# Shark Rigs



## Kozlow (Oct 25, 2002)

Looking for some ideas as to what you all use when rigging up for sharks from the surf using cut bait or fish heads ? Getting broke off more times then I care to keep count of .


----------



## eaglesfanguy (May 1, 2003)

When i used to go for sharks off the beach Id rig for bluefish STEEL LEADERS AND CIRCLE HOOKS.. The head is good only for it stays on the hook the best..But i believe the chest from the gills to the anus is the juiciest part.Mid sections are the best.


----------



## nmb surffisher (Mar 3, 2004)

*shark treats*

i bend the barbs down and combine 3 8/0 steel mustad J-hooks. and use a 1.5 - 2.0 foot section of 60lbs. copper color wire. once they get ahold of it set the hook REAL good. as for bait i like to use 1 spanish filet and then the whole carcase, head, tail, and other side not filet. blues work well to and both are readily availiable when the sharks are around. the black tip, black nose, and dog sharks eat it up durring mid to late summer w/ temps up.


----------



## angelfish (Mar 18, 2004)

*My specialty*

OK here is the best rig to catch sharks period!

Take about 5' of 130# steel leader..black works real well. Crimp a Mustad 9/0 ExtraStrong hook to one end. On the other crimp your swivel.. make your swivel be at least 100# rated. This should give you about 5' of leader then simply put a barrel weight on your line, I like to use 3 oucnes and put a bead on ....make sure the bead has a dark color to stop the glare and possible attacks on the bead  . The bead will stop your weight from cutting your knot. I have never had a break off on this rig when fishing off the surf. Hope this helps.


----------



## emanuel (Apr 2, 2002)

Don't forget a good shock leader. You can use a really light running line as long as you have a good shock leader, I prefer about #80 mono and as much as 30 ft long.


----------



## angelfish (Mar 18, 2004)

*yeah forgot that*

Nice job emanuel i forgot about the shock leader..we are lucky to have great big game fish right off our beaches so this post was right up our alley...


----------



## Kozlow (Oct 25, 2002)

Here's what I have .








100 Mono-100 Calcutta-8/0 
Hooks-4/0 Barrel Swivels-Sinker Sliders-Desired Weight


----------



## angelfish (Mar 18, 2004)

*Wow..*

I use Ande IGFA Green Monofilament 30# on a Penn 7500SS .... Your gear is good but maybe you should use J hooks instead of circle, since you are using sliding sinkers using circle hooks makes no sense. Correct me if I am wrong but don't circle hooks work best without sliding sinkers considering that the hook needs to be turned and all? Anyway Where is your line breaking off at? I'm guessing that you are losing your whole rig? I am also a bit confused as to how this is possible when you are using 100# test....there must be monsters down there. Your leader is definitely too short, it needs to be 4 feet at least,. Also what # test is the leader? Your leader should also be at least 100# IMO. I am really interested in this, and would like to shark fish with ya some time soon. I know we can solve this problem...


----------



## Cdog (Mar 18, 2002)

*Ya wanna catch a shark?*

Try this...... 










This is a pic from another site of a ray that they use for "bait" for sharks in Texas.


----------



## angelfish (Mar 18, 2004)

*Everything's bigger in Texas*

Someone needs to tell those guys that Jaws was just a movie. Btw those idiots better have eaten that stingray....Judging by the picture they did not humanely kill that ray. As any of you living in the bay area know that when ya kill a cownose ray a hatchet through the head is sufficient. It looks like these fools simply cut the wings off, after they took the tail-barb out in what looks to be another inhumane way....This picture made my girlfriend cry, because it was so bs... I guess some people dont like to see such a great fish like a stingray be used in the form as bait for a shark that would have to be 20' long. That is a horrible waste of a stingray.


----------



## Cdog (Mar 18, 2002)

anglefish, you jump to conclusions too easy. I can't find th site that I got that from but there was a report of a guy using a bait similiar that landed a 9' or better estimated at 600# Mako from th surf. Is th small fish you cut in half for a shark treated any different? Not trying to start a fight, just something to think about.....


----------



## angelfish (Mar 18, 2004)

*its Angelfish*

Aye i dont want a fight either, nor am I even close to being a member of peta or anything but I do feel there is a major difference between a 60# Stingray and an 8 Ounce mullet=/


----------



## Cdog (Mar 18, 2002)

*Sorry for th misspelling*

but I don't get your point??????

