Is saltwater fishing an expensive sport to startup?

This is a difficult question to answer.  Depending on what is expensive to you, and what type of saltwater fishing you want to do, including a lot of other variables (such as where you are and where you will need to travel to fish, among others) the answer could be a resounding ‘yes’ or and emphatic ‘no’!  Let me explain.

For all types of fishing, salt water and fresh water fishing, you can use a very simple hand line.  This is nothing more than a spool containing a roll of fishing line.  Thinner lines are less expensive than heavier lines, but they can actually catch more fish, depending on what fish are present in your target area, since thinner line is less easy for the fish to see.  Anyone could buy this simple set up with a few dollars. 

Most people set out to fish in saltwater with much more lofty expectations and end up spending considerably more money in the process.  Most fishermen, even beginners, want to fish with some type of a pole.  Cane poles range from very simple and inexpensive to much more sophisticated and quite expensive.  Rods and reels come in fiberglass, graphite, and composites, and they will all basically work for both fresh and salt water fishing.  When you are just beginning, you might consider trying a very uncomplicated rod and reel combination set that comes paired together.  These can be very expensive, and actually work very well, especially if your primary focus is determining how much you actually enjoy the sport of salt fishing before you make a substantial investment.

In summary, if you choose a 1 to 2m rod, and an open face reel, then set it up with 4kg line to catch fish such as whiting, mullet, or yellowtail, and use a hook from 1/0 to 2/0, a small sinker, and an appropriate swivel, you should be able to fish well, and have an investment of less than a hundred dollars in equipment.

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