I’ll be visiting Florida in a few months and bringing my bass rods to do some freshwater fishing while there, but I also wanted to try saltwater fishing for the first time. What would give me the best chance of catching fish from the shore/pier? Do I just drop my lure straight down and wait or should I cast out from the pier? And can I use my bass rods whenever I’m fishing saltwater? Thanks for any advice you guys have

Bass rods work, use shrimp and cut up lady fish or mullet for bait . Fiddler crab for sheepshead 

     If your careful with your bass rods (it's the reel way more then the rod). Some of the reels aren't very saltwater compatible and some are depending on the bearing that are in them. If your careful and don't get them wet or if your do, make sure you do a good fresh water rinse off after you get off the water.  Then a thorough rinse, cleaning and lubrication after you get back from your trip. Even if it is saltwater compatible you really want to do a thorough cleaning and examination after each trip.

     Sand is also another reel killer when your at the coast.  The bearings in a reel can rust up dang near over night and if left for a day or so the reel can be locked up.  I'm not trying to dissuade you from using them. I've been fishing "the salt" for many years with my bass reels.  Good luck on your trip and post a report when you get back!  Jig head and paddle tails work very well too. If your fishing a lighted pier at night. Live shrimp will catch everything and sometimes using lures will get you the bigger fish and not drive you crazy with the bait stealers  like crabs, pin fish, piggy perch and hard head catfish.  Hard head have spines in their fins that can stab and sting you pretty badly. Do not kick them back into the water.

FM 

Depending on where you’re going, look for passes where the ocean meets inter coastal waterways and or rivers. Paddle tails in white or orange or pink, redfish spinnnerbaits, spooks/spooklike walkers, and saltwater jerkbaits. I always have a white soft plastic jerkbaits tied on as a follow-up lure. 

21 hours ago, BassAngl9r said:

I’ll be visiting Florida in a few months and bringing my bass rods to do some freshwater fishing while there, but I also wanted to try saltwater fishing for the first time. What would give me the best chance of catching fish from the shore/pier? Do I just drop my lure straight down and wait or should I cast out from the pier? And can I use my bass rods whenever I’m fishing saltwater? Thanks for any advice you guys have

 

Where in Florida?  Gulf and Atlantic fish way differently.