Looking into picking up some tackle for SBB

Well looking to get some plastics and some stuff for SBB most likely for NPH. I pretty much fish freshwater for stripped bass, LMB, and trout. I want to start fishing more salt water. So as I am getting my tubing back together again I figure I start ordering some tackle. I have been doing a lot of reading on how to fish for them. Looking to adding 10lb line on a few of my rods. I am looking to get big hammers 3' sizes with 1/4 oz jig heads. What colors should I get? I am also looking into getting some warblade spinners also. Any help would be great, trying to get everything together so I can try to finally tube in a week or 2.

You can use everything you got now that you use for fresh water

Deep diver cranks, spinner baits, creature baits, 3-5" swimbaits and 6-10# mono or flouro works well. I usually have 30# braid and put a 3-4' leader on a shimano 50e or 200e7.  Fishing for spotties is super fun! Good luck....

I love swimbaits and creature baits for my spotty fishing, rigged up with a 1/2oz mowhawk lead head or slayer head and your in business! The thing about spottys is, they will eat anything you toss at them! Like Miller said, dont be afraid to use what you already have for freshwater bass fishing, all that stuff works too! Wacky rigged worms, carolina rigged chigger craws, cranks, swimbaits (small ones), drop shot setups...everything will catch spotties if your in the right location. Fish the docks and eelgrass beds and you will catch them most definately. Hope to see you on the water soon.

what LB line should I use?

You can use from 8lb to 25lb. It depends on what baits your throwing and what set up your using. Spotties are no different than fishing for LMB

While I am by far a SBB expert...

I have always had good luck with curly tail grubs in the 3"-4" size.  I use motor oil for the dark and a pink or clear red for the light color.  I fish them on Owner Darter heads.  The profile of the head fits the bait's profile.  Gives me more confidence, don't know what the fish make of it.  I thought I was using 3/16 oz. heads. I just threw one on a scale and it scaled at .2025 oz., 3/16=.1875

The beauty of fishing in a tube is that you can fish the pilings up close and personal.  When fishing pilings I don't cast.  I slide up to the piling and drop the bait right next to the shadow side of the piling til it hits bottom.  Because it is light it will flutter down.  If I don't get hit on the drop I slowly reel up stop, reel up and stop until I am out of the water.

As for gear, I fish a 7' fast action rod, rated 8-12 with 10 line.  Any lighter of line spells doom when you rub the line up against the pilings.  I fish with a FW reel, Daiwa Sol or Alphas 103.

You can use the same gear to fish the 3" big hammer, fish trap, MC baits...  My fave is the MC.  Maybe because it has a more slender profile and just looks prettier to me?  Hope it helps.  

Manuel

It helps to have a few weedless jigs also. Especially at NPH the eel grass is thick.

Thanks for the advise everyone. Just got my package from tacklewarhouse of 3' hammers and a war wait.. Planing on getting my line sunday 10lb at a tackle shop and hit NPH on Monday and try everything out. I can't wait, i'm super excited to try fishing the salt water.

You will be addicted to salt once you do it. I recomend tubing with someone whos had experience in salt. Dont be afraid to bring a set up that is spooled with braid. I bring 8# 12# 20# and braid with 20# flouro leader.Newport has always bit well for me on curl tail grubs and spinnerbaits. Good luck

you will love it man, nph has done great for everyone. you will love it, hopefully someone can go with you and show u the ropes

Pay attention to the tides. It can help your count and aid in your movement in the bay ... ride tide one way at the start and the next tide to bring you back.

Or kick ... a lot. Have fun!

What oz jig heads do you all use? I'm looking at 1/4 and 3/8.. Is that to light? or should i love up to at least 1/2 oz heads?

Also when you guys fish NPH or other harbors do you tie the line to the baits or do you snaps? Seems a lot faster to use snaps to change different baits, but does it take away from the action? I have always tied to the lure but after this skunking the last time to NPH it seems chaining color baits would be alot faster tha always having to cut the line and retie it again.

Leads any where from from 1/4oz to 1oz depending on where I'm fishing and how the tides are.
No snaps, tie straight to the lead head or whatever bait your using.

I have been fishing SBB for some time now and have found that the SQUIRMIN SHADS from Bass Pro Shop is the best hands down. I use the baby bass 3 inch for the SBB and the 4 inch for sandy bay bass as well as other larger fish. They last forever on a 1/4 oz thin wire jig head.The cost is $ 3.29 for a pack of 15. I have used other colors and they work just as well. The swim action is outstanding using a medium retrieve They sink at a rate of 1 foot per second so if the bottom is 8 ft then let it sink for 7 seconds and retrieve. I also use some smelly jelly sent which I think helps a bit also. I use 6 to 8 lb mono on a medium action pole, works for me.