logs, oysters, or is just a sandy or soft grass bottom.with saltwater the line strenth varies more. trout, small red, snapper, etc. i use 10-14 lb test, and if im targeting larger snook or reds or black drum or whatever, i use bigger weights, floats, hooks and line respectively.

Bassn Blvd reply :

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Barracuda, jack, tarpon, snook grouper, mutton snapper or kingfish are caught outside of Florida.
The fishing from New Orleans to Brownsville Texas will rival anything in Florida

Are you saying these fish aren't caught in Florida?

The best answer I could give to the original post would determine just what type of saltwater species you plan on fishing for.

A Calcutta 400 with #15-20 mono and a good 7-8' rod will probably suit many of your needs.

0119 reply :

Geez I didnt realize I wasnt a serious salt angler since I only use bass sized tackle. Only been doing it for near 50 years. I remember a time not to far ago when if you drove into Choko. with a spinning reel the good old boys would have laughed you out of town. Nothing but a red Abu would have been allowed in a real mans boat. Theres a whole lot more to Fl. salt than throwing giant plugs and cut bait on a huge coffee grinder. I went out yesterday and every angler with a spinning reel was a tourist using a huge walmart surf rod hunting trout. Only real anglers out there were holding baitcasters.

Catt reply :

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Geez I didnt realize I wasnt a serious salt angler since I only use bass sized tackle. Only been doing it for near 50 years. I remember a time not to far ago when if you drove into Choko. with a spinning reel the good old boys would have laughed you out of town. Nothing but a red Abu would have been allowed in a real mans boat. Theres a whole lot more to Fl. salt than throwing giant plugs and cut bait on a huge coffee grinder. I went out yesterday and every angler with a spinning reel was a tourist using a huge walmart surf rod hunting trout. Only real anglers out there were holding baitcasters.

Yes & if you live outside of Cali you can't catch big bass

Ern reply :

Depending on the location....We go down to the Welmington area about once a year. I just take the Med and MH spinning rigs. I got a couple of "SURF" rods once and all the fish were caught on the "Bass" rigs. We just fished in the breaks on the surf. That is where the fish feed. Bigger stuff is great to reach Way OUT but we did better up close. Used PowerPro and Carolina Rigs to a steel leader and circle hook or large topwaters when the trout were in. Loads of fun. Flounder, Reds, Whiting, and lots of Sharks.

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