New guy here and will be new to saltwater fishing. I want to take a trip to the coast with my kayak and fish for red drum, flounder, and maybe some trout. I have a Jackson big rig, with a lowrance fish finder. I need some help from more knowledgeable folks on a rod and reel to use for the fish I want to catch. Also will any regular bass fishing gear work for those fish, like soft plastics and spinner baits. Not sure where I would be going yet either and tips on a good place for beginners to go would be great. Completely new to saltwater, but since I got the big rig it's all I've wanted to do. Thanks.
Any reel with a sealed and smooth drag will do in salt water inshore. I bring flounder in with a smaller 6.5 medium action rod, a shimano nasci 2500, 30lb braid main line, with 20lb mono leader. Carolina rig 1 oz egg sinker with live mud minnows is the absolute best option for flounder. Use a kahle hook size 1-4. 2 or 3 is my favorite.
Get in those creeks and let the kayak float with the current. Troll the edge, the drop offs. Stop at the mouths of the creeks, especially during a tidal change, anchor down and fan cast in all different directions and use a very slow retrieve with the live mud minnow. Using this method of casting and retrieving instead of trolling I switch to 1/2 egg sinker with such a lighter rod, with a heavier rod you can cast the 1oz fine.
For trout float live shrimp under a poping cork, drift and pop the cork. I also have luck at night under lights with artificial jerk baits and twirl tail grubs on jig heads. You'll also sometimes hook up on drum with the live shrimp under a popping cork.
The Carolinas rig with cut croaker (fish head), blue crab, live shrimp, works for drum. Take a cast net, fresh bait it key for quantity. Artificial just fish like you are Bass fishing, as it works for drum, cast toward cover and shallow edges. You'll possibly catch some nice ones, but not as many as with fresh bait. When I'm targeting drum I usually move up to a Medium heavy rod and something along the size of a 5000 spinning size reel give or take. The abu Garcia ambassador c3 also makes it out some. For Drum i still prefer a Carolina rig, but I use a 50lb fluorocarbon leader, and a wide gap circle hook for live or cut bait, 1-3 oz sinker depending on current.
Oh and at low tide get out the kayak, hit up those ponds that are cut off from the creeks for flounder. Here you actually want to use artificial, grubs, spoons, or shrimp and cast. A lot of times there are nice flounder left in these pockets and cut off during low tide.