Basic Salt Water Set Up 2024
Dillo reply :
This summer i will be going to Florida (near Cape Canaveral). I'd like to bring a fishing rod to fish the banana river. First of all, what could i most likely catch from shore/ a dock? Second, what type of setup would be good for this. I was thinking about getting an ugly stik and making sure I rinse the reel out often because I don't want to spend a ton of money on something I will only use maybe once a year. Would this work or will the reel die quickly?
A-Jay reply :
Paging SirSnookalot ~
He'll be along shortly
This is Right in his Wheel House.
A-Jay
riverbasser13 reply :
Most likely you'll be catching trout, jacks, redfish, black drum, sharks,ladyfish and maybe some juvenile snook or tarpon plus a few species I'm forgetting. If your fishing with live bait there's a good chance you'll get some catfish, sail catfish and puffer fish also. That's a great place do some wade fishing also. An ugly stick should be fine, and rinsing out your reel is a good idea, rinse off your guides also because they will corrode.
I'm from titusville, FL and have a MH ugly stick with a Penn pursuit 3000 stashed at my parents house that I use whenever I make it home to visit and do some fishing. Good luck and good catching!
Big C reply :
Use a 3" or 4" Berkely Gulp shrimp on a red jig head. New Penny is the best color, I used to smoke redfish and trout on that lure. Ugly stick is the best choice for a saltwater rod. Enjoy the salt air.
SirSnookalot reply :
When fishing salt water with 1 outfit it's impossible to be prepared for everything, that's why I have quite a few set ups. For the occasional saltwater angler it doesn't pay to go hog wild with the equipment. Not only is an Ugly stick MH is a very decent choice it's also extremely popular, coupled up with a 3 or 4000 reel.
Fishing for these species sensitivity should not be a concern, you get a strike and you'll know it.
Lure selection is very simple and uncomplicated, for the occasional trip it doesn't pay to buy $20 lures. I would suggest a fluke style plastic on a jig head (artificial shrimp is good too), any fish out there will hit that. I'd have a couple of spoons with me, bucktails too, and never leave home with out a top water lure. The lures I mentioned have caught me 1# blue runners to tarpon well over 50#.
jbw252 reply :
^^^^^^ Sage advice.
Dillo reply :
Thanks everyone. How about rod length and line.
SirSnookalot reply :
On 3/19/2015 at 9:40 PM, Dillo said:Thanks everyone. How about rod length and line.
For general purpose 20# braid is good, if mono on a reel that size 10# might be the limit. Rod is personal prefence, 7' is good all around length.
riverbasser13 reply :
I would recommend a 7 footer with #15 or #20 braid with a 12 to 18 inch leader of #20 or higher flourocarbon. You'll want to be able to make long casts (sometimes against the wind) and you never know what's out there in saltwater, so I like to be overprepared in case I hook into something large.
everythingthatswims reply :
Get a shimano sienna if you won't be using it much. Inexpensive, but quality reel that can handle the salt. I fish a 2500 spooled with 8-10lb braid (even 6lb one time) on a 6'6" ML bionic blade, just because I like fishing light tackle. However, this is definitely a risk when fishing saltwater, and as snook said, you can never be 100% prepared. That's what's cool about the salt, you NEVER know what's gonna hit next, or whether or not you have any prayer of being able to land it, crazy stuff.
I once saw a lady on a pier (who had no clue what she was doing) hook a 30lb class cobia on a $19.99-ish walmart combo with either 8 or 10lb mono and a gotcha plug. She wound against her drag so much that the line twisted up and weakened until it eventually snapped when they were trying to gaff the fish.
Helluva_Engineer reply :
I feel like we should just have a sticky on this forum for sirsnook's rod and reel setup advice.
My personal recommendations for the best all purpose combo:
Penn Fierce 5000 with a rod to match
20# braid, leader depends on target species
Recommended lures:
Mirrolure
Mirrolure
Spoon
Mirrolure
This setup will catch ANYTHING you come across. You might be a bit overpowered for small jacks, but I have caught large tarpon and sharks with this setup.
SirSnookalot reply :
Appreciate the kind words, I'm no expert I just know what I prefer and see others using. Being out everyday I come across a variety species, catching them from sea walls, jetties, beaches and boats.
