Recently relocated from Iowa, I’m taking the family to Hunting Island this weekend to enjoy the coast. One of our activities is fishing from the pier. Any suggestions on what kind of bait we should use for salt water fishing? Also, I assume we put a weight on it and let it sit on the bottom?? Any help would be greatly appreciated, we’re used to lake and river fishing.
Buy some frozen shrimp or squid (squid stays on hook better) and cut into hook size pieces. A double drop rig with a 2 or 3 ounce bank sinker would work. You could try a Carolina rig with one hook as well. Live bait (mud minnows, shrimp) is always great but harder to get in the winter. So yes, just try bottom fishing with shrimp or squid.
jolinbera, Welcome to the “Low Country”! I will agree with InshoreAngler on the rigging. Watch your hook size. I woundn’t go bigger than #2 plain shank. As far as bait, get FRESH shrimp. I use the same shrimp I would eat. I pack it lightly in a zipper bag and freeze it the night or early morning before, helps it stay on the hook better. And if don’t catch fish, when you get home you can fix Shrimp Cocktails, I have. Good luck and keep us posted.
“If it were catching, Everyone would be good at it.”
Thanks for the advice! We had a good time, used shrimp on single and double drop rigs with 2 ounce sinkers. We didn’t catch anything but the group just down from us got a stingray and a 3 foot shark almost simultaneously. The kids enjoyed seeing those and it made up for our bad luck. We were there just before high tide and nobody was catching anything. Oh well, had a good time anyway. Thanks again for the advise!
I prefer my fish in the aquarium, or at the end of my line.