I have never fished in saltwater but want to try for flounder reds and trout around the Jettys or Texas City Dike. I use baitcast reels in East Texas freshwater along with a few little Zebcos 404 and 808. My question is can I use these reels in Saltwater? Will the salt ruin the internals of the reel? Do I need to buy specific reels for saltwater? What reels would you recommend that aren't over about $30.00? Thanks in advance for any pointer and answers to these questions.

Some reels have components that will corrode from salt water. You didn't say what baitcasting reels you have. Did you mean to say $30? That's a pretty low price for any baitcasting reel. If you oil and grease it where appropriate, and then rinse it and re-oil, re-grease after salt water use, just a time or two shouldn't kill it. For a low-price baitcaster, the Abu Garcia Black Max 3 can be found for around $40. It has a brass gear and some plastic gears so it holds up pretty good in salt water. I have one that I've used at the coast for a while and it is still going strong. Nothing inside seems corroded. It was never submerged, and I wash it after every use and maintain lubrication where required.

Thank you for the advice. I saw the Black Max combo at academy for around $50.00.

Buying some saltwater reels myself and have been doing some research. Found this video on Saltwater Penn Reels(spinning reels) it's very good. That being said I brought two Penn Battle II combo's 4000 from West marine$109.00 each the other day just because I need them before I leave for the beach and they may not make it. After watching the video I have a few different options if the Penn Combo's don't show up on time.

https://youtu.be/oe2c0plGNww

As a follow up, I just spent 3-days with a 13 Fishing Origin A reel. These are $80 or less on line or elsewhere. It is the best reel in this price range I have ever used. It is adjustable but not picky, smooth and positive. It has a lot of drag range and brake adjustment is easy. The brake adjustment is internal but real easy to do. It casts smoother and further than most of my reels in the $250 range. I do not see any steel inside, just brass and polymer so salt shouldn't be a big issue. It is easy to clean and lube because it has a side door and the spool comes out easily. It over the price you were looking but in my opinion, I'd rather have one of these than 2 less expensive reels...I'd rather have this than a lot of $99-200 reels and some more than that.

just picked up a quantum accurist p3 for undere a $100. kinda small for my hand, but so far(6mo) it works fine. will be due for a cleaning soon and i'll super tune it. we'll just have to see how long it lasts. most of my other reels are curado's and chronarch's. greenies and sf's. some are over 20 yrs old and still as good as anything on the market today. might look around for a used greenie (shimano curado cu 200).

I have a couple accurists, they do get rinsed and lubed every trip, but they hold up just fine. And will absolutely launch a topwater to the next county.

…….Just buy a Abu Garcia Black Max reel at Wal Mart or Academy
spool it with 17# line
get some trout rigs & tie on
buy some live shrimp at the bait house
and go fish
----- be sure to wash the reel & rod down with fresh water out of the garden hose when you get home -----
pretty easy to do and meets your price range
I have Black Max reels that I use daily in the surf and back in the intercoastal ----- they work fine
I even landed a nice 2.5 foot Black Tip Shark with one
$45 reel

What size are you using?