Poor Man's Inshore Saltwater Fish Finders

Whether you are a brand new angler or an established one, you may feel a bit overwhelmed when you see these large fishing boats outfitted with all of the latest electronic gadgets. In fact, some fishing boats contain electronic fish finders, depth finders, GPS coordinates and a variety of other tools that you may think give the inshore saltwater anglers advantages that you simply do not have, nor do you necessarily have the funds to acquire. So, if you’re not a rich angler that can compete with these larger anglers, you might be wondering if you need to forgo the sport of inshore saltwater fishing. Actually, you couldn’t be more wrong, you just have to identify resources that can help you become adept at adapting!

Using online resources

Take a little bit of your time and check online for your favorite fishing areas. Chances are that you will find a website or blog that contains information that has been shared by other anglers. These sites can be treasure troves of information that you might not get anywhere else, and a lot of it may be from inshore anglers. If you do find information that is helpful make sure you take a few minutes after you return from fishing to drop by and share your experiences. Remember, someone else may be visiting the site who is in the same predicament you were.

Local Tackle Shops

Local anglers love to share their experience with both new and experienced anglers. Let’s face it, fishing is fun and fishermen are known for their tales. One thing to avoid however is the appearance that you’re just hanging around to get information. If you are in a local tackle shop and you just immediately start asking questions you will most likely get ignored. However, a bit of browsing and a few well placed questions and you’re likely to get an ear-full of information that you can use.

Local Fishing Clubs

Where there are fishermen and hunters you’ll often find a local fish and game club. These clubs provide an area where the locals get to hang out in a purely casual setting and share their stories. Another thing is that they all share a passion for their sports. It’s not unusual to find fisherman hanging around a fishing club after they’ve just returned from a day of fishing to extol their tales with the other members. Remember, that these clubs are supported by the membership so the more vital the club, the more vital the fishing in the area probably is.

Charter Cruises

Local charter cruises are set up with one goal in mind, to connect anglers with fish during a brief tour of the waterway. Keep this in mind and consider dropping the considerable fee. You might be surprised at how much information that you can pick up about the local waterways and you will most likely figure it was worth the price. These charters are popular because the captains know the waterways like the back of their hands and they often offer plenty of words of wisdom that you’ll be able to use on your own.

Check out the Wildlife

Stop and think about the last time you were at your favorite fishing hole. Chances are that if you were being successful you had company. Flying around above you may have been eagles, osprey, sea gulls and even cormorants. Remember, these fish are looking for bait fish and their presence indicates that this might be a ripe fishing area.

These ocean birds are far quicker at identifying a school of baitfish than the humans that are searching for them. You can tell by the noise they are making as well as their flying patters exactly where the baitfish are located. Stripers and blues tend towards top-feeding meaning that the presence of these baitfish are a good sign that their predators are in the area.

Area Anglers

As you stroll along the beach, keep an eye out for jetties, docks and areas of beach for tell tale signs of blood and scales. If find these signs, it’s a pretty good guess that someone has been successful fishing in that area. Another sure fire sign is a group of anglers with bent rods and shouting out words of encouragement to their fellow anglers.

You can spend some extra time in getting to know the area that you’re interested in fishing to find out the right time of day and the right bait for inshore saltwater fishing, or you can spend thousands of dollars on a big expensive boat and all the toys that you need to be successful. You make the decision about which method you prefer.

When you are preparing to undergo a saltwater fishing experience, it is important that you have the proper fishing gear. Some of the most popular gear include Shimano Saltwater Reels, Okuma Fishing Reels, and Van Staal Reels.