New to fishing and thinking of taking up shoreline fishing. I would be doing fresh water fishing from lake st.clair. theres a metropark that has bass, walleye, pike and perch. there are a couple fishing piers. What kind of rod do I need. I want to get a rod and reel combo. Nothing too expensive. Also what kind of bait. I don't want to use live worms. And what strength line.

 

For from shore fishing, I'll opt for a long rod provided it's easy to access the location with a long rod. Given your description, that shouldn't be an issue.
A longer rod will give you a greater casting distance. A shorter rod will be easier to transport, which is important if you do any backpack/hike in fishing.

For the reel, I'd suggest a spinning as they can hold a lot of line, and are pretty versitile on the line weight. You can even get a second spool for most reels which would allow you to carry different line types. I'll run 12lb test on one spool, and 20-25lb on another. 12lb will cast further as it's lighter, but I like to have the heavier line in case the big fish come out to play.

As for bait... That is very personal and location specific.
Given your location, the spicies of fish you are looking at are pretty much the same as what I fished heavily as a kid, and occationally when life permits me to get out.
Depending on the area (water depth and lake bottom conditions), I favor the jig and gromit. If you can drag bottom (I loose a lot of lures this way), a jig will drive the pike and bass nuts and produce some good hits, even from the lazy sleepers in the bottom of the lake.
I really like the double tailed ones as they stir the mud a bit. Colors combos very between areas.

For pickrel (walleye), I've used jigs and some home made spinners. You can buy these spinners, at big box stores, trade showes and flee markets as well as a lot of guys tie these themselves.
I'll generally use a worm on the hook with these.
Here is one example of a spinner we use to sell for a local guy through my wife's online store.


For Northern or grass Pike, I swear by these guys. Cotton Cordell® Super Spot® Lipless Crankbaits | Bass Pro Shops
I prefer blue or black, but have not tried all the other colors.

 

Start with a 6 1/2' spinning rod and get a spinning reel with an extra spool. It allows you to change from light the heavier line in a minute or so.

If you are fishing from an elevated pier, you will need heavier line to get a fish in and stand up to the abrasion from occasional scrapes on the piers. If you are fishing from a boat, you have the advantage of using lighter line if there are not a lot of weeds and snags. After you use or want different line on the spools, take the spools to a good bait and tackle shop (not Walmart) and they will strip off the old line and wind on exactly as much what you as needed. In the end, you get fresh line with no waste and it the best 5 minutes you ever spent since they buy in bulk and cost is very reasonable.

As far as the line type and strength, much depends on your experience level what you may catch. The old fashioned monofilament is easier to tie and see when fishing as you begin. The more costly modern lines (Firewire, etc.) are great, are much thinner, but more difficult for you and the fish to see.

As far a line weights, it a real personal judgment call. Even the lightest lines are capable of bringing in big fish if there are no things to (weed, snags, etc.) to get in the way and you are in a boat. I hooked a 42# Lake Trout in 15' or water and ended up bring her up from 150' after 30 minutes on 6# line (10' mono short leader), but we were in a 16' boat and there were no weeds or real snags and the boat could be moved to follow the fish.

Buy decent equipment, but not necessarily the real high quality stuff to get you out and doing the experience and finding out what you will need for your location.

As far as baits, very often, it is hard to beat live bait (worms, leeches, minnows) for still fishing or drifting if you can put up with the inconvenience. Artificials are easy, expensive and you never seem to have the right type or color. - They can also be dressed with live bait is some cases. Casting from a pier is usually not to effective because the fish have seen everything thrown at them and they come an go.

As far a terminal tackle and leaders, it all depends on what you expect to catch and how you fish. If you expect Northern Pike or Muskies, you will need some wire to protect the line from the aggressive bite/attack with a bit os wire somewhere. For walleyes a wire leader is not necessary with live bait and a length of mono as a leader is adequate because of the feeding methods. Nothing extra is needed for panfish. If you are using artificials and trolling/casting a light wire leader should be used to allow the lure to move up, down and laterally for the toothy fish.

Just get out and try to get the exposure and feel of things. If you find out what you have bought in not, get something more for you and donate the used rod and reel to one of the many organizations that take out kids and teach them to fish.

Dick

 

What do you suggest for power? you got lite med med lit med heavy etc

 

What do you mean for power? The flex on the rod? Maybe med.heavy for you.Ultra lites make catching a sun fish like a lunker and lunker bass like a mac truck,with light drag and 2 lb. Just have fun and good luck.

 

IDK it justs power and lists the options. Im eyeing this but sold out at this website

 

Looks like there matching rod length and flex with line weight.Never did much with bait casting reels,that one looks hi tech.I use open face spinning reels. All of the advice given by others is good though.Just find what suits you.

 

Power is usually the stiffness of the lower section of the rod that can limit the maximum size fish for a rod.

Another factor is the quickness or a measure of the stiffness for the rest of the rod.

If you take two rods with the same butt or base, you can have "quick rod" with a flexible tip for sensitivity or a "slow rod" or gradual bend starting down very low. A slow rod can tire out a fish easier because of the uniform pressure. A quick rod can catch more of certain fish (like walleye) that require a better feel to hook them. Fish like bass and northern pike do not require the finesse since the often hook themselves.

There are also some unusual combinations used for certain types of fishing.

One is bobber fishing on the bottom at 15-30' deep for northern pike with a 9' fly rod and either a spinning reel or casting reel with a lot of 20-30# line. With that limber rod and length, you can land any size northern because you can put on the constant pressure on the fish for a while. This is for fishing with 1#-2# suckers for bait and taking that out and dropping the bait and bobber down to the bottom, take a book and with 5 minutes after the bobber moves and the fish turns the bait around and hooks himself.

Another is using a noodle rod (10' spinning rod) with a light spinning reel and light line and a bobber for pan fish (sunfish, perch, etc.). You can easily place (without much casting) the bait and bobber where you want (from a pier or boat). The long limber rod makes small fish great fun.

There are no rules, except for the number of hooks or lines in the water in most areas. Just get into it where you are and try to figure out what might work.

Dick

 

Now for the license. The Michigan resident restricted license is still listed as 2012 and expires 3-31-13. after that date will the DNR post the license for 2013 so I can get one that expires next year or am I screwed for this year.

 

In most states, if you buy the license during a fiscal or licensing year, the license will have an expiration listed on the license since license rates are controlled by budgets and fiscal years and not calendar year. you may be able but a license with a later date before the 3/31/13, but states have different periods since the confusion makes it difficult and they usually try to make the breaks in between seasons there.

Dick

 

As much as I like the bait cast reels, if you are not use to them, or casting for that matter, stick with a spinner.
Bait Cast reels are good when you are fishing from a boat trying to get in the weeds.

 

Well this is what I went with and this and this is what i also ordered for lures and extra hooks anything else. I'll get spare line later. Should I get some weights or no?

 

You will need some weight (not much with a bobber) to get the bait down to where the fish feed. You can get a little plastic case of Little Gremlin split shot in different weights and just turn the top around to select a size (cheap and handy). Good teeth or a samll piers make them easy to put on and remove without untying everything.

Dick

 

might skip the bobber and let the lures run along the bottom since the fish would most likely be at the bottom hiding.