STA-SEA’S NATURE COAST ADVENTURES
A lot of people are asking what gear I use for inshore fishing. I am by no means going to be technical, because for me it’s what I am comfortable using, and with what I have had the most success. My personal favorite is light tackle, and by light tackle I mean, 12lb braided line, with a 20lb fluorocarbon leader, tied with a uni-to-uni knot. I do not like steel leaders at all. I like for the line to look like one piece. Make the knot clean and tight. I like a med-light action rod. These rods stiffen up quickly, which allows for a faster hookset. A 1/8 to 1/2oz jig head and a soft plastic or live shrimp is my favorite set-up. I find this set-up to be the best for trout, because you need a quick hookset with them. Trout can shake a hook better than any fish I’ve seen. Its infuriating until you figure them out. You have to experiment and use what’s right for your style of fishing. What you love, and what works for you, may not work for someone else. I have seen some crazy set-ups but I’ve also seen those crazy set-ups catch fish. Lure choice is as important as your rod choice, but how you present those lures is by far the most important, at least in my personal experience. “How do you present a lure?” you ask. Also, personal choice, but work the lure 10 different ways, and when you start getting consistent strikes – stick with that technique. Some people may crack up laughing at the way I contortion myself while working certain lures, but I get the job done. I may have one eye closed and lean my body to the left, while squatting on one knee, but hey, it’s not about looking professional, it’s about catching fish. Use what you are comfortable with and practice, practice, practice. If you have a swimming pool, or maybe your friend has one, go toss a lure and work it and see how it looks swimming. Think to yourself, “If I were a fish, would I eat that?” I say that to myself every single time I fish! “Woooo! If I were a fish, I’d tear that thing up!” Be passionate about your bait! Think like a fish!