Basic Saltwater tackle

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KayakMatt''

Hey guys... since I'm pretty much a fresh water fisherman, please help me prepare a basic saltwater tackle box. List form maybe the best idea? Color? hook size? types of swivel snaps? leader lines that have bobbers? Anything that that would e good to have in a basic box. This would be used for Reds, snook, trout, etc. Thanks in advance!

Eme

Asking for our first born here, aren't you 

That, guy, is a tough question

Before starting a list, forget the swivel snaps and bobbers.  You don't need them.  If you want to hang a bait from a bobber, just get a Cajun Thunder or similar setup.  Get yourself a 15 and, maybe, 20 lb. fluorocarbon leader to start with.

Use the KISS principle to start out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  More is not better.

1. A couple of top water lures for early morning action; i.e. ZaraSpook JR, Rapala Skitterwalk, Baitbuster or similar type hard body lure.

2. Some weighted jig heads; 1/16, 1/8 and 1/4 oz. should do it for shallow water flats fishing.  Some weedless hooks; bass style hooks will work and if you have used weedless worm hooks in freshwater scenario, you know what I'm talking about.  Size 2-4 sill suffice.  A few circle hooks would not hurt in case you want to cut up that Lady for bait or hook a pinfish by the tail 

3. Soft plastics.  There are soo many brands and, if you were old as I am you would know what I mean when I say there are more out there than "...Carter had pills."!!!! Get yourself a couple of bags of DOA CALS, Strike King Zulu's, DOA shrimp, Exude or similar brand jerk bait.  Get a few dark colors and a few light colors.  You can go larger size in summer and plan on going smaller in winter.

4.  You can get a waterproof tackle container at Wally World, BPS or Gander.  I generally put my hooks and soft plastics in a zip lock bag or two.  But I must admit, I overdo it and probably carry more than I need except for Medicine Man and Capt Hook.

5.  Get yourself a lip gripper for bringing predators near for a photo op or invitation home for dinner and hemostats for removing the hook from toothy critters or those that manage to get the hook deeper in the gullet than you might expect them to.

6.  Make a list before you get to the tackle store and DON'T DEVIATE or you will be like someone going to the grocery store on an empty stomach and end up buying too much.  This hobby can break you if you're not careful   Helrazor

I assume that you mean lures and such because there's certainly a lot more answer with other tackle that you can also carry.  You'll likely get a lot of responses and there's lots of lures that people favor.  I'll add the advice I wish I got long ago when I started:  Keep it very basic.  Three weekends ago was the first time in a long time that I actually reached into my tackle box and it was a rare instance because 95% of the time I fish with soft plastics rigged weedless.

Occasionally I'll fish with a top water but as the water level drops back down again and the loose grass starts to proliferate I go only weedless.  For just about every trip I take all the tackle I ever need is in my front left pocket of my shorts.  My personal preference is the Exude jerk baits and the Mustad ultra-lock hooks, but you can also do with just about any soft plastic that you like, an offset hook, and a 1/16 ounce bullet weight.

I don't pay any attention to color, I've caught fish in all water clarity with all kinds of color.  I generally like something with some kind of flash (i.e. glitter).   The real key is to get whatever lure you plan to use and get really proficient in using it and develop your fishing strategy.

Some of us sight fish on the flats so it's far more important to find the fish and have a great cast and presentation than it is to have the latest lure on the end of our line. Capt'n Hook

Actually, Cap'n Hook has a pretty limited tackle selection.  Ernie is probably judging from my selection of Baitbusters, which is pretty large.  That's because I only carry a few lures.  A selection of Baitbusters - different colors and weights.  Several Mirrolure 17MR and 27MR's.  A couple topwater lures, I like the Bomber Pop'n Minnow for snook and jacks and the Heddon Spit'n Image for trout and redfish.  I buy hard lures with rattles whenever possible.  Some soft plastics, jig heads, and circle hooks for bait.

I use Gulp, but they smell bad, so buyer beware.  I keep everything except the Gulp in three small Plano waterproof boxes inside a Seattle Sports deck bag.  That way they stay dry in the rain, and will stay with me if I flip.  I keep the Gulp in zip locks so I can discard the bags when they start smelling too bad.

I fish the flats, and deeper creeks and rivers.  This selection let's me cover all sorts of water, top, middle and bottom.  Choose some light and some dark colors.  Use the brighter colors in bright light and clear water, and the darker colors in lower light or discolored water.

I use different fluorocarbon leader material depending on what I expect to catch.  10 or 15 pound for trout and redfish.  25 or 40 pound for snook and small tarpon. If you try a couple things and don't get bit, move on.  Every cast you make to the same spot has a lower chance of getting a bite than the last cast you made to the same spot.

Frambo

Saltwater was a new adventure to me not long ago and the only history I had was also freshwater.  The transition is easy adn the thrill is exponential. I try and carry enough to fish the entire water column and keep a rig for cut bait just in case.  A hard suspending lure has become my favorite and there is usually one rigged on the yak at all times.

Second is a soft plastic rigged weedless.  These often save the day as our quarry can be found in 5 inches of water filled with weeds.  A hard lump of plastic with trebble hooks just goes "splat" on the surface and tuns into an effigy of Bob Marley on the first crank.  The weedless rig can also be used to  cover the entire water column from surface to middle and even jigged off of the bottom.

