Need some recommendations! So, 24 years old, I grew up in back water West Virgina fishing the rivers: trout, Bass, hybrid, catfish, those works. I left and joined the army, went around...

FS Digest

So, 24 years old, I grew up in back water West Virgina fishing the rivers: trout, Bass, hybrid, catfish, those works. I left and joined the army, went around a bit, and now that Im out I've settled here on Florida's gulf coast, Ive picked up a new rod and have been hitting the water.

SO I have no idea what im catching out here, what to use outside of a 1-1/0 and shrimp, nothing about tides really, and I just feel really ill prepared in general. Im trying to find some kind of reference materials like books, apps, forum pages, anything. 🤝

--
by hamachihamachi1

FS Digest

Best bet is to go to your local tackle shop if you have one. That's been my go to before heading out to new waters.

--
by pluckems

FS Digest

Tide charts https://saltwatertides.com/

Fish during moving water. Dead high and dead low are typically slow.

--
by jswledhed

Spiritof27 Loc: Lincoln, CA

Where are you at in Florida? We got a lot of people down there that can give you good advice on where to what kind and how to. Let us know.

Ron620DVS Loc: Guntersville Alabama

I agree with what pluckems has said.

flyguy Loc: Lake Onalaska, Sunfish Capitol of the World!

Check out a pier if there is one around. Talk to and watch the locals. Take a walk up the beach, see what the surf fishermen are doing. Talk to them. Welcome to the Forum.

Robert J Samples Loc: Round Rock, Texas

Greetings: The fastest way, but has higher cost to begin, is hire a guide. Second, if you cannot afford that is to follow most of the previous recommendations. Buy a tide chart as well as chart of the local water. Other local fishermen will usually be friendly with advice if you show courtesy and respect their space and time. Tackle shops may help but are there to sell tackle, 99% of which you will not need. Good Luck and welcome.RJS

ctjenkins54 Loc: Apex, North Carolina

There are some great YouTube fisherman in your area. Try Bama Beach Bun, FishGum, Maddog Fishing, Angle Up With Brent and also just search YouTube. Another suggestion is to get to know the folks in the local bait and tackle shops - not the big chain stores. There are also a lot of great fishing apps for the internet and also get the Florida Fish and Game site for a wealth of info.

Raw Dawg Ron Loc: St. Petersburg, FL

Florida Sportsman Magazine and Florida Fish and Game Mag. Also check out www.coastalanglermag.com/e-magazine/ and see tides at www.tides4fishing.com or even www.smartfishingtides.com/ kind of a copy but has information easy to understand. Near shore a 1/0 hook and shrimp with maybe a splitshot weight is universal. Add some DOA swim jigs and a surface bait with weedless hook that looks like a ballyhoo. One or two crank baits like large mirrodine and bomber long A lipped crankbait covers most nearshore fish. Tight Lines

luremin Loc: NEFL

Fish Florida gone fishin show on face book and sunny 102.3 fm. Both on fridays 12 to 2.
Facebook is live studio view and 102.3 is radio broadcast. Based in NEFL but covers state waters. Salt and fresh.
Call in and post questions and /or comments.
Tell em Luremin sent ya.

Claysonfish Loc: Floral City, Florida

You can get 2 apps that may be helpful on play station. One is tides it shows on a graph where the tide is 24 hours a day for your area. The other is fish rules, it has a picture of all the salt water fish in the Gulf listed in alphabetical order. When you tap on the picture all the current rules for that fish comes up. Its very handy app. Hope that helps.

Hugh W.

FS Digest wrote:

So, 24 years old, I grew up in back water West Vir... (show quote)

Tide charts are readily available, put app on phone, watch barometer if barometer is making changes that can affect fishing check out solar lunar charts Google that find app put on phone, talk to other fishermen they can be very informative get out and fish, learn, relax, finally always rinse gear with fresh water and maintain your gear, salt water is hard on reels and gear....have fun get out and hang on to rod lol, I grew up in Sarasota Florida did alot of fishing,now live in Wisconsin and still learning fresh water even though I've lived here now for 40 years I still miss fishing gulf coast....

USAF Major Loc: Sea Bright, NJ

Milt Rosko has written some pretty informative books that can be found in your local library.

bapabear Loc: Blaine, Washington

Robert J Samples wrote:

Greetings: The fastest way, but has higher cost to begin, is hire a guide. Second, if you cannot afford that is to follow most of the previous recommendations. Buy a tide chart as well as chart of the local water. Other local fishermen will usually be friendly with advice if you show courtesy and respect their space and time. Tackle shops may help but are there to sell tackle, 99% of which you will not need. Good Luck and welcome.RJS

You can get tide charts and fish ID free on the internet. Go to NOAA for free tide info.