Thread: New to area (pier knowledge ne

Moved to area I've never pier fished in my life. I want to get started but not sure what equipment and rigs to use. Any help would be appreciated.

JShoe81,

Normal freshwater medium action rods/reels would do fine depending on what's biting and what species of fish you are targeting. My suggestion, to do it right, would be to visit the pier and watch others and ask questions from others. We've all been through what your going through and most of us would be happy to help you out and answer any questions you may have. I find the end of the pier, known as the the Octagon or Octi, is the best as the old pier rats have a tendency to gather around the picnic tables there. Just introduce yourself and we would be happy to help you out. You can learn more and more quickly here w/o making a lot of unnecessary mistakes and purchases.

Welcome aboard and good fishing...

Previous posts on this site hold a wealth of information! You'll find:
1) what species of fish are out there to catch
2) what fish are biting and when (generally)
3) what fish are good to eat (most of them)
4) what tackle you use for different species
5) what bait/lures you use to catch individual species
6) where on the pier you're most likely to catch particular species
7) how to rig for each species (swivels, hooks, leaders, knots, etc)
8) pier rules and etiquette
9) how to care for your catch
10) how to transport your gear (pier carts, tackle, ice chests)
11) licensing/fees
12) saltwater regulations, quota and size limits

You can go back through different discussion categories by topic, as well as utilizing the search bar at the top-right of each page. Everything that you need to know about fishing the pier can be found on this site! There are also YouTube demonstrations regarding knot-tying and fishing techniques, so explore YouTube, as well.

Techniques, bait and tackle are very similar for the entire gulf region. I suggest first learning about the fish and "What's biting, When". You'll find the fishermen at the pier generally helpful. Do plenty of research yourself, but don't be afraid to ask other fishermen how they're successful. Since saltwater fishing requires some specialized tackle (leaders, lures, hooks, swivels, etc) you may want to ask for assistance at J & M Tackle to help outfit your tackle box.
Besides those things, you'll need a pair of longnose pliers, a fillet knife, and a tape measure (you can get tape measures in the Wal-Mart sewing department for a buck or two) so that you can be in compliance with size limits. I printed the size limits and put them on the top of my tackle box so that I could show enforcement personnel that I'm happy to comply with size limits and quotas for game species.


Welcome to the forum! You're in for a great time!

Thanks for the help guys, I went out today didn't really catch anything. Caught 2 small mangrove snapper I believe at least that's what iwas told they were dark red. Only thing I could any bites on was live shrimp under a bobber.