With too many fishing terms it can be hard to understand what exactly all of them mean. The main difference between offshore and inshore is the depth. There isn’t a strict border because the places you visit will have different features. Everything in the range of a few miles can be considered inshore with areas like jetties, flats, piers, rocky shorelines and beaches.
There is much more planning involved when you go to the open sea and trips can last from 12 to 72 hours. It’s recommended to get a few pieces of advice from experienced people in the area you will be visiting. They will provide enough information so you can know where to settle and what you can expect. When it comes to equipment, you will need to do your research.
Main Equipment
The equipment that will be used for offshore fishing is much different so you need to know your gear before going out. Everything from the spinning rod to the reels needs to be set up for the right fish. You will need to invest a lot of money to catch some species so it’s crucial to know your boundaries in order to prevent any damages.
Items like lines, reels and rods will be the main equipment you will need. One of the poles you will use should be meant for fish that is under 20 pounds like tripletail, flounder, black and red drum, sea trout and many more. It will have a medium power and should be 7 feet long. It’s recommended to have a spinning reel on these models with around 200 yards of line.
Depending on the season and the expectations, always prepare to catch something larger. You will need a heavier setup for kinds that go up to 100 pounds. The length can be the same but you will need at least 350 yards of twelve-pound monofilament line. If you want to go for smaller species, any lower number would be great it will just depend on the quality of the model.
Baits and Lures
Every store has a wide variety of baits and the ones you can start from are the large plastic-type that is made for cobia, bull jacks and tarpons. White and black patterns work the best and they go from 7 to 10 inches called Hogy Eels. Smaller type is used for large jacks and cobia and the larger for tarpon. Don’t use and weighted hooks that have additional features. Gulp Eel is another type that will be useful and it won’t matter which color you use because they work the same.
For species like flounder, red drum and trout, you can use soft, plastic bait like DOA. Most commonly used are 5 colors including chartreuse, white, glow, clear/gold flake and clear/red flake. Every product that you will need you can find online so there is no reason to visit a store. CAL Jerkbait and CAL shad tails are another way to go. They work great on a jighead. Read more on this page.
When you have a wide variety of baits you won’t worry about not having the proper equipment for catching a certain kind of fish. They are the only reason why you are catching one so it’s essential to have as much as you can. Include 3 inches shrimpy jig in your arsenal which isn’t the only name for this model. The type you use will also depend on the season like curly-tailed grubs that are mostly used in winter with a clear color and colorful flakes.
Terminal Tackle
Weedless weighted hooks, 1 to 3-ounce jigheads and 6/0 circle hooks will be needed if you use plastic eels. If you can’t catch something larger, use smaller jigheads. There are plenty of great brands just make sure they are certified and accepted in the area you are fishing. For example, Slayer is a good choice if you are going after smaller species.
An important thing to know is that you have six rigs you can use for different kinds of catches. They are made to target large, medium, small fish at the bottom, middle and top of the water column. It’s very simple to assemble a rig for the top and middle, you will just need an egg-shaped float, a size 2 large split shot, a small swivel, 15-pound test monofilament that is around 36 inches and size 2 hooks. Read more here: https://burnsly.com/terminal-tackle/
If you don’t have any luck at the top water column, just remove everything except the line and the hook to get the bottom. The type of fish you target will depend on the kind of hook you use. Use a heavier test monofilament if you are going for a bigger kind on the bottom layer. You should only attempt this if you have experience because tackling a bigger fish can be very dangerous.
Inshore Fishing Tips
Even if you are experienced angler, it would be a smart idea to rent a local charter guide when you visit a certain are for the first time. They will have the information about the best spots, baits and lures in the area and you will have someone to call if you have any questions. Some of the shallow places can be a great spot if there are crabs and baitfish during low tide. Don’t invest too much in your first rig because you won’t be able to use the equipment everywhere. Set your goal on a smaller fish than move to bigger.