This thread is focusing on a basic set up for limited use, not that one's bass gear can't be used but for pretty much the same expense saltwater rod and reel can be bought. I don't think a mh rod is over powered for small jacks, catching one off a jettie, pier or sea wall that backbone will come in handy. A 2 or 3# jack doesn't sound like much of fish, get one on the line and that thought will change. I like the mh for all around use, the smaller fish will be fun and some of the larger ones can be handled as well. I prefer the 4000 reel, 5000 are just as common. Most brands and models will seem heavy to a fisherman that used to using sub 10 oz reels, considering so many mh rods with a 19 oz reel are being used, it really isn't that heavy.
IMO more important than the gear being used is changing the mindset to land some these fish. The drag must be trusted, you cannot lock it down and yank fish in 10 seconds. Quite often you half to follow the fish by walking it down, standing in one spot without moving doesn't always work.
SirSnookalot reply :
Caught a pretty good one off the beach today. Referencing what I said earlier about having to walk after a fish, not a long walk today about 10-12 yards, then back and forth a couple so times, so I was on the move. Once I got the fish into the swash I couldn't pull it out of the water, I had to walk backwards to land it. I also use this same method puling bass from heavy vegetation.
Since there is a knot and braid cutting threads going on my event played right into those threads. Using a 7'6 med rod 15# braid and 20# leader, I had a wind knot. After having to cut it out, the FG knot would have been a real tussle stranding on the beach holding my rod. Using my own version of an Alberto a new leader was tied in seconds with the use of my Ronson flame jet lighter. I then caught this, as one can see the knot held just fine.
Alonerankin2 reply :
On 3/21/2015 at 12:38 AM, SirSnookalot said:Caught a pretty good one off the beach today. Referencing what I said earlier about having to walk after a fish, not a long walk today about 10-12 yards, then back and forth a couple so times, so I was on the move. Once I got the fish into the swash I couldn't pull it out of the water, I had to walk backwards to land it. I also use this same method puling bass from heavy vegetation.
Since there is a knot and braid cutting threads going on my event played right into those threads. Using a 7'6 med rod 15# braid and 20# leader, I had a wind knot. After having to cut it out, the FG knot would have been a real tussle stranding on the beach holding my rod. Using my own version of an Alberto a new leader was tied in seconds with the use of my Ronson flame jet lighter. I then caught this, as one can see the knot held just fine.
That's a secluded looking spot there. Reminds me of a couple places on Long boat key I fished.. No competion to speak of, the water edge drops depth really quick though, lots of large shark too.
Nice fish, cool pic..
SirSnookalot reply :
It only looks secluded. Saw some bigger fish that I couldn't get a lure to, I saw one large fin. Later it dawned on me it was a spinner shark (they jump like crazy), I didn't have gear with me that would handle a 100# fish.
fisherrw reply :
I use a phenix m1 7'7 ml and an avet sxj that with 65 pound braid and a 25 pound mono leader has always worked good for me.
Chris at Tech reply :
If I'm grabbing one rod for the salt, it's gonna be my St. a Croix Tidemaster 7' M/F with a Stradic 4000, 20lb braid
Penguino reply :
On 3/21/2015 at 6:55 AM, Chris at Tech said:If I'm grabbing one rod for the salt, it's gonna be my St. a Croix Tidemaster 7' M/F with a Stradic 4000, 20lb braid
Wouldn't 20lb braid be a little light. Just curious, because I usually 20lb briad for my bass setups.
A-Jay reply :
On 3/21/2015 at 9:01 AM, Penguino said:Wouldn't 20lb braid be a little light. Just curious, because I usually 20lb briad for my bass setups.
Not is the skilled hands of a seasoned angler . . . .
Clearly not me -
A-Jay
SirSnookalot reply :
On 3/21/2015 at 4:50 AM, fisherrw said:I use a phenix m1 7'7 ml and an avet sxj that with 65 pound braid and a 25 pound mono leader has always worked good for me.
