From Shore

[armed to the gills]

I am sure that has been posted before, but I don't see one big thread the really includes everything. Okay, I'm going to Vero Beach in September and I want to go after big fish, including sharks, from the beach. I catch 30 lbs fish here in Michigan and want something a little better. I don't necessarily want to run out and buy all new equipment. I have a 7.5 foot M/H saltwater rod with a Quantum Boca reel. I have 30lbs Powerpro on it now, but have no problem upgrading to something like 65lbs. I use steal leaders now, but not sure how long I should use for sharks.

Also need to know what kind of bait to use. Can I stand on shore and cast out into the surf, or should I find someone with a yak? Should I use cut bait or use live bait?

Pretty much I am looking for someone to write a small book that will help the occasional shark angler get started. Any help you can give would be great.

Thanks

[DIRTYFOOT2]

big dead stinky cut bait on the bottom.pvc rod holder drove in the sand.clicker on.wait......

[bill]

Daiwa Bocas are good but I doubt even the big models have drags made for more than 20# test. 30# with a spinning reel's drag usually isn't worth it. With lighter line you get more capacity.

A Penn Senator or Daiwa Sealine, at least a 4/0 (30pound) for a tight drag and lots of line. For rods, standup style is nice but maybe a longer rod is better for the beach-having the line higher up might avoid floating seaweed or waves falling on it and dragging your bait around.

Leaders a few feet longer than the fish you want are good since they can roll up in it so their tail touches the line and pop it. Heavy single stand wire is easy to wrap and holds up better than light. For 30#-50# line, #12 wire hardly ever gets bitten through.

Live bait is great but can cause a lot of tangles and is not always easy to get. Lot's of fisherman say stinky bait is good but fresh, never frozen, bait works the best for me by a mile.

Hope this small book helps and sorry for avoiding the how to get the bait out question. 4/0 and 6/0 wide Senators cast ok though. Sealines probably do also. Newells cast fine but the drag goes from loose to tight to fast for my taste. Good luck.

[1984 JPS]

TEXAS SHARK FISHING :: Index

Deaver (PowerFisherman) has the book for you, its on the site.

Andy.

[Blacktip Hunter]

[quote=bill;59971]Daiwa Bocas QUOTE]

Quantum makes the bocas.

Dude im from up north and i catch the muskies and pike and all them up in lake st. clair. I've caught several muskies over 30lbs, but let me tell you this. When you hook up with a 150lb shark, it will probably be a Blacktip. It's going to amaze you.

You gotta have a minimum of 400yds of line on your reel. I've seen some Blacktips take close to 500yds on lockdown drag on a penn 9500ss. I use a Fin-Nor OFS9500 and i have over 700yds of line on it and on average i see them hit the middle point of the line. There are some big sharks that swim up at vero 300-500lbs Bulls cruise the beach and not to mention the big tigers and lemons and of course Hammerheads.

Your leaders have to be the length of the shark your after. For BT's i would use a minimum of 7ft, but 8ft is more promising. Use circle hooks on all your rigs J's will just cause you to lose shark. I hate every circle hook expect the Owner Super Mutu, its easy to put into bait, ive never had one straightened, and they keep the sharpness forever. Buy several packs of 10/0 Owner Super Mutus. For your rigs use 49 strand cable. I like Amercian fishing wire 49 strand cable, coffee brown. Use a minimum strength of 480lb cable, anything below that and your risking losing a fish. Use double barrel copper crimps to crimp your cable.

Read this if you wanna crimp like a pro:
Tips & Techniques*>*Basic crimping techniques

Here's my rig style:



Instead of the 4ft of 250lb cable, change that to 6ft of 480lb cable.

For your bait I would use barracuda, jacks, blue runners, ladyfish, bluefish, or bonita. Any of those will work fine. Rig your bait so the point of the circle hook is exposed.

Powerpro line is the way to go, Use a minimum of 50lb test, but 65lb is more safe, thats what i use.

Use PVC pipes to hold your rod, make use you got it in the sand so it wont move, or else you'll never see your pole again and it will happen in a blink of an eye. I ususally stomp mine in the ground or use a big piece of wood or a branch to pound it in.

Keep your drag decent tight, enough so its easy to pull, but to allow the circle hook to set. If you keep it too loose the shark will just swallow the hook. Buy some long pliers to take the hook out. I got bit when i used to use my hand. I use 16 inch pliers to take the hook out and its a two man job.

Here's a video on how we do it, but just don't turn the shark to the side, you want some experience with them before you do that. Just have one person hold the mouth open and another take the hook out with the pliers.

YouTube - Removing The Hook From A Shark

You can freeze your bait for a year and they will still hit it. Bait is sometimes better fresh, but sometimes they prefer the old half rotten bait. Some days the sharks will hit some fish more than others. I always find that barracuda works the best at any time of the year.

O ya and one last thing, bigger baits arent always better. I mostly use smaller baits so i can cast them further and get a good hookset. If you use to big of a bait, then you will get a lot of drops.