Having moved to Norfolk VA I am surrounded by sea, and I am told some great fishing. My good wife and I went over to Virginia Beech to have a look at the fishing pier there. It was packed with people, not the sort of thing I enjoy. Fishing has always been as much about the time to reflect as the catching, one or two good friends fishing with you is alright as long as it is understood that this is not a knees up, but on the whole I like fishing on my own.
I brought to America my fly fishing gear but nothing for sea, so my first task was to buy a new rod. Who does not enjoy buying rods! I searched the Internet for advice, but the Internet is so packed with conflicting advice that it makes this type of research long and laborious. After asking around fishermen I met, including two coloured gentlemen who fish under the bridge by my apartment (not sure about the legality of fishing there, but it looks a good place) I went to Dick's Sporting Shop armed with their advice.
In the end I went for a Shakespeare Ugly Stick. These reasonably prices ($45) fishing rods have stood the test of time, they are rugged, which I need as I am clumsy with rods, and they have good practical features like sold stainless steel rings, so they wont break when you accidentally wind through the metal swivels on your line! The graphite, fiberglass blank is almost unbreakable. I say almost because I have found myriad ways of breaking rods. Closing the Trunk Hatch on them is a favorite.
I have now found a quiet fishing pier as well, so things are looking up. I hope its quiet because its hard to get to rather than quiet because there are no fish there.