Med/light and saltwater fish for me is a no go, the backbone isn't there as far as I'm concerned, even for 1# blue runners. I have the same Avet on a 25 lb class rod used off shore. I don't use it too often as I have spinning set ups on 30 & 40# class rods and reels around 30# of drag, I've had fish pull out line with a very tight drag (something that shouldn't be done too often).
On 3/21/2015 at 9:01 AM, Penguino said:Wouldn't 20lb braid be a little light. Just curious, because I usually 20lb briad for my bass setups.
Braid is more for line capacity and management than strength, most braids break well over the labeled number. 20# braid will break over 30#, a stradic 4000 has 20# of drag which far exceeds where the drag is going to be set at. Line should never break unless it's been roughed up.
I use a simple formula for my braid selection (same for bass too) based on the rod not the reel or lure.
ml.................10#, 10# leader (freshwater)
med 8/17......15#, 20# leader
m/h 10/20.....20#, 30# leader
heavy...........30#, 40# Ieader, my heaviest for off shore.
I'm not targeting 75-100# fish anymore, but it does happen, I handle them this set up.
As simple as I keep my bass fishing, my saltwater fishing is even less complicated. Just no reason to over think any thing.
RoLo reply :
On 3/19/2015 at 12:29 AM, Dillo said:This summer i will be going to Florida (near Cape Canaveral). I'd like to bring a fishing rod to fish the banana river. First of all, what could i most likely catch from shore/ a dock? Second, what type of setup would be good for this.
I lived in Edgewater, Florida for several years, just minutes north of Mosquito Lagoon, Indian River & Banana River.
Realistically, the most commonly caught fish from shore are pinfish, pigfish, mangrove snappers and jacks.
The most targeted fish from shore are redfish (red drum) and spotted seatrout via wade-fishing during flood tide.
Natural bait is most popular among shore fishermen, for example finger mullet for reds and whole shrimp for seatrout.
The fishing tackle you use is a wide-open field, but stay mindful of 'corrosion-resistance'.
In intracoastal waterways and rivers I used spinning tackle and artificial lures, but that's a personal choice.
Roger
FSUFish reply :
SirSnookAlot gives great advice like always.
I fish primarily north florida flats for reds and trout, with bass fishing as more of a backup plan. I use 7'6" ml and m rods (depending on application) with 10# braid and 20# FC leader for 90% of my setups, and have caught everything from overslot reds to small Sharks with no problem. The key is a good drag and good line and fresh leader. I use 7' mh rods for live bait though, which is what I'd be throwing if I was pier or shore fishing.
SirSnookalot reply :
On 3/24/2015 at 12:39 PM, FSUFish said:SirSnookAlot gives great advice like always.
I fish primarily north florida flats for reds and trout, with bass fishing as more of a backup plan. I use 7'6" ml and m rods (depending on application) with 10# braid and 20# FC leader for 90% of my setups, and have caught everything from overslot reds to small Sharks with no problem. The key is a good drag and good line and fresh leader. I use 7' mh rods for live bait though, which is what I'd be throwing if I was pier or shore fishing.
It's nice to be young.............hehe.
Dillo reply :
If possible I'd like to save some money: could I just use my 6-6 medium bass setup?
SirSnookalot reply :
On 5/10/2015 at 5:45 AM, Dillo said:If possible I'd like to save some money: could I just use my 6-6 medium bass setup?
Sure.
kikstand454 reply :
I use a 7mh, bantum curado, and 15# YZ ultrasoft for all my inshore fishing.
Like mentioned above however- a 7'mh uglystick and a good 40-50 series spinning reel and 20-30lb braid will catch a vast majority of inshore species.
atcoha reply :
7'
On 5/16/2015 at 12:13 AM, kikstand454 said:I use a 7mh, bantum curado, and 15# YZ ultrasoft for all my inshore fishing.
Like mentioned above however- a 7'mh uglystick and a good 40-50 series spinning reel and 20-30lb braid will catch a vast majority of inshore species.
The ugly sticks are money, especially on a budget. I have some that are nearly 20 years old, and I use them all the time. 40-50 series is right on, will land just about anything if you are careful.
I did step up and went with the st. croix mojo inshore with a 4000 penn w/ 20# power pro last year. Let the kids use the ugly sticks...
Just don't try and boat flip a 10# redfish 
Good luck and have fun.
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