Poor Man’s Inshore Saltwater Fish Finders
Whether you are a brand new angler or an established one, you may feel a bit overwhelmed when you see these large fishing boats outfitted with all of the latest electronic gadgets. In fact, some fishing boats contain electronic fish finders, depth finders, GPS coordinates and a variety of other tools that you may think give the inshore saltwater anglers advantages that you simply do not have, nor do you necessarily have the funds to acquire. So, if you’re not a rich angler that can compete with these larger anglers, you might be wondering if you need to forgo the sport of inshore saltwater fishing. Actually, you couldn’t be more wrong, you just have to identify resources that can help you become adept at adapting!
Using online resources
The internet has opened up a whole new world for anglers and others. Take some time to investigate the websites that offer information for shoreline areas where you’ll be fishing. Many of these sites offer forums where anglers can share information with others who are interested in fishing specific areas. You might be surprised at the amount of information and you’ll quickly find that it was well worth your time to stop by. If you do find information that’s helpful, make sure you stop back and let others know about the tip you used and how successful it was, share it with others for their future use.
Local Tackle Shops
All too often anglers walk into a tackle shop and start pumping everyone for information about the best fishing holes. Resist the urge to do this and instead, make sure that first and foremost you are a consumer. At least take a look around at what the shop has to offer and then you can safely ask for some direction. Don’t forget if someone does provide you with some information, especially about a particularly good plug or lure that you go ahead and buy it before you leave. Local anglers love to share stories and you’re liable to pick up some great information.
Local Fishing Clubs
Take a look at your community pages in your town and find out if there is a local fishing club. It’s true that these clubs are usually membership based, but they are comprised of members with a passion for fishing. What could be better than hanging out with anglers with a love of the sport and sharing stories and collecting information in a casual setting? Not only that, but fishing clubs tend to interest only serious anglers, so you won’t find a lot of ‘non-fishermen’ in the group.
Charter Cruises
Although certainly not the most cost effective method, a fishing charter can provide you with some valuable information that you can put to use. Fishing charters typically have a captain on board who is extremely knowledgeable about the area that they are navigating. Since these charters are specifically designed to get fishermen in contact with fish, you can get a lot of great information on these charters.
Check out the Wildlife
Stop and think about the last time you were at your favorite fishing hole. Chances are that if you were being successful you had company. Flying around above you may have been eagles, osprey, sea gulls and even cormorants. Remember, these fish are looking for bait fish and their presence indicates that this might be a ripe fishing area.
Keep an eye out for these ocean birds and pay attention to not only the direction they are circling in, but also their cries. Chances are that you’ll be able to identify the approximate area that the baitfish are hanging out. Chances are that if you find baitfish you’ll find their predators, the bluefish and stripers in the area. This should make your angling even more fun.
Area Anglers
As you walk along the beach, you may see a few things that tip you off to a good fishing area. One of these of course is a group of happy anglers. These fisherman are generally in small groups and are easily identified by loud whoops and bent rods. Another good sign that an area is going to produce a decent fishing trip is blood and scales along docks, jetties and the beach. This means that in the not too distant past, someone has been very successful fishing that area.
You can spend some extra time in getting to know the area that you’re interested in fishing to find out the right time of day and the right bait for inshore saltwater fishing, or you can spend thousands of dollars on a big expensive boat and all the toys that you need to be successful. You make the decision about which method you prefer.
When you are preparing to undergo a saltwater fishing experience, it is important that you have the proper fishing gear. Some of the most popular gear include Shimino Reel, Okuma Reel, and Van Staal Reels.
