For all of you new to the salt (Pic heavy)

I see lots of saltwater newcomers asking for basic advice on what to take with them down to the coast. I love this question so I figured I post this for you newcomers to read over and get a good idea. I'm not avid saltwater angler but I do go down to Galveston during the summer and sometimes make a few weekend trips to Sargent/Matagorda.

Okay so first lets talk rod and reels. One of the first things we like to think is that we need to go buy a few of those cheapie surf rods at academy..No! Your freshwater gear can do just fine. Just make sure you rinse them down with freshwater after you use them even if you don't plan on wade fishing. My rod and reels I take are ones that I use on a regular basis at home in the lake for big cats, hybrids and sand bass.



These are the two I'll take with me for a weeks worth of fishing in the bay or surf. I like to have a fairly stiff 6 1/2' baitcaster setup for throwing different kinds of artificials and popping corks. the rod and reel I use here is a custom Allstar graphite rod with an Ambassador 5000 by Abu Garcia. All in all it makes for an easy to use workhorse setup and its really light witch makes all the difference when wading for long hours like I tend to do. Next is the spinning reel setup. In my book this is the best option to have for fishing live/natural bait on a multitude of bottom rigs (My favorite being the Carolina rig) The setup I use here is a 7 foot Ugly stick intercoastal series rod (the only ugly stick I've ever liked) and a Penn fierce series reel. As for line I use mostly 10-12lb mono. Sometimes 14lb on the bait caster. Now if you want to specifically target big sharks then you're opening a whole new can of goodies..I dont fish for big sharks so I cant tell you what you need. These two lighter setups can give you the most fight out of the smaller fish but can handle big ones just fine. You just gotta hold on a little harder sometimes. (: The Red shown in my signature was caught on a smaller spinning combo then the one I showed you.

Now lets talk tackle. Leave the bulky tackle box at home..Get a nice plano box or two (the water proof ones if you can afford it). Here's my little arsenal..





Soo..The top image is obviously just some soft plastics and a few hard baits. If anything just to have some artificial baits on you get a gold spoon, topwater(super spook jr, mirror lure or whatever) in case you have some really calm water. And maybe a few paddle tail soft plastics like a TTF Red killer.

The second little box is for some terminal tackle. I like to have some sort of pyramid/surf sinker, some egg sinkers( 3/4-1 ounce) swivels, coast locks and beads for making my own rigs and jig heads and hooks of course. I use circle and croaker hooks. size 3/0 seems to be my favorite. The bottom picture is just some popping corks and bottom rigs I've made. In the box is stuff I use to make the leaders. 30lb fluro and some Triline big game 60lb mono. I never had a toothy fish bite off my line. Even small sharks though I'm not saying it wont happen because it will. Try and stay away from that ugly wire leader unless your target species requires it.

Yes there's a random bag of fish bites in there..never know if all else is fails. Lol..

Okay last thing..Just some things I'd recommend having.



Defiantly try to get a wading belt..It makes things so much better. Mine was 49.99 at Gander Mtn. This will allow you to keep some handy things on you and secured. Like some extra baits hooks etc..Good pair of pliers a rod holder for when you're trying to safely get your catch off the hook. They come with long stringer but when I'm by myself wading I'm strictly a Catch and release guy. So I like to rig up a floating bait bucket with that stringer rope and float. Now that big blue oval thing is one of the best 60 bucks I've spent at academy. Its a multipurpose aerated bait tank/cooler for fish or drinks. Its great for the pier or bank and it also has a little cutting board with a clip that fits on the top.

Hopefully this can give you a fairly good idea on what to take with you. Theres a few other things I like to have such as a cast net, pinfish trap, and some decent clothing to wade in. As far as shoes aqua socks or the more costly ray guards. Though If you cant get a pair of those just don't forget to shuffle your feet.

This all works great for me wither I'm wading the surf or bay.

Austin~

This thread should be added to your favorites bar. Snook, please don't delete the pictures from your photobucket album.

+1,000

It answers lots of questions that any beginner saltwater angler will have.

