Beginner inshore fishing

[Idaho4x4Bronco]

What advice would you saltwater fishermen give to someone who's interested in learning fishing the big water? Inshore only, nothing crazy offshore.

Just day dreaming about moving to the ocean and finding a new life that would include a boat.

 

[Button]

Which coast?

 

[Fitzwho]

Big difference between west coast and the Gulf. East coast and the gulf are pretty similar until you get to the Mason Dixon line and you start running into stripers and false albacore off the beach.

All in all, it’s still just fishing. Have to do it enough to figure it out wherever you are.

 

[roosiebull]

What advice would you saltwater fishermen give to someone who's interested in learning fishing the big water? Inshore only, nothing crazy offshore.

Just day dreaming about moving to the ocean and finding a new life that would include a boat.

any idea on areas you are considering? i have never had a job that wasn't on the ocean, and have a lot of regional experience in Oregon and SE Ak. a safe and reliable boat is second only to basic safety... it's not that big of a deal, just need a basic understanding and a suitable platform

 

[MJB]

Check out BD outdoors

 

[Idaho4x4Bronco]

any idea on areas you are considering? i have never had a job that wasn't on the ocean, and have a lot of regional experience in Oregon and SE Ak. a safe and reliable boat is second only to basic safety... it's not that big of a deal, just need a basic understanding and a suitable platform

Been looking at gulf coast. Pretty close to being debt free and no longer tied down, kind of feel like hiding in Northern Idaho is wasting my youth, would like to be near or in a bigger city within 1-2 hours driving of the saltwater.

Not really too concerned with boat talk, there's endless talk of that on the Google, more interested in the actual learning curve of things as far as safety, species of fish and knowledge in that area, ect. I watch these videos and couldn't really tell you what most fish are or what "rough water" is so to speak.

Oregon wouldn't be too bad of an idea, but I was looking at maybe Florida (no idea where) or near Austin, Tx. In all honesty I'm single, free of restraints, early 30s and losing my brother last year made me really start to evaluate my life. The conclusion I came to was, why am I here in the mountains generally bored in life when I could be else where.

Oregon plus side would be still able to hunt elk and other big game, fish for steelhead in the rivers I believe and still be close to the ocean

 

[Ocnandmtns]

Just like hunting a new species or new area- expect to work a lot harder for your first success than you do for the second. Each season you’ll learn more and find more success more easily. Also just like hunting or anything else- learning from a local will shorten the learning curve so be friendly with tackle shops and also try to connect with people thru local groups or forums where ever you land. I have good fishing friends I’ve made thru forums. Thehulltruth.com is a good one.

 

[Fitzwho]

San Antonio or Austin, you’re pushing your time frame slightly, but for what you are looking at seems like your best bet unless you want to look at Baton Rouge/New Orleans, Destin, FL, or pretty much anywhere else in Florida.

 

[Cheaha]

I live on the Alabama Gulf Coast but I grew up in North Alabama where I learned to fish going after largemouth bass, catfish, and bream. With the basic knowledge of rigging tackle, structure, and food, I found the transition to inshore fishing easy. There are safety concerns not always necessary on small lakes and streams, but if you are mindful you will be fine. And, if you get down this way, you will find people are very welcoming: Southern hospitality is real.

 

[Idaho4x4Bronco]

Appreciate all the messages and replies, I will read them all shortly after the Bellator and UFC fights tonight

As far as relocating, would Tx offer the most outside of fishing as well? I miss bird hunting very badly (I'm from Sacremento area) but I would also like to start doing things that aren't readily available here in Northen Idaho like see the UFC events live, comedy clubs, so on.

There's a small amount of that here in Spokane, but it's a much smaller scale, as well as a lot of the real big artists that put on tours, they don't do too many concerts here. Everything always seems to be on the east coast, Tx, and California.

 

[pk_]

Dude go for it. I bought my first offshore boat a couple years ago and am sorry I waited so long (born and raised in S FL). The safety stuff is pretty straightforward. For strictly inshore you would have to make some pretty bad decisions to get into a real ‘pickle’. Other boaters on the waterways are generally my biggest concern. If you know how to watch weather and keep things in good running order, boats really aren’t that bad. Take your safety gear seriously and have a plan and there is almost zero to worry about inshore. Even offshore isn’t as scary as it seems at first…

 

[FLATHEAD]

I live maybe 45 min from Orange Beach, AL., and love the fishing
we have here. Redfish, Speckled Trout, Black Drum, Sheepshead,
Jack Crevalle, Flounder, Sharks, etc.... And thats just from a Kayak
or Surf Fishing. Year around fishing.
Google Bama Beach Bum Youtube to get an idea of what it's like
down here on the Northern Gulf.
If I didn't love to hunt so much, it's all I would do.