They are catching sharks on their bait an its wrong but you using yours is OK????


----------



## angelfish (Mar 18, 2004)

I dont know me and my girlfriend practice catch and release unless we plan on eating that particular catch. I have seen many people use skates, not rays, as shark bait, so I thought that was just a little carried away. We catch a lot of gigantic rays when we surf fish or pier fish at St. Simons and know that the rays seem and look very docile and peaceful. Its just hard to take in her crying and I guess it was just hard for her..Sorry for bashing your post and sorry for seemingly attacking you.


----------



## bluerunner (Jun 30, 2003)

Here's the site Cdog PINS Reports 

Angelfish I don't see your point. These guys fish for HUGE sharks. THey yak their baits out and use up to 16/0 reels. Your little 8oz mullet wouldn't interest the sharks these guys go after. THere is the old adage "big fish big bait"


----------



## bluerunner (Jun 30, 2003)

also they release every shark they catch.


----------



## angelfish (Mar 18, 2004)

*Ok drop it.*

Thanks bluerunner for trying to reignite a dropped topic....not gonna happen. Lets stick to the main topic::How to prevent Kozlow's breakoffs.


----------



## Drumdum (Jan 6, 2003)

Kozlow said:


> *Looking for some ideas as to what you all use when rigging up for sharks from the surf using cut bait or fish heads ? Getting broke off more times then I care to keep count of . *


 Koz,first off what type of tackle are you using as far as line capasity,rods,line #test,and reels?? What size sharks are you trying to catch?? 
As far as breakoffs,NOTE: *not cutoffs..* There are only a few possibilitys here,too much drag,you're getting ready to be "dumped" and you don't have enough line,bad line,or bad knots?? 
Not trying to be a smart arse,just my take on it.. 

OBTW,I used to use fish heads,small dogsharks,rays,skates,bluefish,tuna,king,albacore,big mullet,big bluefish,and amberjack carcuses.. Biggest I ever caught was a 500lb tiger,300lb hammer,and a 275lb lemon,but all these were on a 50 international with 50lb test.. Surfishing for them I've never done,plankin I've done my share,but that was in the days when there *were big sharks..* Where I'm located,I'm not sure if they exist anymore..


----------



## Kozlow (Oct 25, 2002)

Thanks for the input . 9500ss Penn 30# test 15 ft surf rod and the new rig . Used today had 1 not fail 2 others came unhooked . They were all spinners and I think that is the problem. They jump so many times and spin like all get out. Ifin I run into a nice bull I don't think he is going to get the best of the situation. I will let you all now when that happens.


----------



## bluerunner (Jun 30, 2003)

I think spinners are some of the coolest sharks, I've seen 5+ footers freejumping before, and it was awesome. I hooked on a gotcha by accident one time, had to break him off cuz my little Mitchell 300 with 8lb test wasn't doing a whole lot to stop him. He was jumping and spinning like crazy.


----------



## Drumdum (Jan 6, 2003)

Spinners??? Man,those are about the funnest shark in the ocean! I'd say use small sevenstran instead of wire leader. Those guys *WILL DEFINATLY* do a job on your tackle..  Let us know if you get one,I've only managed one,those guys will tear up some stuff,gauranteed...


----------



## emanuel (Apr 2, 2002)

I've pretty much quit shark fishing for the fact that I really don't think it's terribly sporting. I'll still chunk some cut blue or mullet from time to time, but I'd really rather catch reds to be honest with ya. However, I do love catching spinner sharks. Often I have them crash my king rigs and it's an absolute blast to watch them sky and spin. So, for them I use my regular king rig with a 3' #45 wire leader and an #80 mono shock leader about 30-45' long, biminied at the end. That way I can get them to the pier after a nice battle and release them safely. No interest in eating them, but I do like a nice blacktip or bonnethead from time to time.


----------



## Drumdum (Jan 6, 2003)

I'm with you there,Emanuel,would rather fish for drum,stipers,kings,or cobes.. You catch bonnetheads in SC also? I have caught bonnetheads in the FLA Keys fishing for bones,and they are a blast on light spinning tackle..


----------



## Beachbms (Jan 10, 2003)

Certan times of the year we catch lots of bonner heads here off the space coast. I dont do allot of shark fishing but when I do I usually use 17# mainline 100# shock leader with 3' of 125# wire on the end. havnt lost any sence moving to this setup. I also use 9/0 owner circle hooks and let the shark run a bit.