This thread should be made into a sticky IMO.

Yeah I don't know whats going on with the pictures. How can I make them to were they open when you click them in the little box?

.....Snook177, shot you a PM.

Great, thanks for sharing. Where are the pictures?

the pictures seem to be working now! Let me know if you cant see them and I'll take care of it.

Is this only when you use a boat? could i use all that if i were to fish a pier or bank?

Yes! I don't own a boat so I strictly wade fish/bank fish.

that sure is a pretty red!

another question. With a popping cork should i use a jig head with it? I'm going to use gulp alive. and also i have a spinning reel sahara 4000 how much braid should i put on it and if get the power pro 150 yes should i use it all? would 20lb or 30lb braid be good for redfish trout flounder? sorry for so many questions.

Yes jig head will work. I'd say 40lb braid and just fill er up as best as you can.

what weight the jighead?

Uhm what baits do you plan to use?

Great post. Funny that blue bait tank from Academy we got one a few weeks ago and now have that same rip in the top but its a good bait tank.

40 lb What you catching out there. 20 lb is fine need the drag set light for reds and trout or you can rip the hook out of them.

Or 20lb. I'm not the braid guru..I just like to use mono!

Great post!!
It answers many FAQ's. I am bound to land and wading (my boat's in La.) and I pack just about the same types of things as you when i fish on the Gulf coast.

Great info! Deffinately going to add to favorites!

gulp alive 3 inch

1/4th oz under popping cork

I'm a big fan on the shrimp New Penny. Fished under a popping cork or on a jig head.

what about 1/8th oz?

The lighter jig head you can fish the better. You want the bait to sink slow.

Awesome post!! Should be a sticky here

I'm not a big fan of the jig head under the popping cork. To me it defeats the purpose.

I prefere just a Kahle hook or treble hook through live shrimp or gulp shrimp. I like the bait to be free floating with only the weight of the hook.

But, in the end it's whatever catches fish. There is no right or wrong way to do it. If you aren't catching fish, try something different. Different spot, bait, presentation.

looks just about like my set up.....simple, effective.

I like a circle hook under a cork, but will use a jig once in a while.

Good post.


Big believer in using lighter jigs, and w/o popping cork,... however, ...

There are reasons to use 1/4 oz. vs. 1/16 or 1/8 oz under a popping cork - like if your drifting grass beds and/or reefs with a 25 mph wind you want to keep that bait next the grass or shell or mud/shell mix asap since your boat is moving faster than you'd like.

Different conditions require different tactics.

Let's talk a little about some of the dangers of saltwater fishing. Mainly Stingrays and Vibrio Vulnificus (flesh eating) bacteria.

Stingrays are very common on our gulf coast and are caught by rod and reel often. A stingray has a self-defense mechanism near the base of their tail often referred to as a barb. They will use their barb when accidentally stepped on or handled.

Getting "stung" or "hit" with a stingray's barb is a very painfull and possibly expensive experience. It is extremely painful as the barb is venomus and has some nasty bacteria to leave you with. It is in the same realm as being bitten by a rattlesnake. You won't die, unless of course you are hit in the heart, but you do need to go to the hospital and have the wound thoroughly cleaned. Infection is common. Some people end up in the hospital for several days fighting the infection.

So, take steps to avoid the above. If you are wading, shuffle your feet, at least that way you kick the stingray out of the way rather than step on him. In addition, there are knee high boots and leggings you can wear to prevent the barb from penetrating. If you catch a stingray, the safest thing to do is cut them off and re-rig rather than try to handle them. Tackle is cheap compared to the emergency room.

Vibrio (flesh eating) bacteria is naturally present in warm saltwater environments. It is more prolific in the summer. It enters your body through open wounds and can cause major damage, limb amputation or death. Typically those with comprimised immune systems are most at risk. Heavy smokers and drinkers fall in this category. If you have a major wound, avoid the saltwater, but even a minor fin prick from a bait fish can contract it. It doesn't matter if you are wading or fishing from the boat, if saltwater gets on a wound, you are at risk. Disinfect (alcohol/peroxide) your wounds often and at the end of the day. If, while or just after coming in contact with saltwater, you do have a wound that starts to swell rapidly and you begin running a fever, get to a hospital quick

I'm certainly not a biologist or a doctor so don't take my word for it. Do your own research and be prepared. Here's a link or two.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vibrio_vulnificus

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stingray#Stingray_injuries

Would hardhead and gafftop sticks count as a wound perse?

