first saltwater trip - need advice

I have been boating and fishing freshwater for 20 years. I have never done much saltwater fishing. Actually I went for my first time last month near Galveston. I had a great time.

My current boat is a 22 foot bay boat. I bought it because I like the style of it but it has never been in saltwater. I am thinking of making a trip to the coast this week to fish as work is slow right now.

I don't really have a clue what I am doing or where to go. I don't care about trophy fish or even keeper fish. Just want to get out there with the wife and catch fish and have a good time.
An recommendations for a total saltwater newbie?

bdog;

"Fresh water is your friend." Every time you pull the boat make sure you rinse it well, especially the motor.

As far as fishing, just buy some mullet, cut each into three pieces and put it on a 9/0 or 10/0 or bigger hook and cast drop it below the boat and wait....

Use a good steel leader, or heavy (200#+ mono) leader...

When you get it back home, take it to a fresh water lake and run it for 20-30 minutes around the lake to help flush everything out.

What Michial said!!!!!!! Also, read the posts on here for using different types of bait(jig with Gulp(new penny)shrimp) etc. In fact, I think Michial gave a good tip on using several different artificial baits/lures on another post not long back.

Thanks for the reply.

Not looking for any special specific spots but I am planning on driving down from the panhandle and staying for 2-3 days to fish. Any recommendations on what town to stay in and where to launch from?

I went last month on a business trip near Galveston and we launched from tiki island. The guys we went with that seemed to be in the know said rockport was a better destination but like I said I have no idea.

Rockport is very nice with lots resturants--shops for the wife Port Oconner is very good--Resturants fine But that is all.Fish & sleep Place-----mike

Rockport and Port Aransas are Awesome places to go, Rockport will be a little cheaper for hotels and such, and it's only a 5 or 10 minute ferry ride from Port Aransas.

Port A has lots of stuff for the wife too, lots of good restaurants that'll cook your catch etc.

I've never taken my boat to Port A or Rockport, but visited both several times a year for years to fish.

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If you go to Galveston, I recommend you launch from the yacht club, and they will allow you to park the boat overnight in their lots which are protected by security.

I usually stay at Best Western but mainly because I build up plenty of points for business that I usually get a few nights free.

Off Galveston a good spot to fish if the water is less than 4' is to go to the end of the jetties, turn 45 degrees off the jetties towards the south, go out apx 3 miles. Kill your engine and drift like I described above...

This area USUALLY produced sharks, bull reds, occasionally red snapper and once in a blue moon a king or mahi mahi... Tarpon have been rumored to be in that area too, but I've never seen them.

On an average day this area will have you drifting back towards the jetties too which is a plus if the engine doesn't start when its time to head in.

Oh, also if you fish this area have some decent gear to fish with, I've hooked a number of 5' Sharks, and Bull Reds will strip the drag on some of the smaller reels too.

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I doubt I was the one posting about artificial baits, but it may have been in one of the threads I posted on. I usually use live or cut bait, and usually fish for Shark and occasionally Bull Reds...

bdog,

I suggest Port A/Aransas Pass. Head to Dagger Island....ease up to the shore, anchor, and chunk a carolina rig with live shrimp into the "potholes" in the grass....Not much work for the return.

IMHAMMER wrote on another post.......Depends what you are fishing for.
Flounder - 3" gulp shrimp, new penny. Work it slow just bumping it off the bottom.
Trout - TTK - Jig at different speeds until you find what the fish want.
Reds - Gulp shrimp or red killers. Same as trout.

When I go I stay at Port Aransas at the Tropic Island motel. It is nothing swanky but you can leave your boat there and it has a fish cleaning house to clean your fish. It is real handy for me. I have stayed there off and on for 35 years so it is a sentimental favorite for me because that is where we stayed when my Dad was still with us. I live 8 hours away and I do most of my fishing in the gulf at the wells and any shrimp boats and weed lines I can find. I get a thrill catching the Kings, Sharks, Spanish Mackeral and anything else that will rip my drag. Around the end of the jetties are also good. Like I said earlier, read some of the saltwater posts, put a hook in the water and have some FUN!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Notch

Whatever you decide to do, make sure you are anchored and ready to fish at the start of the tide movement. The fish are most active then, especially if you are bottom fishing. I do best on outgoing tide, but any movement is better than none. Remember shallow bays can become even shallower during outgoing tide, so you can get stranded if you aren't careful.

