How To Catch Saltwater Game Fish?

[smr_hga]

Hi I fish along the Indian River in Florida and all I can catch are pinfish and the occasional flounder. I use frozen shrimp for bait with a couple sinkers. I don't have much experience saltwater fishing since I mostly go bass fishing. The only other fish besides pinfish and flounder I've caught is a Sheepshead. I really want to catch snook and redfish. Am I using the wrong bait? I did try going with a popper and a bucktail jig once but I got nothing. So I want to know how and where to catch game fish like redfish, snook, snapper, etc.

Oh and also I fish near a dock since I don't have a boat.

[SirSnookalot]

I'm not much of a bait fisherman, I'm probably not much help in that area.  Just because you didn't catch anything doesn't mean you did any thing wrong or use the wrong lures.  If there is 1 common ground between bass fishing and inshore fishing, it's finding the fish.  This is the difference, inshore species roam around much more following bait. That said you might be doing every thing right but at the wrong time.  One just has to acquire the knowledge of tides and how it affects different species.  For example I prefer the outgoing for snook and the incoming for barracuda.  I don't believe there is such a thing as using the wrong lure, I catch fish on all kinds of lures.

[smr_hga]

Thanks! What lures do you use? I've heard a Johnson Spoon catches a lot of different fish.

[Big C]

Seriously, the most versitile lure for Inshore Saltwater Gamefish is the 3-4" Berkely Gulp! New Penny Shrimp on a red or chartruse jig head, that's the only artificial lure you really "need". 

 

If you want to use live bait stay away from frozen, it's probably more expensive and kind junky.  Get fresh shrimp from one of those roadside places and tell them you want to use it for bait.  Choose one guy to buy your bait from and only go to him, eventually he will start giving a free stuff or a little extra, plus you'll probably end up being friends.  The only guy I got my shrimp from was a guy selling it from a trailer named "Pee-Wee",  he was awesome and always kept us posted on the goings on of the area. 

[smr_hga]

Seriously, the most versitile lure for Inshore Saltwater Gamefish is the 3-4" Berkely Gulp! New Penny Shrimp on a red or chartruse jig head, that's the only artificial lure you really "need". 

 

If you want to use live bait stay away from frozen, it's probably more expensive and kind junky.  Get fresh shrimp from one of those roadside places and tell them you want to use it for bait.  Choose one guy to buy your bait from and only go to him, eventually he will start giving a free stuff or a little extra, plus you'll probably end up being friends.  The only guy I got my shrimp from was a guy selling it from a trailer named "Pee-Wee",  he was awesome and always kept us posted on the goings on of the area.

Thanks! I've heard it was good for flounder but apparently other fish too! I'll definitely give it a try.

[SirSnookalot]

Thanks! What lures do you use? I've heard a Johnson Spoon catches a lot of different fish.

I have tried them in salt, they work but wouldn't be my choice of spoons.  For a single hook spoon Clarks are pretty good, I use Kastmasters. Krocs and a Redfish key spoon by Wahoo is a super nice spoon.

[kikstand454]

Use your bass experience- and even many of the same lures, and catch trout, reds and snook.

Top water ( I like the spook one knocker. ..)

Spoon ( I like aquadream living)

Jig head + plastic ( gulp or any swimming boottail)

You're psyching yourself out. Predators are predators and they behave similarly. You can almost fish EXACTLY the same for bass and catch reds.

When in doubt, don't discount the tourist rig ( popping cork and shrimp/gulp) it really does produce.

Good luck!

[martintheduck]

South Louisiana born and raised checking in:

 

You want to be fishing live shrimp right now. Depending on water depth, under a cork or on a carolina rig. My goto plastic is a Matrix Shad on a 1/4oz - 3/8oz jighead.... cast it... let it sink to the bottom.... pop the rod tip up to pop the bait off the bottom. 

 

Give it another couple of weeks and you should start throwing a live cockahoe minnow under a popping cork. Cast out. let it sit. pop the cork a cpl times. let it sit. pop the cork. sit. etc....

 

 

Any questions just ask... it's late so that is just my quick response.

[atcoha]

South Louisiana born and raised checking in:

 

You want to be fishing live shrimp right now. Depending on water depth, under a cork or on a carolina rig. My goto plastic is a Matrix Shad on a 1/4oz - 3/8oz jighead.... cast it... let it sink to the bottom.... ****** the rod tip up to pop the bait off the bottom. 

 

Give it another couple of weeks and you should start throwing a live cockahoe minnow under a popping cork. Cast out. let it sit. pop the cork a cpl times. let it sit. pop the cork. sit. etc....

 

 

Any questions just ask... it's late so that is just my quick response.

+1 can't go wrong. Live shrimp, or matrix shad FTW!