About Richard Andrae Expertise I can answer most questions about saltwater fishing with special emphasis on those related to inshore boat fishing as well as pier, bank, bridge and surf fishing.
Experience
Past/Present clients No clients: I am strictly a recreational fisherman and have no commercial interest in, nor business related motivation for answering questions about fishing.
Question As as beginner to salt water, I need advice on tackle setup, rigging live, cut, artificial bait, kinds of fish commonly caught, etc.. I will be in San Juan, P.R. For 2 weeks. I will ask the locals. I enjoy top water bass fishing. I am takins some bass lures. What colors are best? I have seen tarpon tailing but this may not work in a heavily fished area. Something smaller,better tasting, and more plentiful would be fine. Thanks, Mark.
Answer Hi Mark;
When fishing bait from shore in salt water, things are not much different than fishing catfish or carp in fresh water. The conditions of the water such as waves, currents and type of bottom would dictate just how much weight and what sort of rig to use. But the concept is the same, the right rig is the one that puts the baited hook where you want it. The selection of the bait is whatever the local tackle shop provides, unless you are able to catch or collect your own. Clams, crabs, sea worms, and various baitfish are sometimes available where you are fishing. But this is a whole different aspect of fishing that requires special local knowledge and often special equipment. Let the bait shop do the collecting. In general, live bait is best, followed by fresh dead, and frozen as the last choice. If conditions make it possible, why not do what I and many other salt water fishermen do while fishing from shore? That is to have two outfits. One that is cast out and allowed to sit with some sort of natural bait, and the other to be used casting various artificials. Once you see what works, put the other aside and have fun catching fish.
As with almost all types of fishing, lure choice is usually a matter of "match the hatch" as the fly fishermen say. Colors that are time proven for most salt water species are generally dark on top (black or blue) and light on the bottom (white, gold or silver) and use these same colors along the sides as they blend from the light underside to the dark top. One very popular color combination that should always be included in any saltwater plug collection is white with a red head. The others tend to represent typical baitfish. Think along the lines of "shad" type top water baits and you should be able to use some of the lures you already have. Baitfish that swim in large schools near the surface all tend to have the same basic color pattern. Light bellies so as not to be easily seen from belowe. Dark backs, so as not to be easily seen from above. And finally there is chartreuse. I do not know of any bait that is colored like that, but for some reason fish sometimes find that impossible to pass up when everything else fails.
Good luck1 I hope this has been of some help. Feel free to follow up with any further questions.
-Rich
