Choosing saltwater fishing tackle

Salty backwater fishing is by far my favorite type of fishing. I have fished the backwaters from North Carolina around the Florida peninsula to Texas. Although there is a variety of fish to catch at each location, the right tackle is a must if you want to keep reelin’ ‘em in. Whether you’re saltwater fishing Florida for snook or reeling in red fish in the Carolinas or Texas, here’s some useful advice and secrets that will keep ‘em taking the bait.

Keep your gear light.

It’s best to spend a little extra money for the right gear so you can remain light while fighting a 15 pound red screaming though the grass or mangroves. A medium heavy rod with 6' to 6'6" one piece carbon and a 10lb to 12lb line weight saltwater spinning reel is plenty. You’ll be throwing your arm off if your gear is too heavy. I like a reel with at least 5 ball bearings and classified "Salt Water." I spool up with 15lb braided line. It is the size of 6lb mono and hard to cut off on the snags, and it is light to cast. I then tie a 6' length of 20lb fluorocarbon leader directly to the braid using a double uni-knot. The less visable terminal tackle the better.

Use bait that will keep ‘em biting.

To catch salt water fish you’ll need the right bait. I recently conducted a test in both South Carolina and Florida and found that Gulp Alive Shrimp work equally as well as live shrimp. Immersed in a high octane solution, this realistic-looking bait emits a powerful scent that will keep fish attracted to your bait. Unlike live bait, this bait lasts all day. And when you’re finished, you can put ‘em back in the juice and use them again the next day. While the favorite bait of most lure fishermen is the gold Johnson spoon –and some prefer jig heads with wiggly, soft plastic swimmers on them–my favorite bait is live shrimp on a 1/0 circle hook with a popping cork set just above the waters depth. Why? How does this help? Foraging fish are on or near the bottom. Setting a popping cork just short of the depth puts the bait in the range of water they are in and allows the current to carry the bait, causing it to bounce along the bottom.

Surf fishing requires heavier gear.

Another popular method for catching saltwater fish is surf fishing. The secret to catching fish in the surf is to keep your bait in the trenches where the game fish lie in wait. For this type of fishing you’ll need pretty heavy gear. I recommend a 10' to 12 ' medium heavy rod so you can cast out to the trench. A good heavy (about 30 size) spinning reel is the easiest to handle. I like 30lb braid because it is more than you need and only as big and heavy as 12lb mono, so it casts nicely and practically can't be broken off. I attach a 30lb fluorocarbon leader of about 6' and whatever rig I’m using. It’s best to use the pyramid shaped bottom sinkers to hold your bait in the trench. Gulp Alive will work here also but most guys prefer sand fleas or other live or cut bait. The heavier the surf the heavier your sinker needs to be. Don't forget to get a spike rod holder to stick in the sand. Those rigs are just too heavy to hold onto all day.

For video tips and tricks to catch Pompano from the surf, see Surfin Sapo's video on MyTackleSpace.com. A social fishing forum.

Check back here soon for more tips, tricks and helpful information. ‘Til next time, keep on catchin’ ‘em!

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