Gear Advice For A 1st Timer

[duckman1911]

Hi my name is John and I apologize if this isn't the right place for this thread. Wanting to take the family down for our first saltwater fishing adventure. Want to do some surf fishing around the Holly Beach area. We use 8' med.hvy rods and spinning reels that will hold 200yrds of 30lb mono for catfishing. We rig with a 30 to 50lb leader Carolina rigged with a 7/0 circle hook. Will this gear work for some 1st time surf fishers? Don't want to crash the family budget buying new gear for something we are trying for the first time. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. J

[Montauk17]

That setup will work just fine....use cut mullet,live mullet, or cracked crab for bait.

[duckman1911]

Thank You very much. Its kind of sad that I have lived in La. all my life and waited till my late 30's to finally try this. Im sure the wife and kids will have a ball and that's my overall goal. They love to freshwater fish but have never put a line in saltwater. I've only caught a few crabs. I don't care what we catch or don't catch just want them to experience the gulf.

[meaux fishing]

Originally Posted by duckman1911

Thank You very much. Its kind of sad that I have lived in La. all my life and waited till my late 30's to finally try this. Im sure the wife and kids will have a ball and that's my overall goal. They love to freshwater fish but have never put a line in saltwater. I've only caught a few crabs. I don't care what we catch or don't catch just want them to experience the gulf.

you should be able to catch bull reds, sharks, and catfish... dont eat the hardheads but the gafftops are actually not bad

[duckman1911]

Gafftops????? Sorry im such a newbie. Very sad since its my own state.

[duckman1911]

I live about half way between Alexandria and Leeseville. Definitely not a city boy just used to piney wood deer hunting and fresh water fishing. So thankful for any advice y'all can give to some northern La. folks.

[Montauk17]

[AceArcher]

and if you can pick the day when you come down try to come down after there has been something other than a south wind for a day or two.

[duckman1911]

Thanks everyone. The south wind was blowing pretty good up here today so I figure it must have been rough for you guys. Gona keep track of the wind on the weather sites. Planning on a day trip next Saturday. Gota get the first trip under our belt and want to do something different with the kiddos before school starts. Would be so awesome for our boy to be able to tell his school buddies he caught a shark. No matter how small it is. Very thankful for the fast advice. Have tried another forum with much less help.