Established anglers and newcomers alike all have seen the expensively outfitted huge boats that are competing for inshore saltwater fishing. These boats are almost always outfitted with the latest gadgets including depth finders, GPS units, electronic fish finders and nearly any other piece of equipment geared towards providing an edge while angling. However, you need not worry about this, you may be electronically challenged or simply not willing to invest that kind of money in your hobby. There are other alternatives to these high-tech options that anyone can take advantage of. You simply need to adapt to what you have available to you and make the most of it. Here are some tips for inshore saltwater fish-finding for the less than affluent fisher.

Using online resources

The internet has opened up a whole new world for anglers and others.  Take some time to investigate the websites that offer information for shoreline areas where you’ll be fishing. Many of these sites offer forums where anglers can share information with others who are interested in fishing specific areas.  You might be surprised at the amount of information and you’ll quickly find that it was well worth your time to stop by. If you do find information that’s helpful, make sure you stop back and let others know about the tip you used and how successful it was, share it with others for their future use.

Local Tackle Shops

Your local area is no doubt a wealth of great information about fishing holes that anglers have found worth spending time at.  Simply make a trip to your local bait and tackle shop, and you can pick up all types of tips. Just remember that information sharing is a two way street, and you’ll get a far better reception if you are a “buyer” rather than an information seeker.  If you indicate that you’re a beginner and in need of help and guidance you’ll more than likely get some help, especially from more established anglers.

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. Although some people may consider it a waste of funds, if you hire a fishing captain to take you on a chartered fishing cruise, you might be surprised at how much information you can garner from one of these trips.  Remember, these charters make their money by taking anglers to the most populated areas for fishing. If you listen while you’re on board, you can glean great information from not only the captain, but other anglers. This is all information that you can use later when fishing on your own.

Check out the Wildlife

You are not the only one who is interested in the baitfish needed for landing striper and blues. There are a number of birds who are just as interested in them and they are far better at identifying them than you are.  Typically, birds are more interested in bait fish than larger fish, but since the predators are also looking for baitfish, the birds are a give-away.

Ocean birds like osprey, cormorants and eagles feed on baitfish and you can spot them circling around an area and screeching at the top of their voices – this is a good indication that they have located a bait-fish school.  Since stripers and blues feed on many baitfishes, it’s highly likely they are not too far behind.

Area Anglers

As you walk along the beach, you may see a few things that tip you off to a good fishing area. One of these of course is a group of happy anglers. These fisherman are generally in small groups and are easily identified by loud whoops and bent rods.  Another good sign that an area is going to produce a decent fishing trip is blood and scales along docks, jetties and the beach. This means that in the not too distant past, someone has been very successful fishing that area.

Your options are simple: either invest hundreds of dollars (or thousands of dollars) into the latest and greatest equipment or make use of the assets that are readily available and cost you little or nothing.  The results in the end is all that matters, not the cost.

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 Shimino Reels, Okuma Fishing Reels and Van Staal Reel.

Tags: Bait And Tackle, Depth Finders, Electronic Fish, Fish Finders, Fisher, Fishing Boats, Fishing Clubs, Gps Units, Information Seeker, Information Sharing, Latest Gadgets, Local Area, Newcomers, No Doubt, Poor Man, Saltwater Boats, Saltwater Fish, Shoreline Areas, Spending Time, Tackle Shop, Tackle Shops, Using Online Resources