Saltwater fishing can be very exciting, especially when you know what you’re doing and therefore have a good chance of catching something. The open ocean is filled with interesting catches as well as immense giants, and that’s what makes it so much fun to fish. In this post, you’ll find some saltwater fishing tips that will help you see more success when fishing in the sea or ocean.
If while reading this post you have any questions, or you have a good tip we can add in, please leave a comment and we’ll try to add it into the post on our next revision! 🙂
Tips when fishing saltwater
These saltwater fishing tips will cover tips for beginners as well as more experienced fishing enthusiasts. This ensures that there are interesting fishing tips for everyone fishing saltwater, not just the more experienced ones reading this post. Feel free to skim through the post and only read the tips that aren’t obvious to you. Catchos was created to help and entertain, not waste your time 😉
Pick a fish you’re going to fish for before fishing
The ocean is a vast body of water that’s filled with fish. However, there is far more water than there are fish, so targeting a specific fish is going to increase your chances of actually catching something. They all live and hunt in different places and go for different lures and bait. If you spend more time researching a certain fish you’re going to understand what lures or baits you can use, where you should be fishing and how the fish behaves. It also means you know the average size of the fish and how you should deal with it as it’s being reeled in and as you release it again. This can make your fishing trip a lot safer, more successful, and just a lot more fun!
Use the right bait
Using the right bait for the fish you’re looking to catch is vital to sea/ocean fishing success. Shrimp and shellfish can work well in some cases, but baitfish and cut bait can be far more appealing to some species. Artificial bait can even be preferred in some cases and is a lot easier to take with you as well. Once you know what fish you are going after, take the time to research what bait or lure works best. Our post on live bait vs artificial lures can help you in deciding between them!
Get the right gear!
When selecting your gear, you need to keep your own preferences in mind as well as the fish you’re going after. If you’re going for smaller fish then lighter and more nimble gear is going to be preferred. However, if you prefer lighter gear but are going after large fish, you need to try to find a setup that’s going to make it possible for you to catch and reel these larger fish in without the line breaking, while still tailoring to your preference as best as possible. Often, there’s not a perfect setup that’s going to tick all of your boxes within your budget, so make sure you keep an open mind and don’t be afraid to compromise. Check out our fishing gear category for posts on the best gear!
Take the right tools with you
This includes nets, knives, and anything else you might need. Make sure you’re prepared to catch and release any fish you might catch, as not preparing properly beforehand can create nasty situations for both you and the fish. You never know what you might end up snagging on the end of your line, so make sure you come prepared to make sure you don’t get into any trouble.
Pick the right vessel
Having the wrong kind of boat can make it very difficult or even dangerous to catch certain fish. Small boats and kayaks are popular fishing vessels, but they’re not great for large fish species. Make sure you pick the right fishing vessel and ensure it is equipped with everything you need to fish safely. You may need other people on the boat with you depending on what you’re looking to catch, so keep this in mind too, and don’t bite off more than you can chew!
Pick the right spot
Marine charts/maps can hold the key to finding the right fishing spot, but you can also use Google Maps/Google Earth to check out the best locations. Talking to local fishermen or asking in a forum if you’re going to a popular fishing destination always helps to find the right spots too. If you’re still not sure, shear your fishing location on Google to see if there are any bloggers or tour operators that provide more info on the location and the kinds of fish you can catch there.
Tides and currents can also make a huge difference when fishing saltwater. We’ll cover this next.
Keep an eye on the tides & currents
Keeping an eye on the tides, currents, and weather is vital to saltwater fishing success. The more factors you can have working in your favor, the better your chances are going to be successful. If you’re not prepared to do the research and aren’t even prepared to Google some advice on the location you’re going to fish, then you catching anything worthwhile is going to be left to chance. The ocean is full of fish, but there’s a lot of open space too, so catching something is not a given!
Tie the right knot!
Knotts are a huge topic and there are many different types of fishing knots available. With numbers well into the hundreds, it’s important you find the right knot for your situation as well as the line you’re using. Tying a knot that won’t hold or one that’s not going to be strong enough is going to frustrate you. If your knot fails, you’ve been fishing for nothing!
Maintain everything well & remove salt before storing your equipment
Fishing in saltwater comes with some extra maintenance challenges. Salt rusts metals and can cause other materials to jam. Always remove salt by placing your fishing gear in a bucket filled with freshwater before storage. This will help to remove the salt and prevent your gear from getting damaged. By rinsing it beforehand, you can already move most of the salt and this will make the bucket more effective.
Throw out your line after a day to prevent it from breaking the next time you fish, as well as clean the interior of your reel before storing to remove debris.
Know the rules!
This may be a given, but we couldn’t leave this off our list of sea/ocean fishing tips. Make sure you get a license to fish in saltwater as well as know what you can and can’t catch. Always make sure you know how to properly release fish you catch and understand which endangered species live in the water you’re fishing. Fishing can be a great pastime, but it’s our responsibility to care for the fish we fish for. This includes releasing them safely and preventing harm to the fish as well as the waters they live in.
Conclusion
When fishing saltwater, there are a few things you need to think about which you may not have to think about when fishing in freshwater. Hopefully, these saltwater fishing tips will help you be more successful next time you fish in the sea/ocean! If you have any questions after reading this post, or if you have any tips you feel are worth adding, leave a comment and let us know! We’re always on the lookout for ways to improve our resources.
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