Beginners Luck

[JPVolunteer]

I asked for boat equipment advice in another group in this forum, got great advice, bought a little black and white plotter/fish finder and all the required stuff. Finally got my nerve up to head for salt water (never navigated a vessel small or large in salt). Put in at St. Marks, saw a porpoise right off. Headed south, got to where I could see ocean in the distance and saw a bald eagle to the left so I pulled over to watch. Saw tails. I quickly rigged a Johnson spoon and started casting. I had 2 get off and decided I wasn't setting the hook correctly and then I caught my first redfish ever (small but pretty). Didn't have much more action until I snagged the bottom (translate: hooked a hog.) It took about 15 minutes to get him to the boat. He may have been a keeper or bigger but I wasn't prepared with ice and a big cooler so I let him swim. I am now hooked on redfish; what's next?

[Scoop Sea]

Congrats on a great start and it's good to see you appreciated the wildlife you noted, along with your good fishing day.

What's next? Lot's of time and money

[onefishtwofish]

If you could see ocean brother, you went too far south!

I like a mixed bag day sometimes on St Marks or Aucilla or Panacea or Shell Point or Carrabelle or Ochlocknee Bay. I am a red whore too, but some days it just fun seeing what will hit. Drift the grass, you will find the depth and the color they want. Get a drift sock, they are cheap and they make your day better if it is a little breezy by controling your drift. Get one with a marker. We turned ours lose one day while fighting a cobia (did not want to lose it on the sock when it got close to the boat). Just motored back later and picked it up, no biggie.

[zload]

What Scoop Sea said.