 

[def90]

Wilmington NC, the Gulf Stream comes in close to shore there, you can take a 20ft boat out 5 miles from shore on a calm day and be reeling in Mahi Mahi all day. Just get some frozen cigar minnows and hook them on a skirt and start trolling. If you see a flock of seagulls over a bait ball then head for that.

My dad has a 22 ft center console and it handles 3ft seas pretty well, doesn't get bad until you get some bad wind chop on top.

Otherwise find a wreck on a map and go out there and bottom fish for grouper or gat some amberjack. Not that hard, just have to do it.

 

[Northpark]

I will suggest San Antonio as an option. Only a few hours to the gulf coast and still reasonably priced with lots to do. If I were moving from where I’m at in AZ it would be Texas either San Antonio or somewhere on the coast. Wife is from there so I’ve been fortunate to spend a fair bit of time there and enjoy the things Texas has to offer.

 

[IdahoElk]

Check out BD outdoors

This and the Hull Truth, when you figure where you want to live hire a guide to take you out and ask a million questions.

 

[Hschweers]

I grew up in SW FL (still live here). SW FL has incredible inshore fishing, but the age demographic is 50+ for the most part. You’ll get into younger crowds in the cities (Tampa, Orlando, and Jacksonville). The fishing is good anywhere in Florida, but my vote would go to Tampa as best all around. Go an hour or so north and you get into crystal river/homosassa area which has incredible snook, trout, and redfish fishing. Go a little over an hour south and you have Charlotte harbor - tarpon capital of the world (in addition to snook, redfish, and trout). Orlando isn’t coastal, but would get you under 2 hours to many places on both coasts (they each have something a little different). It also has some world class bass fishing if that tickles your fancy (don’t see how anyone in Florida could waste time bass fishing when saltwater fish are everywhere) I’ve never fished Jacksonville, but I’ve spent many of hours looking over maps of that area and dreaming of the redfish it looks like that ecosystem would hold. As far as cities go, I’d take Tampa, then Jax, then Orlando. Orlando has too much year round tourism for my liking.

If you know how to cast a rod and tie a knot, you’ll figure it out. I would definitely buy a cast net (8’ to start, go bigger when you get the hang of it) and learn how to throw it. If you can find and catch the bait, you’ll have no problem catching fish. I recently took up fly fishing, and it’s quickly turned into the only way I fish now. Being in Idaho and liking fishing, I imagine you can fly fish.

If you want to stay in the hunting game, Florida is brutal. Almost everywhere requires a drawn tag, and most take a couple of years to draw. If you don’t draw a tag, OTC opportunities are few and far between. Jacksonville would give you the best chance to hunt out of state easily. Georgia is a stone’s throw away and Alabama isn’t far. Duck hunting in Florida can be tough but listening to the swamp wake up and watching alligators swim through your decoys is something else.

I’m currently in the same, and opposite, boat as you. I’ve spent my whole life in Florida, and I’m looking for a change to somewhere out west. However, I’m in my mid 20’s, and I assume I’ll be back to Florida by 40. It’s a special place. Different, sure. But special.

Best of luck to you. If you end up in Florida feel free to PM me and I’ll help you as best I can.

 

[Idaho4x4Bronco]

Big difference between west coast and the Gulf. .

Can you talk more about this? As someone who's never fished the ocean or been to the east coast, I'm very curious the differences.

 

[def90]

Can you talk more about this? As someone who's never fished the ocean or been to the east coast, I'm very curious the differences.

Shallow (relatively speaking) warm water vs deep cold water.

 

[Idaho4x4Bronco]

Wilmington NC, the Gulf Stream comes in close to shore there, you can take a 20ft boat out 5 miles from shore on a calm day and be reeling in Mahi Mahi all day. Just get some frozen cigar minnows and hook them on a skirt and start trolling. If you see a flock of seagulls over a bait ball then head for that.

My dad has a 22 ft center console and it handles 3ft seas pretty well, doesn't get bad until you get some bad wind chop on top.

Otherwise find a wreck on a map and go out there and bottom fish for grouper or gat some amberjack. Not that hard, just have to do it.

I've been watching some videos but haven't taken the time to look into rules and regs yet, but it seems like there's not really a limit on mahi mahi?

 

[Idaho4x4Bronco]

Shallow (relatively speaking) warm water vs deep cold water.

So I assume it's more halibut, tuna, salmon, crabbing and so on, probably more offshore? compared to mahi mahi, sharks, ect?