Yes. If a hardhead get you the last thing on your mind will be fishing. Its hurts like hell. Clean it real good and run hot water over it to take the sting out. You will need some Advil or pain meds but the next day you will be better. One got me in the hand and I had to rip it out. When doing this it was so hard to get out it stabed me in the belly. I know laugh its funny . I no longer touch them just shake them off with needle noise now.

Good info all around. I have known several people who got gangrene from fish wounds. Always wash wounds well and seek medical attention if needed. Yes Vibrio is a concern, but there are a lot of other bacteria's out there both in salt and fresh water.

One of the main things is learn how to handle fish and dont be afraid of them. A fish flopping around on a pole or in the bottom of a boat is dangerouse. Especially a hardhead or stingray. Someone needs to post a picture of how to grab a hardhead were they cant stick you. Im sure I will catch some this weekend and wil get a pic.

Stabbed in the belly? I feel so much better with my few hardhead sticks over the past month. I know better but get lazy.

Can you come fishing with us for comedy relief when the bite gets slow?

And then there's sharks...

Our sharks in Texas, in general, are not interested in eating you. However they will take the fish on your stringer. That's the reason saltwater stringers are so long, to keep you away from your fish. You don't want to be get bit by mistake while a shark is dining on the trout on your stringer.

Do not tie your stringer to you. Make sure you can let it go should the need arise. A big shark can drown you by dragging you by the stringer.

Also, don't put bait in your pockets. I heard a story of a kid getting bit because he had shrimp in his pockets.

Great post especially about the rod and reels. Anything you use in freshwater will work well for most saltwater applications. All I ever suggest is to up the line test to usually 12 lbs, and rinse, rinse, rinse after use.

Good thread.

how do u get tags for red/black drums?

You have one tag for one oversize red drum on your fishing license. If you use that one, take the filled out tag back to a tackle shop that sells fishing licenses and they will enter the info and print you a second one.

As far as I know there is no tag for an oversized Black Drum. There not worth keeping IMO anyway.

thasnks for the info

Great info noted! A few additional questions, im going on a 9hr charter tomorrow out of Port Aransas(this will be my first time salwater fishing)what spieces can I expect out of a 9hr charter? Also, I plan on doing some Jeddy and surf fishing the remainder of the weekend. I am taking my freshwater catfish setups(abu's/ugly sticks) my question is i want to target keepers for the frying pan, is the most effective rig for live/cut bait the pulley rig? And do I just throw it furthest I can and let it sit? I plan on using mullet(from the cast net) but have heard croaker, livebait piggies, ladyfish are good but best is Crab, any truth to this and how do you hookem? And where can you get them? Thanks again for the valuable info posted above and any insight you provide.

If you like your rods and reels, don’t skip the rinsing suggestions! I lost a couple of my better reels the first time fishing in the ocean due to this oversight.

Another pointer, my last time down I made the mistake of staying in the same spot way too long. If you don’t catch fish within an hour or so, don’t be afraid to move. Timing is too short to get stuck in one spot that isn’t producing. Also, I’ve had the best luck with fishing with whatever is in the surf. I.E. catch your own bait. Buying bait fish gets expensive FAST!

Someone correct me if I’m wrong but fresh water fish are generally spooked off by noise on top of the water but seemingly in salt water, the fish tend to investigate noises. Is this correct? I’m still a rookie in the ocean but this seems to be something I’ve picked up.

