# Need recommendations for a Conventional Rod for Shark (castable)



## solid7 (Dec 31, 2010)

I'm getting into surf casting for (bigger) sharks now, and have decided to gear up for something that I can take up to about a 300#. For a reel, I've been at it for a while, and have decided on an Avet LX 6/3 Raptor. What eludes me now, however, is a rod.

I've never thrown "8 & bait" - that's just not something that's done down here. Most guys who shark fish around here yak the baits out. (as I also have in the past) However, I don't want to yak baits, I want to cast them. Being that I haven't thrown heavy, I need some expert advice on a capable rod. Since big baits are involved, would it be safe to say that I could be casting 8-12 oz. of lead?

I am planning on using bluefish heads primarily, as I have an abundant supply of them available. (I always keep them)

I'm planning an October trip to OBX, where this setup will come into play. Still need to check the species list and regs, but I'd sure be happy to hear some input from the locals and regulars.

Thank you.


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## Garboman (Jul 22, 2010)

If you have not thrown heavy baits I would suggest working out, it is very easy to hurt/tear/aggravate a tendon or ligament especially when casting heavier baits Everyone I know who Drum fishes at one time or another spent all or part of a season nursing a fishing injury related to casting.

I spent two miserable seasons where I could barely raise my left arm up with out pain, which was derived from casting a heaver. IF you are not 20 years old it takes longer to recover. And there is nothing worse to me anyway than not being competitive. I could cast, but afterwards after I cooled down there was constant pain. I went to the Gym and corrected the weakness in the tendons...

Mullet Heads are superior to Bluefish heads
Bluefish heads bleed out too quickly, A decent sized Mullet head will keep on exuding oils for at least one hour

Buy one of Tommy's Cast Pro 6-10 ounces which I have been told are easy to load and Tommy will be inclined to help you get your cast together

I think some of the fellas fish for Tarpon down in Florida same way that Drum fishermen on the OBX do except if the surf/current is less use a lighter weight. When the Tarpon are following the migrating Mullet they bomb a Mullet head out over a bar and get hooked up.

A review of Shipping costs for the somewhat standard nine foot tip All Star or WRI Drum rods is around $130 counting the PVC tube

You want to practice BEFORE you get to the OBX as there are a lot of real  in the peanut gallery and be careful cause a bunch of them Cops you like to tease fish the OBX


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## solid7 (Dec 31, 2010)

Garboman said:


> If you have not thrown heavy baits I would suggest working out, it is very easy to hurt/tear/aggravate a tendon or ligament especially when casting heavier baits Everyone I know who Drum fishes at one time or another spent all or part of a season nursing a fishing injury related to casting.


Great to know. I had a separated shoulder a couple years back. Stuff like that never really heals. Yes, I do work out. Primarily calisthenics and body weight exercises. (more for the tendons than the muscles)



Garboman said:


> and be careful cause a bunch of them Cops you like to tease fish the OBX


They'll never know me... I don't "fit the profile". 

Thanks for the tips, Garbo. I'll definitely be talking to Tommy.

As for the tarpon fishers down here - we got a mixed bag. Some guys will still yak baits out for tarpon, and often times, they are close enough for even the Ugly Stik crowd to cast to. Just depends where you are at. Every once in awhile, however, I see some guy with (2) 4 oz. pyramids in tandem on his line. Of course, you know how that goes, but that's as close as I've seen to "8 & bait".


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## NC KingFisher (Nov 20, 2011)

Hey an ugly stick is what i am getting for my 545gs. An om heavy is a pretty good choice. and on your way up bring me some of those jack crevalle that arent to common in southeastern nc. And mullet id better than blues


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## solid7 (Dec 31, 2010)

NC KingFisher said:


> on your way up bring me some of those jack crevalle that arent to common in southeastern nc.


No problem. 




NC KingFisher said:


> And mullet id better than blues


I'm surprised to hear that... Mullet are used for just about everything, but down here, a blue or spanish mac is almost a guaranteed hookup with a shark. If I didn't know any more than what I see and read, I woulda guessed that bluefish were the "go-to" bait.

