New to Salt Water fishing. Need help

[Joker]

Hey guys,
Me and my son (Cayaking Cody) are new to salt water fishing. Need some advice on what baits are a must have and a briefing on how to fish them. Trying to get ready for the red fish tournament this weekend. Any help would be much appreciated.

God bless,
Shelton

[Sandman]

Gold spoons are GREAT!!!! I usually vary my retrieve until I find something that is working for the day. Sometimes I'm reeling so fast the spoon is almost coming out of the water and other days I have to slow my retrieve so much it drags the bottom.

I am also a recent convert to Gulp. I tried it for the first time at PaddlePalooza and it worked well. The only thing I have had any luck on is the 4" Pogeys, usually a natural color. I normally just rig these with a plain lead jig and bounce it off the bottom with a slow retrieve or use it with a spinner with a slow retrieve.

I usually have four rod and reels in my yak - all rigged differently - and try various lures and techniques until I find something that works; but the two mentioned above have showed results more consistently lately.

[Joker]

Thank you Sandman! I need all the help I can get!

[Where Y'ak?]

My go-to lures that I bring when I can't bring the kitcken sink are (in order as to species):

Reds:
Weedless Gold Spoon- fished with a small split-ring and ball bearing swivel added.
Topwater plug- Top Dog (bone/silver) or Skitterwalk(speckled trout or redfish pattern)
Gulp (Shrimp or Pogy)-fished tightlined on a 1/4 or 3/8 ounce plain jig head or under a popping cork
Spinner Bait-Gold blade, chartreuse, green or purple plastic cocohoe tail
Old faithful--dead shrimp under a popping cork

Trout:
Topwater plug, preferably a full size Top Dog. Bone/Silver, Green/Yellow, Black or Blue/Chrome.
Topwater plug, preferably a full size Top Dog. Bone/Silver, Green/Yellow, Black or Blue/Chrome.
Topwater plug, preferably a full size Top Dog. Bone/Silver, Green/Yellow, Black or Blue/Chrome.
Suspending plug--MirrOlure Catch 2000, MirrOdine, or Corky. Prefer natural silver colors along with pink or chartreuse
Soft Plastic cocohoe or beetle type bait- tightlined on 1/4-3/8 oz plain jighead or 2-3' under a popping cork. Color depending on water clarity. Clearer water, lighter colors, dark/muddy water, darker colors
Live shrimp or croakers-freelined on hook only or Carolina rig or under a popping cork.

With the above selections, you can cover all of the water column and use tactics depending on where/how the fish are feeding. You'll get plenty of good advice in response to this post. You'll also see that each individual has their own preferences. There are thousands of lures out there and most will catch a fish. The best lures are the ones you have the most confidence in.

Good luck!

[Joker]

Thats a good solid list! Thank you Y' ak . Hope to meet yall this weekend.

[Joker]

Not me! Me and my son are very excited. NBC news interviewed my son and father in law today concerning his big black drum! Should be on the news tonight or tomorrow. They will do a small piece about it also on WBRZ tonight!

[Cobia 1]

Too bad Anderson Cooper is in Haiti, that drum's mouth is as big as Billy Nungessers but not as loud!
CNN could make good story despite all the other stuff going on here.
Congrats on both a great catch and a great story, one that will live on and on.

[marshdaddy]

Hey guys,
Me and my son (Cayaking Cody) are new to salt water fishing. Need some advice on what baits are a must have and a briefing on how to fish them. Trying to get ready for the red fish tournament this weekend. Any help would be much appreciated.

God bless,
Shelton
I was going to ask Cody for advice on catching Black Drum.:bigsmile:

[tefishmaster]

Hey guys,
Me and my son (Cayaking Cody) are new to salt water fishing. Need some advice on what baits are a must have and a briefing on how to fish them. Trying to get ready for the red fish tournament this weekend. Any help would be much appreciated.

God bless,
Shelton Looks like Cody has it down pat.............Just saying!!! :lol:

[Yellow Submarine]

I know I would have broke the line or my knot would have slipped. How doe He do it? Amazing fishing skills. He's a natural fisherman.

[yak-aholic]

I like Where Y'ak's list.

My personal preference in "cocahoe" type soft plastics would probably be the Bayou Chubs. They can be found at Academy. I keep 4 colors, purple, avacado, black, and glow all with chartreusse tails.

When it comes to gold spoons, many seem to like the Nemire Red Ripper. Also can be found at Academy. http://www.nemirelures.com/collections/red-ripper

[Joker]

Thank you guys for the advice. I have purchased a few things yall have sugested and found them Academy for ~75% off. I hope I get to hall some fish in this weekend with them.
See yall in Leeville

[Branch_Office]

See you and Cody there!