Anyone going to be on Galveston Island and want to hook up for awhile anytime between the 22nd and 28th? We are staying at the Islander East and I usually try to fish the area all around that. Surf fishing of course. Send me a PM

howdy yall,

i would add, try rinsing with some warm water to dissolve some salt in spool and re-lube with very light reel oil.

good point there. you must move if you did not get even a nibble for 1.5 hour. its ether the fish aren't there yet or they are in deeper water.

i have been fishing in the Galveston area for two years not but never use a clicker on my rig, so i cant say much about it.

i am going fishing on the 19th ,if the weather is in favor. i will let you know how it turn up.

i would suggest using a pulley rig with a live mullet. this rig has been good for me been catching bull red over 28+ in the past three weeks.

good luck fishing

I'm going to Surfside Beach this weekend and wondered the best place to fish from shore. Any tips? Pier is fine too. Thanks guys!!

Ok. I am going to open the can of worms here and say DO NOT EVER RINSE YOUR REELS DOWN WITH WATER. I know, I know. We have done it for years and its the only way to get rid of the salt. WRONG!!! I cant tell you how many reels I ruined by rinsing them down. What happens is the water sits inside the reel and oxidizes. It then reeks havoc on your internal components. Also it washes away oils and other vital lubricants.

I know there are many on here completely amazed at this post and could not disagree more. That's fine. I was in the same camp years ago. I couldn't keep a reel working and couldn't figure out why. I rinsed them down after each use. When I took one in to get it fixed one time the lady opened it up and said.....you rinse them down with fresh water? I said yeah of course. She said that is what's destroying them and went on to explain why the same way I did here.

I have not rinsed a reel since and haven't had any problems. Just open them up every now and then and wipe all the components with a clean oil soaked rag.

This is a great post - Thanks Austin!
I'm used to surf casting for stripers and bluefish in Massachusetts, and the Texas coast is a WHOLE other world! Especially regarding the use of soft plastics and fishing in lagoons and bays.

I'm totally new to this and this has gotten me off to a great start! Now I just need to figure out where to go. I'm in San Marcos and usually drive to the Mustang Island surf. But thats only because the surf is where I feel comfortable.

I guess I was curious on rod combos. I'm looking to get something thats inexpensive because I'm mostly a fly fisherman in freshwater (i.e. I'm broke thanks to that addiction).

So to have a decent combo in the surf, I can use a regular bass sized freshwater combo with 10 lb mono on a spinning reel and rod capable of tossing 0.5oz. - 1.0oz lures and sinkers?
That seems very light for the surf when the current can was a 1oz sinker to Mexico.
Maybe this advise is for bays and lagoons? Or can it also be used in the surf?? Thanks guys!

How can anyone cast a 1/4oz in the surf?
Again, I'm totally new to Texas and used to casting 3oz plugs in the Cape Cod surf to stripers and blues.... with an 11 foot surf rod (Uggh!)

This is great info! Thanks for sharing... Three questions, what size of swivels do you prefer, and second, do you prefer coast locks or a tied knot? Also what knots work best for large gamefish such as red's?- Thanks

Learn the uni knot and become efficient at tying it. Steer clear of snap swivels of any kind if possible. The only good place for them is to connect your weights to a three way rig. Try to stay as natural as you can with your leader set ups. The more swivels and metal and mess on them the less fish you will catch. Use florocarbon if you can.

How do you use a freshwater outfit to cast a 5-oz sinker in heavy surf to hold in a moving surf?

Thanks for the advise, fairly new to this (salt water) and trying to set myself up for success. Do you prefer braid or mono for main line? I have heard so many different yay's and nay's on braid it's not funny. Used braid back about 8 yrs ago fishing in SC and promised myself I would not use it again. What is your experience? Have they improved it all that much? Currently use mono.

Good stuff.

Do you prefer braid or mono for main line? I have heard so many different yay's and nay's on braid it's not funny. Used braid back about 8 yrs ago fishing in SC and promised myself I would not use it again. What is your experience? Have they improved it all that much? Currently use mono. [/quote]

I hated it. My dad loved it. Pretty much sums it up.

I have used both and still do so. Sufix 832 braid is the best for me, no comparison to Power Pro

Great info.... Going to start using all Plano now.. tackle boxes makes me unorganized and stuff could rust because it not sealed Huge Thanks!

