I second the floro shock leader. I use up to 40#. Just finished a morning of whiting fishing and have a mess for a pan fry. I JUST broke down all my tackle and I am looking out my window at birds diving within wading distance. There's a CC guide boat on them so I'm guessing it's spanish under them. I doubt the guide would care if it were ladies.

As for the whiting, used a double hook pomp rig and a carolina rig. used a live shrimp on one hook and a fish bites on the other. Most times, they hit the fish bites. Tipped the carolina with both a live shrimp and a fish bites. The combo of live shrimp/fish bites out fished just a live shrimp 15 to 0. Also got two rays and one was so big I couldn't get it landed. We stalemated for 15 minutes before I finally pulled hard enough on the 20# braid to break it off.

Back to tackle... Cabelas used to have a salt striker rig. The reel has an awesome fish clicker lever. It works similar to the bait clicker on a bait caster. This can come in real handy if you have several rods in rod tubes. You can stand over the ones withingout the clicker in case something big hits. If it hits the bait clicker rig, it just pulls line out. I would also suggest getting extra spools for your reels. You never know when something can come along and spool you. Having another spool ready to go makes it much less painful and gets you back in the water faster...