Oh well... I don't like to waste anything, so I'm still gonna use them blue heads. But I got a canal by my house that's loaded with 4+ lb mullet, and it's narrow enough to be able to net them all day long.


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## DrumintheSuds (Nov 19, 2007)

Mullet heads are tough and don't fizzle out like garbo mentioned.....My first choice in the head department

Smaller pompano heads are a surpisingly good choice.


BUT ifn I want to tackle a shark in the summer months (say July) I go find me a live pinfish, score him a bit, toss him out and wait for the party! Blacktips will tear a dying pinfish to pieces


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## solid7 (Dec 31, 2010)

DrumintheSuds said:


> Smaller pompano heads are a surpisingly good choice.


Sharks have good taste in fish. I had a pompano last season that I pulled out of the mouth of a shark at the very last second. He had tooth strakes on both sides of him, and pretty deep.

What surprises me is that you ain't eatin' them pompano heads... Thats' the best part!


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## DrumintheSuds (Nov 19, 2007)

I just started fishing for drum with pomp heads a couple years ago. I was catching a bunch of dinks and decided what they heck. I ALWAYS keep a beefstick rod out with a head just in case something with some size rolls through and sure enough the drum over the slot size love them.


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## jakuka (Oct 12, 2009)

solid7 said:


> What surprises me is that you ain't eatin' them pompano heads... Thats' the best part!



Seriously? I never considered it. But if you have to pick it out of the skull with a fork I'll probably just pass. But curious though, if you like the pomp heads why not eat the bluefish heads? I guess I assumed you had em in the freezer for bait but maybe its to eat? Are they really that good?


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## solid7 (Dec 31, 2010)

jakuka said:


> Seriously? I never considered it. But if you have to pick it out of the skull with a fork I'll probably just pass.


I'm gonna let the first part of the question pass, because I know that I'm not the only one around here who knows this. I'll let someone else chime in. But when I prepare pompano, I refuse to filet them. I love pompano so much, and cherish my precious catch, that I refuse to waste any of it. When I cook them, I just butterfly them. That's right, I just split them down the center, cook both halves, and pick. And if you think head meat is nasty, I probably shouldn't tell you that I like to eat the eyeballs and fins, too...



jakuka said:


> But curious though, if you like the pomp heads why not eat the bluefish heads? I guess I assumed you had em in the freezer for bait but maybe its to eat? Are they really that good?


Bluefish heads... I don't eat them because when I prepare bluefish, I deep fry them. I actually had a change of heart with regards to bluefish, after a recent thread right here on P&S. I used to think that blues were only for making flounder bait. But I perfected my own batter recipe, and I now deep fry them in beef tallow. Let me just tell you, another blue will never be thrown back. Even my kids love them.

Anyway, there isn't enough meat left in the head after making bluefish nuggets. I'm not deep frying a whole head just for cheek meat. And it's so hard to get it out of there when it isn't cooked.

Now the pompano have much bigger meat and cheek strips in their heads. And from what I'm told, there is some special gland in a pompano head that makes the meat extra tasty. And let me tell you, that's the first bit I always go for....

NOM NOM NOM....


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## jakuka (Oct 12, 2009)

Garboman said:


> Buy one of Tommy's Cast Pro 6-10 ounces which I have been told are easy to load and Tommy will be inclined to help you get your cast together


He's also got that new 13' CPS 8-12 heaver thats supposed to be coming out any time now.


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## jakuka (Oct 12, 2009)

I promise wasn't knocking you, Solid. Just genuinely curious. I cook the smaller ones whole, just never ate the heads. But you've peaked my interest now and I may have to give it a try.


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## DrumintheSuds (Nov 19, 2007)

I have caught some big hatteras blues and cut out the jaw meat....Cheap scallops sauted in butter and garlic......


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## solid7 (Dec 31, 2010)

jakuka said:


> I promise wasn't knocking you, Solid. Just genuinely curious. I cook the smaller ones whole, just never ate the heads. But you've peaked my interest now and I may have to give it a try.