How do you fish plastics under a popping cork? Just jerk it every couple of minutes or something?

Yeah! using a popping cork is great... i use it at night under the lights very good for speckle trout pop it once a while and just let it it sit. noise will attract the fish

Cool thanks

Well, purchased the Power Pro Slick braid and will see how it works for me. Respooled two reels on surf rods and my medium action rod as well. Surf reels received 30 lb and medium action , 20 lb. Using fish finder rigs with either 50 or 20 lb big game as leaders and 1/0 circle hooks. Can't wait to hit the beach! Finally made a few 5' PVC rod holders.

Really good info. I wish I would have noticed this thread before I asked the exact same questions you already answered.

On the popping cork, do you use a jig head or just the hook itself?

good discussion, the most important piece of tackle I own is my tackle backpack. I love to walk and cast and not worry about changing lures. Its hands free. The pack I'm using is one from FishNPack (goggle). You can buy a their pack or purchase a kit to retrofit a pack you may already have.

X2

Nice info. I love surf fishing with a light spinning reel. The biggest mistake people make is going too heavy. Unless you are yaking the baits out deep, you dont need a heavy rod.

When fishing running bait in the current, I just use the cork to keep the bait in the feeding zone as long as possible. If not getting hit, then give it a pop. If no signes of bait or fish feeding, then I usually loose the cork and just cast baits. I too prefer just a circle hook under a cork, although I will use jiggs in rougher water.

Also I will use a jig under a cork when fishing for flounder in the marsh. Rig the bait to where it is just off the bottom. I usually put a pinch of shrimp or spray on attractant on the bait. I dont really pop it as mush as I drag it slowly towards me and let it fall back. You can tear up some flounder doing this.

For about 10 years i was fishing in salt water using braided or fused line + fluorocarbon leader.Fishing in this way you catch (if you know to fish)more fish comparative with mono, special if you fish with jigs because you feel better the bites comparative with mono.
In the same times ,if you fish with spinning tackle,for the same lb. test like mono you cast longer distance(because the braid is tinnier), so you can research large area to find the fish.

I never fish again with mono

Great post. Tagging so I can find it later.

How do hook the gulp if you aren't using a jig. Just curiuos .

Great Post. Can you buy the mono rigs instead of making your own while your down there?

What's the best bait when fishing for Reds or bull reds? Bottom fishing!

If your fishing the bottom cracked crabs or whole little ones if you can catch them

Awesome, new to the surf fishing front, gonna be down in fifteen days and been looking for some tips to give me an edge so I can give my old man a run for his money!

If you need any sassy shads take a look at my website.
www.backwaterbait.com

I'm sending a lot of 5 inch shads to galveston for red fish. Take a look at my braggin board for pictures.

nice report.

First off, thanks for all of the info leading up to this point. I am headed to corpus for a week starting this Saturday. I am an avid largemouth bass angler and I am trying to narrow down my tackle to take with me. I have a leader question. Do I need to use a heavy Fluro or a braid leader in case the fish has sharp teeth? I am used to doing the opposite in fresh water. Thanks.

Glad you guys liked the post. Here we are a year later and i'm about to go back down to G town again in a few weeks for a week of relaxing and fishing. Just figured I'd post some more better pics of what I'll take with me


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Pretty much all my tackle


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Some line and leader and other misc items like a thing of gulp shrimp and reel oil etc...



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This my typical wire surf leader based off of the santee rig i use drifting for cat fish.



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Here are the two rod setups from last year along with one of my smaller bait casting setups for throwing spoons/topwaters and Carolina rigging natural baits. so essentially its my wading rod as the other two are used in sand spikes on the beach.
The far left is a abu garcia revo S with a 6,6' castaway rod

Thanks Snook177 ! Pics say 1000 words. Pics of the different rigs helps alot (that 3 way Carolina w/santee looks wonderful). Never heard of a popping cork.. Wife, son & I plan to go to Rockport & fish the pier. That will be our 1st time to fish saltwater.

how do you rig up your tackle? lemon rig...fish finder rig...slip bobber...? pictures?

