Where Can I Get Used Saltwater Fishing Gear?

With the rising popularity of saltwater fishing, lots of used saltwater fishing gear is becoming available, both locally and online. Buying good, used saltwater fishing gear is a great way to get started with this wonderful sport without having to spend loads of money—especially when you're just starting out and don't really know what works for you and what doesn't. Everything from rods and reels to line and lures for saltwater fishing is available, and usually for much less than you'd pay for new equipment. The trick, of course, is to make sure you buy used saltwater fishing gear with plenty of useful life and dependability remaining.

Know before You Go

Before you go online or anywhere else, looking for used saltwater fishing gear, you need to have some idea of what you're looking for. Are you planning a deep water excursion, complete with fighting chairs, spotters, and chum? Are you a shoreline angler, planning to surfcast? Are you trolling an estuary or the shallows of a bay with either a fly rod or spincast plugs or other saltwater fishing lures? Take some time to get at least a little bit familiar with the type of equipment demanded by the kind of saltwater fishing you want to do. Once you've done that, it will be a lot easier to narrow down the range of choices.

Shallow Water Fishing

Whether you're surfcasting from a beach or working the quiet waters of a lagoon or estuary, it's important to make the right presentation if you want to interest the fish. As you're looking for used saltwater fishing gear, keep in mind that usually, the lightest line you can use is the best. Most experts agree that you can catch more fish on a lighter line, as long as it's suitable for the species you're going after. Generally, ten-pound-test line is about the heaviest you'll use for most shallow water sport. A good piece of starter equipment for your used saltwater fishing gear supply is a six- to eight-strength rod and reel set, preferably in a ready-to-fish combo. Once you get more familiar with the ins and outs of the sport, it's always easy to upgrade to more specialized and customized equipment.

Deep Water Fishing

The big, deep-sea rigs are more expensive, even if you're looking at used saltwater fishing gear. If you're mainly fishing from a chartered boat, of course, the charter will provide you with the basic setup. But if you're determined to own your own rig, visit some online forums and see what kinds of offers are being made for used saltwater fishing gear for deep water fishing.