You’re standing on the deck, the sun hasn’t even cracked the horizon yet, and you’re staring at a glassy flat. It looks perfect. But ten casts later, nothing. Twenty casts? Still nothing. This is the "skunk" every weekend warrior fears. Most people think they just need a better lure or a more expensive rod. Honestly, they’re wrong.
The salt strong fishing app, officially known as Smart Fishing Spots, has become a bit of a polarizing topic in the coastal fishing community. Some guys swear it's a "cheat code." Others think it’s just fancy marketing from the Simonds brothers. But if you actually dig into the software, you realize it’s not just a map with some pins on it. It is a predictive engine that tries to solve the hardest problem in saltwater: the 90/10 rule.
The 90/10 Rule and Why Your Spots Suck
Inshore fishing is brutal because 90% of the fish are in 10% of the water. You can spend eight hours burning gas and only spend forty minutes actually near a redfish. The Salt Strong philosophy is built entirely around identifying that 10% zone before you even back the trailer down the ramp.
What makes the salt strong fishing app different from something like Fishbrain? Crowdsourcing. Or rather, the lack of it.
Most fishing apps rely on "spot burning." Someone catches a snook, takes a picture, and the app logs the GPS coordinates. Three days later, that spot is a parking lot. Salt Strong doesn't do that. Instead of showing you where someone else caught a fish yesterday, it uses a combination of AI and human intelligence to predict where fish should be feeding right now.
Breaking Down the Smart Spots Tech
The heart of the app is the "Smart Spots" layer. It’s not just a static overlay. It changes every hour.
The algorithm looks at a ridiculous amount of data:
- Tidal flow and direction
- Barometric pressure shifts
- Wind speed and how it affects water clarity
- Seasonal migration patterns for species like speckled trout and flounder
If the tide is ripping out and the wind is pushing from the Northeast, the app identifies specific points, oyster bars, or creek mouths that create the "ambush points" fish use. These areas turn red or yellow on your screen. Red means high probability. Yellow is moderate.
It's weirdly accurate. I’ve seen guys go to a "red" zone they’ve never fished before and pull a limit of trout while the "old timers" at the marina are complaining about the slow bite.
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Maps You Can Actually Use
Standard satellite maps are kind of useless once you get into the marsh. You see a green blur and some blue water. The salt strong fishing app offers high-resolution shaded relief and 3D underwater topography.
Think about it. If you can see a 1-foot drop-off or a hidden oyster bar that isn't on a standard Navionics chart, you have a massive advantage. The app even has a "Seagrass" and "Oyster Bed" toggle. It literally highlights the structure. You don't have to guess if that dark patch is a shadow or a grass flat. You know.
The Catch (And There’s Always One)
Here is the thing: the app isn't a magic wand. You still have to be able to cast. You still have to understand how to present a lure.
Also, it’s not a standalone purchase in the way most people expect. You don’t just buy the app for $4.99 and walk away. It is bundled with the Salt Strong Insider Club. This is where the price tag—usually around $97 a year—trips people up.
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Is it worth it?
If you just want a map, probably not. But the membership includes a 20% discount on tackle (which actually pays for the membership if you buy enough Berkley Gulp or PowerPro) and access to a private community where coaches like Luke Simonds or Joe Simonds actually critique your local spots.
How to Actually Rank and Catch
If you're using the salt strong fishing app, don't just go to the red dots. That's what rookies do.
The pro move is to look at the "Strike Score." This is a 1-to-10 rating of the day's potential. If the score is a 4, don't expect a miracle just because you're in a red zone. If it's a 9? That’s when you call out of work.
The app also allows for GPX exports. This means you can find a hidden hole on your laptop at home, export the coordinates, and plug them directly into your Simrad or Garmin unit on the boat. This bridge between mobile tech and marine hardware is something a lot of other apps still haven't nailed down.
The 2026 Shift
Recently, Salt Strong was acquired by a larger group, but the founders have stayed on. This has led to a massive expansion of the data sets. We're starting to see more integration with freshwater bass patterns and even nearshore wreck data. The goal seems to be making it a "total water" tool, not just an inshore secret.
To get the most out of it right now, follow these steps:
- Check the Strike Score 48 hours out to pick your fishing day.
- Use the Shaded Relief layer to find "potholes" in the grass flats that aren't visible on Google Maps.
- Cross-reference the wind forecast within the app. If the wind is over 15 mph, look for "leeward" shorelines that the app still marks as active.
- Log your skunks. Seriously. The app is a tool for learning patterns. If you don't catch fish in a "red" zone, look at the tide. Was it too low? Was the water too murky?
Fishing is still a game of skill and patience. The salt strong fishing app just makes sure you're playing the game in the right stadium. Stop fishing where the fish were yesterday and start fishing where they're going to be an hour from now.