This thread doesnt expire. Very good info.

Hey thanks a bunch I am a visual type person and photos help a lot. Keep up the good work you are appreciated.

I am a NM crappieand Bass fisherman and I am heading down to Texas Gulf coast in my Motorhome. I will end up going Kemah in Febuary and then I will move on to Courpus in March. I bought some crab traps and wondered where would be the best place to place them....Pier...Jetty or not at all this time of year. I bought some Gulp baits but I am not sure which ones to use. Any ideas would help. I like freash fish right from the water so I will release most of them. Is this a bad time of year or not. Any help would be great....Thanks, Larry

Good to see all the gear pics, a picture say a thousand words.

I may get blasted but I'm gonna take exceptions to some of the posts, and I will explain as I go along>

1. Always, ALWAYS, rinse your rods and reels after exposing to saltwater. The saltwater gets inside the reel, the water will evaporate leaving SALT. Salt is both corrosive to most metals and absolutely abrasive to all moving parts. Yes after rinsing I always re-lube. Depending on the extent of exposure I have at times used the dishwasher to clean saltwater reels.

2. Tackle. If you know what species of fish you are targeting, a lot of tackle is unnecessary. I recently took a 3 week inshore fishing vacation, and the only tackle I took was 2 spinning rigs, a packet each of circle hooks and swivels, a handful of leads, and a spool of line, and gulf baits. Caught well over 400 speckled trout during the trip. I used one rod/reel rig 98% of the time and only used the second rig while the first was getting a rod tip replaced. You can have too much tackle which will cause you to second guess choices, and expend a lot of time changing rigs.

3. Black Drum - Some would indicate this to be a trash fish. True, you don't get a lot of meat for its size. But, and I learned this from an ole cajun fisherman in southern Louisiana, you can get some great crab cake meat. Boil the fish in large stock pot with ample amounts of zateran's crab boil. Remove the meat from the bones and truly the meat taste as good as crab meat. We use to make crab cakes, gumbo, fish stew, and it freezes well.

4. This comment is in support of caution when fishing salt-water. The flesh-eating bacteria is a huge concern. A friend on mine contracted it and nearly lost his leg. I use a towel to handle all catches, whether speck or slimy catfish. Stingrays and larger sharks get cut off.


Proper planning and respect for the elements should result in a great fishing experience. Tight Lines!

+1 for a very informative article. I'll be directing some of my ntx buddies here to see what to take w them....

Thanks for the article. This will help me out on my next trip!

I've been using Power Pro since 1994 for my bay fishing adventures - good stuff !!!

thanks for the info

cant see the pics

Me either, I would love to see the rigs. Going to Destin and going to try to do a little surf fishing but I have no idea what the heck im doing, or what to rig up.

Pics just showed up for me. This is an awesome and informative thread. I'll add my two cents here. I always carry an extra empty Plano box. Anything I use and take off the line (lures, hooks, swivels, weights, etc) gets put in THAT box, not back in my regular boxes. A single hook used in salt water and just plopped back in the pile of shiny new hooks will rust every hook in the pile if ignored. Keep used/unused terminal tackle separated until you can give them a good cleaning.

Great post. Thank you.

Scratching my head about the pics on the last two pages ?????

I have been fishing coastal waters on the upper Texas coast for at least 50 years and I have picked up some good info here.

One thing I would add would be surf fishing for specs and surf fishing for big reds and sharks and stuff like that require different tackle and rods and reels. "Bass" rods and reels are just fine for specs and small reds. Don't ruin your day expecting to land bull reds or sharks with those same rigs.

Also, not sure about the not rinsing reels stuff. Its been my experience that you rinse them and re oil them and have any reel you use in fresh or salt cleaned and serviced every season.

Cannot agree more. Power Pro is a bit stiffer and gets more wind knots even if I fill up the spool in the correct direction. Sufix braid is softer and I had less issues with them.

What would be your issue with Power Pro, if I may ask?

