Total rookie to saltwater fishing

[powerplant]

I decide that it's time to relax a little and what better way to relax than fishing.
Step 1. Buy a boat 22 foot, not new and not really a purpose built fishing boat.
Step 2. Go to the tackle shop and tell the salesman that I want to go fishing and I don't know what I need, salesman smiles alot.
Step 3. Put everything together and go fishing. First time out I snag the bottom and before I know it I've lost a 12lb. cannonball and all the cable from the downrigger.
Step 4. See step 2.
I can only imagine how much more fun it would be if I knew what I was doing.
Back at it next weekend.

 

[totally tyee]

Powerplant, no matter how long your at it you will find yourself repeated "step 2" over and over again. We all do.

TT

 

[blueorca]

Yep, step two....
It is truly amazing at how much money you can spend to save one cannon ball.[][][]

 

[scott craven]

first few years i repeated step 3 a lot !
funny, but you slowly learn to avoid that step after
doing it over and over.
not to say it can't happen again, but ya do your best
not to let it !

 

[the runt]

Hi power,We do have some great guides on this site.The cheapest way to go is to hire one for the day.Look at what they got for equipment and they will hep ya out.

 

[victoriaboater]

I hit step 2 yesterday when i ran over the downrigger cable with the prop. The moral is long arm downriggers.

 

[scott craven]

that's nasty, i did that many years ago in my old boat
prop sure cuts the cable quick !

 

[totally tyee]

Thats how Yo Mama lost his Islander!

 

[Tsquared]

Prop guards help when that happens.
T2

 

[marula]

Had a purpoise once hit my downrigger line. Peeled line off it full speed untill it ran out and snap, that was the end of that. Thought it was going to rip my downrigger off the gunnel

 

[powerplant]

quote:Originally posted by the runt

Hi power,We do have some great guides on this site.The cheapest way to go is to hire one for the day.Look at what they got for equipment and they will hep ya out.

I think you hit the fish on the head with that suggestion.
The wife had the same idea when I first started to talk about getting a boat for fishing.[)]

 

[fishcatcher]

ya, fishing can be very relaxing. I don't think that losing a downrigger is that relaxing, probably more expensive than anything else. I'm more used to mooching and I didn't need a downrigger for that. When you're trolling, you really have to watch your fishfinder to find the shallows or you'll get snagged a lot. Tight lines and I don't mean on the bottom. LMAO catcher

 

[Rum Buddies]

pick one area you want to fish(ie. beechy head area, otter point etc.) and learn how to do it really well, learn every little contour of your area and keep a log. Soon you'll know where fish usually hold and spend less time wasting time. A lot of guys waste time running all over the place looking for greener grass and they never learn an area well enough to consistantly produce.

I think you only need a few choice flashers, a few choice anchovy heads and some assorted hard baits, you don't need one of everything in the store.


I'm no pro, but I think this applies to all fishing - knowing 1 spot really well will catch more fish then sorta knowing a lot of spots. And mastering a few techniques will catch more fish then sorta knowing how to do everything.

 

[Last Chance]

A good way to learn is Winter Fishing. They are smaller fish, and since they are quite aggressive, you can be assured of plenty of fish to "learn on". I highly suggest Whirl Bay, it has a VERY flat bottom, so gear-loss should be minimal. November-January, so long as the weather co-operates, you should be able to fish there, get results, and get a good idea of what works for you in time for our big, choosy summer fish.