I use my 8wt bass rod for a week of saltwater fishing each summer with no harm done. One definite that no brought up is, be prepared to hose down your rod and reel after each outing. Really rinse it completely. You want to flush out all the salt as soon as possible to keep the gear from being wrecked. Don't wait till you get home from the trip. Have a blast!

I took a fly rod to the beach after shoulder surgery made it temporarily impossible to cast my surf rod, and now, even though my shoulder is healed, I have never switched back! Flyfishing the salt is just too much fun. You may find yourself planning trips to the ocean in the future...