[unsure] Well, here we are again,
After fishin freshwater all my life i figured i'd like to try salt water while i still can, so's i got online to bass and ordered me some of them saltwater lures the real pretty ones in all colors.i forgot that i don't rightly know how to use them. or how to fish in the bay or gulf. if any body out there can help me i'd sure appriciate it.
1how do you fish with live bait [shrimp ,squid ,ect. and wats better live or artifical, do you fish off the bottom or use a bobber?
2 how deep do you go off the dock ,how about the water temp.
3 whats the best time mornin ,noon or evening, how about this cold weather, good or bad for fishin. is it o.k. to take a bass boat in salt water?
I can use all the help I can get.
thanks , swampy
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[size 2][size 1]Hello Swampy,[/size]
[size 1]Welcome to the BFT boards![/size]
[size 1]You definitely covered a lot of ground in your post! Congratulations on the decision to expand your fishing technique. If you let everyone know what area your in it may help pin point answering some of the questions a little better but I'll take a run at it also you may want to also post a similar message in your state board below, I am certain there are people on this board that fish the area you will be trying that would be happy to help![/size]
[size 1]The problem to answering the bait -vs- lures question and which one to use is that it changes often. My philosophy on this when fishing an area I've never fished is "live bait". If I am not certain what to use I go with live bait because it typically always works for some kind of fish in the area and when going to a new area without the benefit of having talked to anyone yet, I just want to see what there is to catch in that area. In your case maybe, anchovies, squid, mackerel, muscles, would be a good starting point. In this case, I sometimes get small amounts of all the bait that is available and try'em all. Don't forget a great source for information is typically the guy who is selling you the bait![/size]
[size 1]How deep to fish is really going to depend on a lot of factors and would best be answered after knowing where your fishing. Things to consider would be time of year, tide, targeted species, etc..[/size]
[size 1]Time of day will also vary but I have always found (almost without exception) that the best hunting and fishing is done very early or very late in the day. Many people catch fish all day but those are typically the most active day times of day.[/size]
[size 1]On the bass boat issue in saltwater, many people do it and it really comes down to proper maintenance of your boat after pulling it out of the water.[/size]
[size 1]Good luck to you and please keep us posted on your progress![/size][/size]
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[cool]hey angler,
Thanks for your input.My area is ft. Walton Fl. I went out for the last couple of days.
Used shrimp and minnows,tried fishing without weight but the current always pulled our lines back to the dock. Wewere fishing for flounder or red fish or snapper, but all we caught was some shad and something long skinny and with teeth, kinda looked like a snake but ulglyer.My neighbor said they was trash fish. Sure would like to catch some good snapper or trout or sompthin . This bait is startin to cost me a fourthin and didn't have no luck on this artifical stuff I bought. O Well the weater is gettin real purty about70-75 degrees all day , nice weather to fish in, and unlike bass or crappie these salt water fish seem to bite in any kind of weather. If this helps I am still lookin for more suggestions.
swampy
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Hello Swampy,
Glad to hear you've already been getting out on the water! You are in a great area for fishing, also your in luck there are some very great giudes who regularly post in the Florida boards. I think I would reccomend 2 things.
1) Try your post in the Florida boards (just scroll down this page) there are some top notch guides (that are on the water daily) who regularly post in that board and they are very willing to help.
2) I don't know why I didn't think of this before but there are some really great guides who are very reasonably priced in your area, I would reccomend taken a giuded trip in the waters you like to fish. A good guide will get you started in the right direction in 1 fishing trip where sometimes it might take 10 trips of trial and error to find out whats catching the fish. Don't get me wrong, I have a lot of fun on my trial and error trips too, but I always have more fun when I'm on the fish!
A while back I had been fishing on Peris Lake hear in California and had some success but was invited to go out with a friend and a local giude (Eric Brewer), not only did we catch almost 30 bass before noon we had a ton of laughs a great time, I picked up a couple great rigging techniques, a knot that I still am using today, and the tricks of drop shotting which I was not very familiar with, but also helped on a salmon trip in Rochester about six months later.
Yes, Swampy, go with a giude, you'll have a great time and learn some tricks that will last you a life time!
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swamppy,
That ugly fish you caught is known as a Needle Garr. When you have alot of them swimming in the area you are fishing you won't catch much else but them. They can be fun to catch if you just want to catch somthing.
When you are fishing for other spiesies you will have to use some form of weight to get you below the surfice. Next time you catch one of them shad cut it up and use it for your bait. With live shrimp I like to use minimum weight and a float to keep it off of the bottom. Depending on the clairity of the water will determan the depth of your bait. I have had the best results over 3ft and just below eye sight.
To efectivly fish with out weight it is best done when there is limmited or no winds and during times of tide change.(eather high or low, both times work well.)
I have had good lugk with both techneekes for many diffrent spiesies. The specks and Croker are the most common.[
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