I would either get live shrimp, if you have an aerated live well (put some netting material in the well for shrimp to cling to, they last longer) or go the mullet route. If you catch any ladyfish, they make decent cut-bait.

Fish the shrimp under a popping cork. You can buy the whole cork rig at any Academy, and probably in the town you will be staying.

If you can find a narrow pass where water rushes through during tide movement, you can improve your chances of a good hookup.

Thanks for all the replies. Great stuff.

What type of tackle do I need?

I see above that I need either a steel leader or heavy mono leader but what kind of line weight do I need? Will my bass poles with 20lb braid work ok?

I fish with Abu- 5600's all the time with 20# braid. Usually on a MH-fast rod. I fish the same rig on the lake to so .

Your bass rods should be fine for reds/specs/flounder, especially in a boat you could go chase down a bull if necessary. Now if your talking sharks or something you may want to upgrade a bit. The penn 1/2/309 series is a good performer for the price if you want a large reel dirt cheap. Not the lightest nor greatest, but a 209 will set you back 50$, and I have one I fish regularly that's as old as I am...

Make sure you wash reels off in warm soapy water when your done. Salt can do amazing things to bearing.

Steal leader aren't really necessary. If you do go that route get a crimping tool and make your own, don't use snap swivels. I have watched fish straighten them out before....just not a chance I would want to take.

Go pick up a 7 foot light action bait casting rod. I use a Castaway light saltwater. But since they changed the company, they dont call it that anymore....and it's much cheaper. Now it's about $50. I have an old Shimano Calcutta 200 on it...and it serves me well. Just be sure and wash EVERYTHING down when you're done. Trailer, boat, flush engine, rods, reels and even your car.

One big surf rod and spinning reel, a couple of medium ( 4000 series maybe) shimano spinning reels on decent rods and some bassin' stuff. You're good to go.

Also, maybe some gulp ! shrimp on a leadhead 1/8 to 1/4 oz jig. You can always get some live shrimp too.

Just be safe and have fun !

Does anyone know where dollar point is at

Anyone that's interested. My summer vacation this year is going to start June 30th when I drive to Iowa to get my son, we will leave Des Moines on the 30th, pick the boat up in Allen on the 1st and should be in Galveston late the 1st or early the 2nd of July.

My plans are to see how the sharks are in Galveston, if not so good then move down the coast till we find them or the vacation ends on July 20th

Anyone that's fishing the coast during that time is welcome to join us either offshore as a buddy boat or back at the beaches where we plan to camp for the BS sessions afterwords. Should have some good fish fries for dinner most nights.

I'd offer spots on the boat, but there will be three of us and that's about max for my boat offshore.

No need to run your boat in a lake for 20-30 minutes, thats just overkill, just flush it well and use SALTAWAY, wash down everything including the trailer, flush out your baitwell/livewell with fresh water and be sure you have a good zinc anode attached to the motor/mount.

Also watch yourself if you are going out nearshore, 4' does not mean depth of the water, it means wave height, when seas are 3 to 4 ft it can get a little rough, i would not recommend going out in seas any higher than 2 - 4 ft until you get an idea about how your boat handles, you also need to be sure you are carrying all the safety equipment required by the coast guard on all vessels your size, some of these things you might not know about having been on freshwater only. Look up Navigation rules as well.

TxWadefisher, if you know how to get to the Texas City Dike, take a left on the levee road, where the road curves to the left sharply is Dollar point, get a good map and it will show it.

I'd hit the local Jetty whether it is Galveston, Port A, South Padre etc. All kinds of fish are close to the Jetty's as it is a great place for fish to feed.