Pier fishing tackle

[hunter1]

What would I need to get started in pier fishing. What rod and reel comboes . What other equipment would i need. What line Test is good .
I live in the Maryland, Delaware area. also good places to go.

[RoryGoggin]

I live in Virginia, so I won't try to answer your second question.

But as for tackle, it all depends on your targeted species. 6-7 ft rods and bottom rigs are pretty much standard fare for much of most piers. I suggest you go to the piers near where you live and "visit" - just watch who is catching what and what tackle they are using. You'll often find the "pros" or the "pier rats" down at the "T" - the end of the pier. Don't try to emulate them, at least at first. Crawl, walk - then run with it. Then you'll be back to crawling soon enough.

[BulBob]

BulletBobber and DualFin castable mini planers with direction control can give you a neat advantage if there is a little current running up or down the shore. They flip planing direction when given a little tug. This diagram shows them in a river but they work anywhere there is a slow to moderate current i.e. pier, point, pass or bridge. If you want to fish deep use the DualFin because they clip on and have a release to slide down when a fish hits. You need to thread the line through BulletBobbers but they cost less. Just casting one time and steering where I want without recasting is my favorite but using the current to provide side to side lure action without reeling is like flying stunt kite with just one string.

[RedBud]

I use a 7 foot rod with open face reel and 20 pound test line. I catch spanish mackerel and king mackerel using Gotcha lures or live bait. You can catch your own live bait using a sabiri rig.

[stonjohn4]

The water was mostly clean and blue with a few of the area in cooler water showing a touch of green, but nothing easy to notice. Add in the flat water with little wind and no swells to speak of and it was like being on a pool table. On the Pacific side it was 81 to 83 degrees all along the coast line from the beach out past the banks. The water was clean and blue with small swells and almost no wind most days. It did blow a bit on Saturday but not hard enough or long enough to get the swells up, just a bit of chop. UPDATE 11/11/12: The wind yesterday continued to blow the rest of the day and increased over the night. We went to the Pacific side this morning and only made it half way past the lighthouse to the Los Arcos area before turning back.

[RACN35]

Listen to Rory ... he is the man... ask him how I know