Pier fishing is fun!
The bait rig Balsam Laker was thinking about is called a Pilchard ring, it looks kinda like a large loop necklace with a piece of red or orange plastic ribbon through it. You may also want to purchase a few Sabiki rigs to catch bait with from the pier.
Your 9.5 rod will be fine for pier and surf casting, and there'll be folks with longer rods that that out there (surf casting rods).
You will need a license for saltwater fishing if you don't fish off the pier or some kind of charter boat, you'll also need a freshwater license for Bass... you can probably buy a combination fresh and salt license.
Party/head boats are fun and cheap, usually less than $50 for and 8 hr. trip. Snapper and Grouper season is closed right now.
Don't touch any fish that looks like this.
It is a Scorpion fish and has a very nasty sting!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scorpaenidae