For bottom action, there are a few jigs in the box to sink them deep or get some distance casting into the wind.  Also there are a couple doa shrimp in the box. Ive got a popping bobber rigged with circle hooks for cut or live bait as well as a fish finder rig.  Some extra hooks are in the box.

This all fits in a small waterproof plano that fits in the gap between my seat back and the little bag on it.

KayakMatt

Thanks guys for all the suggestions. Hopefully soon I can go on a shopping spree in some bait shops. Maybe it'll be before the outing this weekend? Frambo, as far as cut bait goes.. what do you use on this? Something that you've caught or what?

Eme

Frambo can't take much tackle; with all the camping gear and Frambito on board, there isn't any room left

Just wait until Frambita learns to swim and he has both those "munchkins" on board

JohnYaksJax

Hey KayakMatt!!

Very good "newbie" question, and the answers above are all "Spot on"....

Here is some info that include in my "Rookie Seminars" that I do a couple of times a year up here in Jax...I am CERTAINLY not a great fisherman, but I have learned alot and don't mind sharing "some" of it!!   First of all, the tacklebox itself!!  As mentioned above, the Plano Guide Series is pretty close to waterproof, and now that you will be in SALTwater, you do not want getting all your hooks and lures rusted out.  This series costs about $6 most places and the size that I carry has RED LATCHES and a RED GASKET under the lid.  There is a smaller model with BLUE latches and gasket also and it is nice too since you would carry less....

FRAMBO mentioned the "water column" above here....Good point!!  My definition: After 500 kayak fishing trips, I have come to believe that there are THREE LEVELS of kayak fishing in the JAX area marshes and creeks: SURFACE: Hard lures include the Rapala Skitterwalk or Skitter Pop, the ChugBug series, the YoZuri Floaters or the Crystal Minnow (red/white), or the always popular floating MirrOlures, like the MirrOmullet.  There is NOTHING in fishing more exciting that watching a BIG blow-up on a topwater lure!!

SUB-SURFACE: You want something sub-surface that will NOT go deep, maybe 2-3 feet max. Mainly since we fish mostly shallow water and creeks, and get hung all the time in the oysters and grass.

Suspending lures like the Y-Z Crystal Minnow mentioned above, the new MirrOdine & MirrOminnows, and new Rapala X-Rap Subwalk lures are good choices. Another suspending method is the popping cork, like the "Cajun Thunder" or "Tidal Terror" with about a 2-3 foot leader and a either a circle hook or 1/16 oz. jighead. You can buy the DOA brand that comes with the popping cork, leader and a DOA shrimp all in one package. Trout are attracted easily to this combo!! You can also use this technique with plastics like curly tails and either Gulp! products or the new Fishbites Xtreme Scent Release Lures which are less messy than Gulp!

BOTTOM FISHING: Some guys use “drop shot rigs”, but I prefer jigheads of various weights. When I cast a 1/16 or 1/8 OZ jighead to a spot, I want it to drift a long with the current and cover 30-50 feet downstream. You will cover more of the shoreline and present your bait/plastic to many more fish than just sitting in one spot!

KAYAK TROLLING: When I'm paddling, I am trolling two rods. I feel that you pass over or by many fish when you paddle, and they do not seem to notice the yak! I catch something that way almost every trip, and it is a great way to locate schools of fish, especially seatrout, and then stop and catch more! I have 3 rods in Scotty Model 280 rodholders, and the rear two are the ones that I troll with.  The Model 280 can be used with baitcasters, spinners, and even flyrods!! ANCHOR vs STAKE OUT POLE: I almost never use an anchor since we normally fish in shallow water 3-5 feet deep. We mostly use a SOP (Stake Out Pole) which is also known as a “Cajun Anchor”…LOL!!

It can be a broom or mop handle, an old golf club with the head cut off, a wading staff, or a PVC one also.  After you break or loose 3-4 of these, you will finally get a Capt. Dicks Enterprises one, and never have to mess with others.  I think you all have a Strike Zone down there (Titusville?) and they carry them.  Outstanding quality product!! Sorry for the "rambles" of an Old Phardt Fisherman"....LOL!!

Edlive96

"We mostly use a SOP (Stake Out Pole) which is also known as a “Cajun Anchor”…LOL!! " aka Manatee Harpoon

RE lure selection: I suggest you take your most beloved freshwater lures and jerk baits and just try 'em... my favorite jerk bait is actually a bass lure, the Zoom super flukes and they work great. Top water in the morning, then when the bite shuts down get something to fan cast like a gold spoon (1/4 oz like Johnson Silver Minnow) and maybe a sub-surface like the MirroLure 17MR, a favorite amongst the yak clubbies... and join the guys on the outings and they can help you spot the subtle signs fish make and you can hone your sight fishing techniques... I went almost a year without catching a redfish and with the help of this club and their top-notch anglers, I now catch all species regularly and learn something new everyday... it's addictive, hope you have some self control in the tackle shop! Read this Born without a silver spoon Article for in-depth advice I got long ago... it made the difference!