What sea fishing equipment do I need for my first time out?

The choice of equipment really depends on several factors that are unknown to me. The species of fish you are angling for and the method of fishing you will employ are critical in determining the proper equipment for the adventure. I will therefore discuss a simple setup that should offer success in most but not all fishing situations you will encounter in salt water. I recommend an open faced spinning reel for your first time out. Closed face reels are easier to use but do not have sufficient drag systems or line capacity to use in saltwater. Bait casting reels are simply too complicated for a new fisherman and not necessary. A high quality open faced spinning reel is the way to go. Select a reel that holds at least two hundred yards of twelve pound test strength line. Saltwater fish fight quite toughly and can easily rip that much line off a reel. I recommend that newcomers start by fishing with live bait. You typically will use bait like shrimp, crabs or a variety of small fish. You will need to have a selection of hooks of various sizes to accommodate the range of bait sizes you will be using. Saltwater corrodes hooks quickly. You really need to have high quality hooks that are kept very sharp. I have seen way too many fishermen spend a large amount of money to fish and then lose their catch due to a cheap hook. Select only the best hooks, which will not only last longer but catch more fish also.