First of all welcome aboard!The Inlet is a pretty tricky place to fish. Definitely takes a few trips to get adjusted to just the way the currents, seaweed, boat traffic etc run. Almost 100% of the time, there is some type of current, even at slack tide. At other times it is very bad!! When Inlet is packed, especially by iinexperienced anglers, buckle down, because you have to be on your toes...or you'll get hooked, snagged, tangled, etc...It is also very rocky on the bottom and there is a lot to get snagged in.Now, for the good news...it is a great spot to fish! Not extremely productive, however, it is the link between parts of the Barnegat Bay, the Canal and the Manasquan River to the Atlantic Ocean. So, the fish HAVE to travel through there at some point or another...and they do! If the wall in not productive, you can always try the rock jetty. On both the Point Pleasant side and the Mansquan side you can fish the Ocean from the Jetty as well. Just be careful, the rocks can be so slippery! Also on the Squan side, lots of surfers in the daylight hours! Although you might want to hook them, it would not be fun. Manasquan/Belmar area is one of the best surfing areas in NJ!!For fluke fishing, your best bet is going to be at least a 1oz or 2oz(maybe more) bucktail jig tipped with Gulp 4" Swimming Mullet in either Pink, White or Chartreuse. You could also try the Gulp Shrimp in New Penny color. A bucktail teaser is also an option with the Gulp on it as well. The Gulp shrimp are working very well on the teaser, if you decide to fish that way.You also have bluefish in there which can be taken on topwater poppers or metal lures. Weakfish are a possibility as well, best bait is a bubblegum/pink 4" Fin-S or Zoom Fluke on a jig head. Stripers like the topwater lures, metal lures, Fin-S in a black or the longer Sluggos or Eel and any of the Rapala swimming lures. I have even used some lipless crankbaits back several years ago at the Inlet with some success. Bait is also an option as well.I scaled down my Inlet setup at the advice of several people on the list. For strictly Canal fishing, I am using a 7ft MH Power Fast Action 1/2oz-2oz 12-25lb Rod(might not be exact..in the general area though. Specs are not on the rod) with a spinning reel with 20lb Power Pro. Works great! Wouldn't change it at all....except maybe going a little lighter. I haven't been up on the rocks lately, but you should be able to go with a similar setup out in the Ocean as well, unless you go with heavier lures or need heavier weights to hold bottom...then you might need a pole rated for higher!Good luck and enjoy. Feel free to ask any questions. You will get honet, truthful answers here! All of the other info is right on as well. Just adding my $0.02!!
There's lots of cheap salt water combos (rods/reels) you can pick at Wal Mart and the such that will serve you well as you learn.
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