IN THE BEGINNING

No one is born knowing how to fish. Everyone has to start somewhere. Here, I'm going to start with the top 10 mistakes made by newbie Southwest Florida saltwater fishermen.

1. You are not going to catch Moby Dick in Charlotte Harbor. While there are certainly some impressively big fish here, your average catch is probably going to be less than a couple pounds. Mambo-heavy tackle has its place, but it's not on the Bayshore Pier. Think gear for largemouth bass, because that's what we use for most of our inshore fishing.

2. Shrimp is your top bait choice. Live and frozen are both good. There are times when squid or various types of fish will work better, but there are very few situations in which a carnivorous fish will not eat shrimp.

3. For the love of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, please hold your spinning rod so the reel is below the rod, not above it. I know, a lot of you have only ever fished with spincast gear before, so I get it. But you'll be amazed how much easier it is to reel.

4. Pre-made light wire leaders have no place in your tackle box. We call those "tourist leaders" because that's who they're meant for. You're family now. See the Leaders section of my Tackle page for more info on what you should be using.

5. If you're fishing on a bridge or high pier, have a plan in place to bring the fish to you. A pier net is the best solution. Waiting until after big one is hooked to make a plan may amuse those around you, but it won't amuse you.

6. 12-foot surf rods are great on the Atlantic coast. Here, they just look silly and are completely unnecessary.

7. Fish as close to structure as you can. On the pier, that means below your feet. Casting a bait as far away from the pier as possible is good exercise (I guess), but it puts your bait in Catfishland and Stingrayville. Unless that's what you want to catch, cut it out.

8. Release fish gently. "Throwing it back" is not to be taken literally. The goal is for the fish to survive. Do your part.

9. A fish's lower jaw is not a basket handle. You can grip the fish by the jaw, but support its weight with your other hand. This looks far better in photos and gets you in the habit of gentle handling for fish that are to be released.

10. Tackle shops are businesses that need your support, not showrooms maintained by reel companies. If you take up an hour of the staff's time looking at every reel, then go to Amazon and buy the one you like best, you're a jackass. Our local mom-and-pop tackle stores are among your best resources for up-to-date fishing info, but they can't support you if you don't support them.

Still have questions? This site is a work in progress and more information will be added over time. Meanwhile, email me and let's see if we can get you some answers.

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