Pick Your Poison: Chuck Bait or Get Skunked

I’m on my way to the Everglades for a few days of high adventure, camping, kayaking and hopefully catching some snook, redfish, and/or tarpon. Every time I go saltwater fishing, however, I bring a baitcaster along. I’d rather catch a fish on a pinfish in dirty water, than get stuck with just a fly rod when the fly thing isn’t happening. And sometimes it doesn’t happen.

Now… in trout fishing, I actually believe that a fly floated the right way is deadlier than any old lure… and I’m just not going to bait fish for trout, no matter what. I haven’t fished garden hackle in years, and I simply can’t and won’t go there.

But I can turn into a downright bait-chucking, heavy metal-chucking monster in the salt, in a relative hurry.

Is this wrong? Should I just man up and stick to the “fly or die” ideal, even in the saltwater? Or is fishing about catching, and all is fair game?

Not that you’ll change my attitude (or actions) in the next few days… but I am interested in your opinions.

Deeter