This is what I received when I got my Wave Spin reel, I agree that you need to lightly rinse bait casters, but I don't do it to spinning reels anymore, although I do lubricate them quite often.

Ok I have a question. When using a topwater like the spook or the badonkadonk. What leader do I use to keep the smacks and the toothy fish from cutting me off. All advice would be appreciated
WoodyRed

Coated lite steel?

I have thrown out and commotion blows up near the shore. I try to reel over it and bam I loose my lure. No strike or anything just empty line. How can I avoid this lures are too expensive. I've tried heavier line but same outcome. Any solution to this problem?

I use 80lb. steel leader or florucarbon.

That doesn't effect the action and floatation of the bait. Is it a coated black steel leader. Just wondering if it would make it sink

Woody,
Use a small 2-3" section of single strand wire. Coffee color is best. As thin as you can find them. I think 28lb test is the lightest you can get. It'll be practically invisible. No smack can bite through that and it won't affect the action. If smacks are around I would not use expensive lures like that without wire.

Will do. Thanks for that money saving tip. Does port a outfitters carry them or a spool of it. When you say pier are you talking about Horace or bob hall. Or is there another popular one. Those two are the only ones I've fished. Except for Charlie's pasture

But I prefer to fish where the big boys swim. I love the fight

Always Horace Caldwell for me. BH is a bit too rowdy for me. Academy sells those wire.

Cool thanks. That is where we spend most of our nights. I agree about bob hall. About the line any particular brand you would recommend. And if you are out there where can I find you 2nd gut or at the t or the end. We really appreciate all your help and would like to shake your hand in person. Hope to see you. Don't worry we won't pester you about your spots or anything. We just like fellow saltys. Hope to meet you cuda
WoodyRed

When encountering Mackerel especially, keep the flash to around the hook, that means line that is more dull in color, swivels and leaders that are black or brown in color. Surflon, or Malin as an example, make or are a stranded leader material, I have found that they are quite flexible, some are coated, some not and come in non flashing / dull colors. I have run into times that they even go bonkers over high viz line.

I don't know the brand because I have thrown away the spool, but it is a tieable wire leader, I tie loop knots on the lure side and don't loose the lure's action. Heck even using a clip doesn't have much of an effect since most of those fish are targeting a reaction bite on the flash.

I usually use between 40 and 60lb test, it is very thin and can't remember it effecting the sink rate of the lures I used, although I usually used live bait freelined, or spoons which get a foot or two below the surface.

Pretty much any line works well. I use Powerpro 20lb in high viz yellow. I also use about 2-8' of mono as a shock leader. We usually base ourselves on the Tee Head and then wander around looking for fish. So if you see a bunch of guys there chances are it'll be us. LOL!

We spend a lot of time at that pier so I will keep a look out for y'all. I very much appreciate all the info. We will see you soon. Can't wait to smell the salt air. Good luck until then.
WoodyRed

Cuda,
About the Tiable wire. How do you tie it to the main line?im using 30lb braid and the wire keeps cutting into it. Don't know if a barrel swivel would effect the action of the topwater. I know to tie a rapala loop knot to attach the lure,but not the main. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance
WoodyRed

My brand of braid is power pro spectra

Using a haywire twist to the split ring of the lure. The other end I haywire a small loop. I tie my mono to this wire loop with a uni knot of clinch knot. I never had a failure yet. If you look at this pic, you see that little loop I am referring to.



If you are using single strand wire you need to learn the haywire twist. This is a good article: http://www.georgepoveromo.com/content.php?pid=52

Thanks cuda, I could not get the link to load,but now that I know the name I can google it or look it up on YouTube. I will check it out. Thanks again. Just wondering has it been raining a lot there. Planning on camping by the jetty down from Horace for the first 3 nights,and the rest at sharks reef
Appreciate the tips
WoodyRed

I think it'll be raining next week but clearing up by the time you get there on the 18th. You might luck out!

