whats the best way to catch fish off the beach or pier?

[Abraham M]

i have no experience at all what can i use for bait?

[Addicted2Fishing]

try chumming the water with fish food pellats or dead shrimp/fish. This attracts smaller game fish which attracts larger game fish...Then drop a live minnow/shrimp right in the heart of where you are chumming and you should catch something with relative ease unless you are getting those pesky nibbler fish that clean your bait in a second. Ask your local tackle shop what is the best live bait to use and then start chumming.

[DragonLord 66]

it depends what you are fishing for. for trout or bass get a good lure that will attract them like the blue fox or rappala and use powerbait . just cast off and reel in slowly. or use a float and let it sit for a while . be patient and the fish will come.

[Beast@Life]

As for fishing off the beach, I've never gone surf fishing. But I have fished off of piers and most piers are hotspots for sheepshead, ecspeccially if that pier is covered in oysters. Most sheepshead has a lot of meat on them too, so try this out next time your fishing, because if you catch a sheepshead you CAN'T be disapointed.

Your going to want to have your weight as your leader with a single treble hook on it about a foot away from your leader and your going to want to have a strong line. The bait that I've used that's been effective is cut shrimp and cut squid. Your going to want to cast close as you can to the pier. If you can, cast under it, by the posts that the pier stands on or wherever the oysters are growing at. By the way make sure your weight is just big enough so that it sinks, nothing heavier. Your going to want to be careful reeling in your line too, cause of the oysters can easily cut your line.

Allow your line to sit there. Sheepshead fishing requires patience. Another thing is sheepshead are subtle when they go for your bait. So if you feel the slightest bit of nibbling, jerk your line back so that the hook can dig in it's mouth.

Then the fight begins. Sheepshead can put up a slight fight, but the real worry is that your line can get torn from rubbing against the oysters on the peir. So your going to want to be careful how you reel it in, but at the same time you need to be pulling it in pretty steadily, because if that sheepshead gets in control of your line it's a big chance it'll get tangled around those oysters and tear.

This might be the southern black guy in me, but the best way to prepare sheepshead is fried with grits, stewed tomatoes, and shredded cheese

Happy fishing.

[Matt Muskie James]

use your mamas ashes for bait. use something called a F-I-S-H-I-N-G P-O-L-E. wow. you learned a new word today. yeay!