I know you weren't. No worries.

I've always believed that a pompano dinner starts with a whole fish, and if you have anything more than skin and a few bones, you've wasted something... 

Druminthesuds - how big do your blues have to be to make the jaw meat worth while? Every time I have tried, I get something about the size of a dime. My blues tend to run in the 15-21" range.


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## DrumintheSuds (Nov 19, 2007)

solid7 said:


> I know you weren't. No worries.
> 
> I've always believed that a pompano dinner starts with a whole fish, and if you have anything more than skin and a few bones, you've wasted something...
> 
> Druminthesuds - how big do your blues have to be to make the jaw meat worth while? Every time I have tried, I get something about the size of a dime. My blues tend to run in the 15-21" range.


I like em a tad bit bigger than that before I mess with em but I only do it if I am fishign with somebody that wants the rest of the fish. When they clean them I cut the jawmeat out before they discard the carcas


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## NC KingFisher (Nov 20, 2011)

solid7 said:


> I'm surprised to hear that... Mullet are used for just about everything, but down here, a blue or spanish mac is almost a guaranteed hookup with a shark. If I didn't know any more than what I see and read, I woulda guessed that bluefish were the "go-to" bait.
> 
> Oh well... I don't like to waste anything, so I'm still gonna use them blue heads. But I got a canal by my house that's loaded with 4+ lb mullet, and it's narrow enough to be able to net them all day long.


Blue heads work good they just wash out better. Best bait for sharpnose is cut blue



DrumintheSuds said:


> I like em a tad bit bigger than that before I mess with em but I only do it if I am fishign with somebody that wants the rest of the fish. When they clean them I cut the jawmeat out before they discard the carcas


Once again waste of good bait. Still not as good as a grouper/snapper/king/tuna head but stilll good bait.


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## sunburntspike (Oct 4, 2010)

my set up for casting baits is a 40-80 uglistik custom series rod with a slosh 50 loaded with 50# P.P and 40yds of 50#mono top shot/shock.the rod comes stock at 8' and i modify it by adding a 1'extension on the butt creating a split grip(cause i got that kinda time).prefered bait is any part or a whole spanish,will use SEA mullet heads,not jumping mullet,also chunks of stingray work surprisingly well.blufish chunk will normally get you your stingray.have had some pretty good toofers grab this rig and it has held up well.my recommendation is to look for a rod that 1. isnt to long;a longer rod will put the fish at the advantage and tire the angler quiker.2.is of the lightest wieght;for obvious reasons.3.has titanium or stainless guides with NO inserts;have had large critters burn thru the inserts on other rods,even the Sic style guides.i also butterfly pompano,i aint letting any of that meat go to waste.


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## Phaedrus (Mar 25, 2011)

DrumintheSuds said:


> Mullet heads are tough and don't fizzle out like garbo mentioned.....My first choice in the head department
> 
> Smaller pompano heads are a surpisingly good choice.
> 
> ...



I hooked three and landed two last week. The first (bull shark) was landed on almost a whole mullet with the tail cut off and butterflied from the head down. The second (spinner or bt that spit) was from a whole pinfish butterflied from head to tail. The third (spinner) was from my last two smallish pieces of bait, a butterflied bunker and mullet. I also like using small bluefish butterflied. I have found that the heads and tails work.


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## abloke (Oct 12, 2010)

*What sort of guides do you use?*



sunburntspike said:


> .has titanium or stainless guides with NO inserts;have had large critters burn thru the inserts on other rods,even the Sic style guides.


Hi sunburntspike,

Just wondering what sorta guides you use?..I've got a powerful blank that I want to make into a "heaver" with an ABU overhead reel.

