Salt Water Fishing Information

Saltwater fishing is a recreational sport fishing activity. The sport varies from simple shore fishing, with medium gear and tackle, to complex and sophisticated offshore fishing from oceangoing boats that can travel miles out to sea. Anglers can catch a wide range of game fish species in saltwater, from small speckled trout or flounder to swordfish or grouper weighing hundreds of pounds.

Types

There are several types of saltwater fishing, each centered around different saltwater environments. Inshore fishing occurs in estuaries, shallow flats and brackish river water. Surf fishing is done by casting bait or lures into saltwater surf along the shoreline. When trolling, the angler tows large lures or hooked bait fish behind a boat. In deep-sea fishing, a heavy weight is used to carry hook and bait toward the bottom to catch fish.

Gear

Saltwater fishing gear is generally more substantial than freshwater gear. The greater size and strength of salt water game fish requires larger reels and heavier rods. Medium weight spinning gear is frequently used for inshore fishing, while surf fishing requires larger reels and longer rods to cast farther. Trolling and deep sea reels range from medium to heavy duty and hold long lengths of heavy fishing line. The rods are also very heavy to handle the strong pull of large fish.

Game Fish

Saltwater fishing targets a range of game fish species, depending on the type of fishing. Inshore fishing offers speckled trout, flounder, redfish, bonefish, pompano, snook and other backwater game fish. When surf fishing, Whiting, halibut, sole, striped bass, flounder, drum, bluefish and many other species are available. Offshore trolling aims for larger game fish, such as salmon, kingfish, tuna and billfish--the latter including swordfish and marlin. Deep sea fishing can bring in snapper, cobia, rock fish, sea bass, grouper and other deep water species.

Tackle

The tackle used for saltwater fishing is also more heavy duty than that used for fresh water. Hooks, weights, swivels and other terminal tackle are much larger and more substantial to handle bigger and harder fighting fish. Leader lines are often heavier gauge and made of abrasion-resistant materials, such as fluorocarbon or braided line. Some types of tackle are specifically designed for saltwater fishing, such as a pyramid weight, which remains stationary in surf or heavy currents.

Bait

Bait selection for saltwater fishing varies widely and depends on the type of game fish. Both artificial baits and natural baits work well. Artificial baits include small crank baits or soft plastic lures for inshore fishing to large jigs or spoons for deep-sea species. The largest artificial lures are for trolling and catch very large game fish, such as bluefin tuna or swordfish. Natural baits include shrimp, clams, sea worms, crabs and any number of bait fish species. Anglers can use natural baits, either live or as cut bait in any type of saltwater fishing.