I have never been saltwater fishing. My girlfriend lives in Houston but is from Lake Jackson. I am making her take me fishing next time I go there which will probably be mid January. I tried to pick her brain about what type of tackle to use but she knows absolutely dikc about fishing. So I asked her if she remembered any of the names of places so that I could inquire on TFF. Ok, this will seem a little incoherent (which it is) but this is what I got from her: surfside fishing, bryan beach, galveston, and intercoastal. If someone could geographically point me in the right direction to find the better fish for this time of year, I would really appreciate it. I have NO salt tackle. I need to know what action rod (I guess heavy/heavy), recommended lbs test line, bait, etc. that would be applicable for these areas. Keep in mind, I have never been there. Thanks for any help I get.

Uh...
7' rod, 10# test. Popping cork, live shrimp, fish moving tides (see tide charts online) look for baitfish, don't drown, wear sunscreen, hire a guide?, count to 10 if you think it's a flounder, be patient, read Bink Grimes' book about wadefishing, shuffle your feet.

lol... thanks man

Buy one of those waterproof maps at Acadamy that shows good places to fish. I usually fish either the Texas City Dike or run all the way down to San Luis Pass and either fish close to the bridge or Christmas Bay. If I'm fishing San Luis Pass I usually take sand spikes and set my rods out and then build a big fire and spend the night. Occationally I will hit the galveston piers if I hear the fish are biting. Rollover pass is another good area but be careful there, the tide is swift. Just tons of good places to fish down there without a boat. If you fish the piers on the Texas City Dike be sure and take plenty of double leaders with you cause you will lose a ton of them. By the way, I do take 1 heavy rod and reel with me but take several fresh water rigs that I fish with also.

Been fishing the coast since I could stand up, this is what I use:
of course you don't need exactly this, but to get an idea.
7'6" AllStar rod, medium-heavy, fast action.
Shimano Chronarch 50 MG
14 lb. test (very castable, strong enough to handle the elements)

all I use is soft plastic: the colors you need to know is red, plum, chartreuse, white, pumpkin. Saltwater Assassin, TTF, Norton, or Trout Killer will have the combinations you need in those colors. pick and choose until you find the ones that work for the area.

in the winter use a 1/4 - 1/2 oz. jig head(natural lead color) fish deep when the water is cold.

*SLIDE YOUR FEET* stingrays can make a grown man cry(or worse)
Make sure you do not let your reel get saltwater in it. wash it out after every time you come in. saltwater ruins EVERYTHING.
don't forget to have fun man, you will love it.

shaggner08... as far as plastics... what brand/style (i.e. sinko, etc.). what's the best action?

thanks everyone for your help. i'm really excited. i hope i'll have some pics to post!!

Bass assassins are great, as are Berkeley Gulp shrimp (3" in white or new penny). Color depends on water clarity. Think dark colors for murky or sandy water, light for clearer water. If I had to have 2 colors, I'd go with pumpkinseed/chartreuse and red/white. A lift and fall retrieve is best, and covers the whole water column. Bump along the bottom for flounder. Change up your presentation 'til something bites - don't get discouraged - a saltwater bite can turn on and off like a light. I use live shrimp or soft plastics almost all the time. A cork/shrimp combo might be a good way to start - you might get into sheepshead, flounder and whiting that way. Good luck to you!

LOL you better be wearing heavy coat and gloves too cause it is dam cold fishing in Jan

what color line

Water temp. is only around 75 right now.


-Z-

clear mono. colored line is overrated.

my favorite plastics are made by TTF (not to be mistaken with TFF the forum you are on now), but saltwater assassin or anything else like that is almost identical.

retrieve almost anyway you can until they start biting and then you can get confident with that retrieval type. the more confident in the retrieval type you are using the more fish you are going to catch. for retrieval try three reels/one bump, try two reels/one bump, try three reels/quick double bump, etc. until something hits it. during January you definitely want to keep it near the bottom though.