Thanks,Darren


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## j c (Oct 15, 2009)

we cast shark baits on every trip down here at PINS... lots of goood shark in close

I use an old Breakaway Allstar 2piece/1piece... Nick says it will cast whatever I can hang off it as long as the ferule is wrapped

my wife is using a Jawbone 10' (can't remember model) that we heave 10oz and 1/2 whiting routinely

if you want to go for broke look at the Breakaway Nuke, probably can't be beat but will set your kids college fund back a semester!

http://www.breakawayusa.com/products/rods-blanks/custom/

good luck, for me there is not much that beats a solid shark on a long rod with no belt/harness.... mano y mano!

jc


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## sunburntspike (Oct 4, 2010)

abloke said:


> Hi sunburntspike,
> 
> Just wondering what sorta guides you use?..I've got a powerful blank that I want to make into a "heaver" with an ABU overhead reel.
> 
> Thanks,Darren


pacbay csbbg,pacbay twisters-ctwg or xtwg,or pacbay pbstcg.all are stainless or tungsten with no inserts,i'm real partail to the twisters but they always seem to be on B/O when i need them so i've experimented with the other styles with good success


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## solid7 (Dec 31, 2010)

Well, after coming to my senses, and realizing that I can land a hell of a big fish on 50# braid, I decided to go with the Avet SX 6/4 Raptor. 630 yards of 50# braid, it claims to hold. That's a lot of fighting. I don't really need more than 100 yards to cast, so that will more than get it done. And I'm not ready for the big daddies yet. When I am, I've realized that it will involve yakking, whether I like it or not. Big fish, big bait. I'm not gonna be able to cast the bait that puts that 1000# fella on the beach.

Guess I'll stick with the rods that I have for now, until I can play some more. Maybe that 5 oz. sinker will do just fine.


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## NC KingFisher (Nov 20, 2011)

solid7 said:


> Well, after coming to my senses, and realizing that I can land a hell of a big fish on 50# braid, I decided to go with the Avet SX 6/4 Raptor. 630 yards of 50# braid, it claims to hold. That's a lot of fighting. I don't really need more than 100 yards to cast, so that will more than get it done. And I'm not ready for the big daddies yet. When I am, I've realized that it will involve yakking, whether I like it or not. Big fish, big bait. I'm not gonna be able to cast the bait that puts that 1000# fella on the beach.
> 
> Guess I'll stick with the rods that I have for now, until I can play some more. Maybe that 5 oz. sinker will do just fine.


Elephants eat penuts. And I saw an old picture of a guy casting a 14/0 witha 10ft harnell


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## solid7 (Dec 31, 2010)

NC KingFisher said:


> Elephants eat penuts. And I saw an old picture of a guy casting a 14/0 witha 10ft harnell


Oh, I've seen it done... I saw an old guy (with my own eyes) attempting to cast a 12/0 with a 3 lb jack at the end of it.

Guess how that went?


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## NC KingFisher (Nov 20, 2011)

This attempt actually worked. It was more of a rotating style cast in the picture


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## solid7 (Dec 31, 2010)

NC KingFisher said:


> This attempt actually worked. It was more of a rotating style cast in the picture


What, as in hammer throw?


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## sunburntspike (Oct 4, 2010)

any reel can be cast,to varying degrees of success.i still fish with and old charker that slings 6/0 and 4/0s on 12' heavers,i just don't want to see what his rotator cuffs look like.


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## Garboman (Jul 22, 2010)

Earlier in this thread I suggested getting either a All Star 1509 or a WRI Nail

Both of these rods can cast very well with baseball sized Mullet Heads and 8-12 ounces of lead

Don't wimp out Solid


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## solid7 (Dec 31, 2010)

Garboman said:


> Earlier in this thread I suggested getting either a All Star 1509 or a WRI Nail
> 
> Both of these rods can cast very well with baseball sized Mullet Heads and 8-12 ounces of lead
> 
> Don't wimp out Solid


I haven't forgot you, Garbo... Gonna check it out. Just bought 2 reels, though, so I got to have some time to um... I don't know. I really don't have a clue what I'm doing right now.


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## Garboman (Jul 22, 2010)

Get the 1509 there was one on the marketplace for $225 with SIC guides made by a shop that charges $450 and up per rod, if 
I did not all ready have three of them I would have bought it.