----------



## emanuel (Apr 2, 2002)

Oh yeah, we get alot of bonnetheads here. Alot of them come here to give birth and I've seen them up to 4 ft long. They're a hoot on light tackle and delicious on the grill. I think of them as "the Pompano of the shark world".

When I do shark fish, I use either large Owner or Eagle Claw circle hooks. It's just like my drum rig except I add a little trace of wire to the end and beef up the shock leader.


----------



## Tater Salad (Mar 9, 2004)

*Hold on...*

I feel like i found this thread too late. I did this sort of stuff all summer down at the point with some tremendous success. It seems like you've covered all your bases with hooks and wire leaders and such. We use 10/0 gamakatsus, 8oz lead, and cable rigs.

The biggest problem with catching big sharks, especially from the beach, is them tail frapping through your leader. Even 150lb power pro, mono, or floro is no match for the erosive denticles of the sharks skin. 

So taking cues from the texas guys we build pully cable rigs out of 500 lb mono.

Basically you tie your shocker to a swivel. Then run 7 ft of the 500lb through the swivel with a 10/0 on one end and 8oz on the other. On the end with the lead you fashion a release clip of out stiff steel. Attach the hook to that so that the weight and bait hang together at the end of the pully system. This makes it castable.

However when it lands in the water the bait comes of the holding wire and allows it to float free. The shark takes the bait; the weight slides up to the sinker, and you now have a 7ft section of 500lb mono for his tail to beat on. 

We did a week of trial and error with other systems before this and it solved all our problems. Sharks don't lie. We did a 190lb and a 225lb sand tiger on the sand. If anybody wants pics i'll share.:jawdrop:


----------



## Clyde (Oct 18, 2003)

I do something similar, just a little simpler. Instead of a pully rig I just tie on some 500# mono the full length of my drop. The swivel will hang just below my rod tip. This gives me a good 6-7 feet of 500# mono using a long drop, including my leader - which is also 500# mono - not cable or wire. Above the swivel I use about 25 feet of 80# test as shock leader, tied direct to running line via a bimini twist/double uni connection. I use 16/0 and 20/0 mustad circle hooks so wire leaders aren't needed. My landing ratio on big spinner sharks is probally close to 90%, balcktips near perfect, so I'm doing something right. Using a diawa sl40shv with 30# mono.


----------



## Drumdum (Jan 6, 2003)

*Yeap,Clyde can catch them for sure!*

Emanuel,a 4ft bonnet! Now,by gosh that's a whooper!! Sure would like to see one like that in the Keys this time down with a spinner and light line..


----------



## Tater Salad (Mar 9, 2004)

Yeah we did a lot of trial and error with the leader and tail frapping, but we have a system now. I picked up a new SL50SH over the winter and slapped it on a 12ft Tica. I can't wait to stretch out on some sharks come june.

We're gonna need a bigger boat.:barf:


----------



## angelfish (Mar 18, 2004)

*4 foot bonnetheads are jokes..*

I got a bonnet head that is 2lbs shy of the world rec last year....caught and released it in less then 1o mins. Got the pics to prove it too.


----------



## dckhd247 (Sep 9, 2003)

Check this out...

http://bluemako.customer.netspace.net.au


----------



## Drumdum (Jan 6, 2003)

*Re: 4 foot bonnetheads are jokes..*



angelfish said:


> *I got a bonnet head that is 2lbs shy of the world rec last year....caught and released it in less then 1o mins. Got the pics to prove it too. *


 What kind of tackle,Anglefish?? What is the world record? If you caught it on 8lb or less tackle that's quite a feat,if they pull anything like the 2ft babys I've caught in FLA..


----------



## angelfish (Mar 18, 2004)

i caught it on 20 lb test..=( i didnt have a drop net and barely reached the leader.. ill try to add a pic. The rec is like 23 lbs something like that i believe it is 23lbs 11 ounces.. these fish are pure muscle i have never seen a fat one truly amazing creatures.

http://www.geocities.com/crabby_84/

i hope that link works...its old from last year and i have very bad internet page building skillz.


----------



## Drumdum (Jan 6, 2003)

Yeap I bet a fish that size would be a good pull on 20lb line even,nice catch..


----------



## skunked (Jun 4, 2001)

I have heard of using these bead swivels for very active fish. They look like this..

http://www.luremaking.com/catalogue/catalogue-index/catalogue-items/bead_chain_swivels.htm


----------

