Techniques To Catch Multiple Species-Saltwater Guide
 

 

Rods
 

Power- Strength/Thickness.

• Medium Light- for smaller lures/bait. Generally handles up to 1/2 oz  

• medium-Average Stiffness, All around lures/bait , Generally up to 1 0z

• Medium Heavy-Stiff, Generally up to 2 oz sinkers

• Heavy-Very Stiff- For large sinkers/baits.

 

Length

• 6ft- Shorter for accurate casting/handling. 

• 6'6" 7ft- all around length for lures, Bait.

• 7'6" - Larger Lures/Baits.

• 8-9 ft farther Casting, Better leverage. Surf/Pier/Shore rods.

• 10-12ft- Good surf for casting larger sinkers/baits. Good rods to cast cut bait.   

 

Action

• Moderate action- Rod bends farther toward the handle- useful for Live Bait/Topwater situations.

• Fast Action- Rod Bends mostly in the top section. Best all around rod.

• Extra fast Action- Just the tip bends, stiffer feel to have control of lures.

 

Trolling- 30-50lb rod

 

 

 

Chumming-6-7' Medium heavy/Heavy

 

 

 

live linning- 6-7 Medium/medium heavy/Heavy

 

 

 

Lures/jigging- 6-7' medium light/ medium/medium heavy/Heavy-

 

 

 

Topwater- medium/medium heavy

 

 

 

Surf- 8-9' lures 10-12 baits

 

 

 

 

Sharks- 12' surf. Heavy conventional rod

 

 

 

Reels

Spinning size

• 2500-Jigging/topwater/Lures-Rods to Use with reel 6-7ft medium light-medium

• 3000-Jigging/topwater/Lures. Medium Light/Medium rods

• 4000-Jigging/Live Lining/Chumming/Lures. Medium Rods/Medium Heavy Rods.

• 5000/6000- Surf/Chumming/Live Linning/Heavier Jigging/lures. Medium Heavy/Heavy Rods

• 8000+ Surf, Sharks, Line capacity. Heavy/Extra Heavy rods

 

 

 

 

 

Casting-size

 

 

 

Trolling-Size

 

 

Line

 

Monofilament- Stretches. less line capacity than braid. Floats. Cheaper

Braid-No stretch, more sensative, better for lures. More line capacity than monofilament. Casts farther. More expensive

Trolling 40-lb mono.
 

 

Jigging/lures- 10-15 braid- most senesative line for lures. 20-30 braid good all around inshore line. 40-60 larger inshore species/Surf

 

 

Surf-Braid 30-80. Mono 20-30.

 

 

Sharks- Braid- 40-100. Mono- 40-80. Use Braid on Spinning gear. 
 

Leader

10-20 pound- Small fish leader. When using small hooks/lures.

30-40 General all-around size

50-100- Large fish,

Sharks-Metal/Wire.  Use a shock leader. 10-15 ft section of 80-100 mono before tieing on rigs.

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Lures

Jig Heads

Weightless-1/2 oz Shallow water 1-10ft Generally. 

1/2-1 oz General all around for Inshore.

1-2oz Larger Plastics, Heavier Currents, Deeper locations. Windy/Wavy.

3-5oz Jig Heads- Deep Locations, Large plastics.
 

 

Shads/Plastics-

3-4' Paddle tails/Grub Tails. General all around inshore shallower locations used weightless-1 oz.

5-6" Paddle Tail/Jerk Shad, All Around good for shallow and deeper locations. Weightless-2oz

7-10' Plastics- Good for larger species. 1-4 oz jig heads
 

 

Topwater- Spooks/Poppers. Use around shallow structure, Bait, Docks, Surfacing Fish. 
 

 

Metal/Spoons- weights for depths.

1/2-1 oz lighter. casting from shore/surf. Can be used for fast retrieves near surface.

1-2 oz- Shore/Surf/Deeper locations on boats. 

3-5 oz- Deeper locations jigging in currents/winds

6-10 oz- Very deep locations, Rough currents. 

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Jerk Bait-

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Fish Species

Rigs/Tackle
 

Fish finder rig- Hook, Leader, Swivel, Sliding fish finder with sinker atached.

Bottom Rig- Wire/mono 2 hook is standard. other variations for specific species of fish

float- Keeps bait up. used fo live lining.

Ball bearing swivel
Sinker/Weights for situation- Split Shot-Heavy sinkers.- Carry many different size sinkers. 

 

Trolling

In line Sinkers, Planner Boards,

Unbrella Rigs, Chain Rigs

 

Hooks- Size chart

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Hooks vary in size. Keep multiple size hooks for the Size fish your targeting.

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Baits To Use

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Bunker, Spot, eel, Peeler crab, Soft crab, Clam.

 

Other:Nets, Bridge Net. Gloves, Pliers, Knife, Scents, Bags, Coolers.