Sounds good. I hope you cathem all. Good luck to you. We'll maybe leave us a few.
WoodyRed

Awesome pics thanks for sharing and the info

I am relatively new to the world of surf fishing and go to Galveston 3 or 4 times a year. I catch plenty of small sand trout, croaker, gaftop, occasional red, speck and small shark etc, fishing the first and second gut. I am using lighter gear bottom fishing with cut mullet typically and have to go to small hooks or treble hooks to keep from getting my line cleaned by the smaller fish.

What do the big boys do to keep the smaller fish off the bait?

I have gone to lures in the surf about 60 percent of the time. That ended the problem of bait stealers. If the water is clear or near clear, and the breakers are less than 2 to 3 feet, I toss silver spoons, soft plastics, Mirrolures, and dog walker topwaters like Zara Spooks, or Skitterwalks. I now catch keeper size trout, spanish mackerel and reds in the surf more frequently than I ever did using cut bait or dead shrimp. Also, Jack Crevalle will hit them too, and they will give you a fight of a lifetime on light tackle. I caught a 15 pounder just the other day on a Johnson Sprite silver spoon and he durn near wore me out. You will also catch larger ladyfish (skipjack), aka poor man's tarpon. They are not edible, but a blast to catch.

I will also catch small fish in a cast net or on a light spinning rod and reel with a small hook, #8 or #10, baited with a tiny pieces of Berkley Fish Bites and weighted with a large split shot to use for live bait. You will catch small whiting, croakers, and pinfish with ease right there in shallow water in the surf. I set a couple rods out at waters edge inserted in pvc pipe rod holders using live bait bottom rigs with at least a 2/0 or larger kahle or circle hook. Fish the second or third gut preferably on a moving tide. This will produce nice keeper fish without catching a bunch of trash fish or getting your bait stolen so frequently. Hope this helps. Good luck.

I keep a travel size bottle of rubbing alcohol and a tube of super glue in my tackle box. There are a lot of sharp objects in fresh and salt water, and I tend to find them all. Super glue closes and seals a deep cut quickly and works better than stitches. Get it clean, get it closed, and get back to fishing.

Looking through the threads, Having trouble with a lot of this pictures,
We are getting ready to head out the first of Aug to Fort Walton Beach, It looks like I will be able to walk to the Pier. And working to get my tackle together.
Thanks for the info on here

Great info here guys. Thx for everyone's input. I'll be in Port Aransas next week (Sunday through Friday) and want to do some wade fishing for trout. Here's where I'm staying. Any pointers on places my 12 year old son and I could wade out would be GREATLY appreciated. The red dot is where we're staying. 20-25 mph winds next week, but I'm assuming thats pretty standard.

nevermind I guess

You should have started a new thread with your question.

I can't see any pictures!! :(((

Great thread BTW.

Also don't rig your spinning reels like this!

I cant see them either,..............

CANT SEEM TO GET YOUR PICS TO LOAD

I don’t see what the problem is. This would allow you to fish on the other side of the boat.

How do you find the "gut" end of a sandbar? I do most of my fishing in Kemah/Seabrook area, but due to the consumption advisory there I'm planning to spend weekends in Galveston and surf fish from there. My heavier setup is a Marathon Guardian 7ft. medium heavy-fast action rod with a Shimano 6000 OC Baitrunner. I've landed several big bull reds in Clear Lake, and am excited about turning to the surf and having fun with some buddies of mine! Tips on finding guts and where to cast cut bait would be much appreciated!

The guts are the channels along the beachfront where waves aren't breaking. It's much easier to place your bait directly in the gut when you're on a pier or dropping from a kayak.

Thank you for the post. I was going to ask numerous question on here about saltwater fishing. Since I went last October, I caught the saltwater fishing bug. The only other question I was going to ask was the preference in lengths of rod to use for pier fishing. I invested in small spin reels. Penn Pursuit III 3000 and 4000. I’m heading this weekend to Corpus to Bob Hall pier to get my feet wet and learn.

I own a company Bite&Fight Angler and with you being new to saltwater fishing if you have any questions you can go to our website www.biteandfightangler.com and email us. I would be happy to help you out! 🤘🤘🤘