All ways buy/bring "enough gun" Robert Ruark said something along those lines

Get a 3 pound spool of pro spec and some lead and get practicing, if you come up to the OBX and want to fish with us we want you to be at least ready to put the bait in the right general direction, otherwise you will be bait bitched out by one of the Kinnakeeters.......


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## solid7 (Dec 31, 2010)

Garboman said:


> Get a 3 pound spool of pro spec and some lead and get practicing, if you come up to the OBX and want to fish with us we want you to be at least ready to put the bait in the right general direction, otherwise you will be bait bitched out by one of the Kinnakeeters.......


Bait bitch... LOL.

Something tells me you fish in a more cramped space than what I'm used to. I generally have at least 150 yards between me and the nearest guy. But yeah, I'll get it in the general direction. Just probably not very far.


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## NC KingFisher (Nov 20, 2011)

solid7 said:


> What, as in hammer throw?


No thats how we hand throw baits. As in spinning in a circle like a hammer throw but still in a casting style


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## Phaedrus (Mar 25, 2011)

Tica
Best shark rod for the money. I have the casting and spinning version of this rod and love them both. I have landed a bunch of black tips and spinners on these as well as one bull.

Model	Length	Action	Type Line Wt.	Lure Wt.	Pcs.	Price Sale Price
UEHA836502C	12'	XH	Surf Casting	15 - 40	4 - 10	2	$200.00	$150.00


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## Garboman (Jul 22, 2010)

"Bait bitch... LOL.

Something tells me you fish in a more cramped space than what I'm used to. I generally have at least 150 yards between me and the nearest guy. But yeah, I'll get it in the general direction. Just probably not very far. "

In the fall on the OBX most of the fellas who exclusively fish for Drum, do so off the Planks, and with the lessening choices of piers on the OBX the conditions are cramped, similar to an overcrowded "Prison" ......"Pilgrims" who slow down the "system" rarely have much fun and usually they either go back to the solitude of the beach or they offer their services as a bait bitch in an effort to fit in with the crowd and be accepted or at least tolerated...


I was a bait bitch in the 1980's............it only hurts for a little while........you get used to it


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## solid7 (Dec 31, 2010)

Garboman said:


> "Bait bitch... LOL.
> 
> Something tells me you fish in a more cramped space than what I'm used to. I generally have at least 150 yards between me and the nearest guy. But yeah, I'll get it in the general direction. Just probably not very far. "
> 
> ...



I fish alone... Yeah-ah with nobody else. When I fish alone.. (duh duh duh duh) I PREFER to be by myseeeelllffff!

Seriously, no piers for me. I don't put up with that ****. I'm on the beach, or I'm staying home.

No bait bitchin' for me.


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## Garboman (Jul 22, 2010)

"Seriously, no piers for me. I don't put up with that ****. I'm on the beach, or I'm staying home."

No problem it eliminates overcrowding

Up on the OBX the best place on the sand to catch large Drum is way more crowded than the planks. If you go to non prime spots you have non prime results....

Beach conditions are worse than the well oiled "planking machine" as in one semi confused Pilgrim every ten feet in a conga line of two hundred people makes for true misery in my mind. Nothing like ten rods in a tangle with a Drum attached to your hook in the midst.


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## solid7 (Dec 31, 2010)

Garboman said:


> "Seriously, no piers for me. I don't put up with that ****. I'm on the beach, or I'm staying home."
> 
> No problem it eliminates overcrowding
> 
> ...


Hopefully you can appreciate what I'm about to say here...

I'd rather spend all day in the company of a few honest gents, with less than spectacular results, than be in the middle of a hot bite with a multitude of twits. I just don't have the temprament for that. Nature is spectacular, and I can enjoy it as such. 

So what's up with that, anyway? I didn't realize the fisherman to fisherplace ratio was so small up there. Are we just spoiled down here?


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## Garboman (Jul 22, 2010)

"I'd rather spend all day in the company of a few honest gents, with less than spectacular results, than be in the middle of a hot bite with a multitude of twits. I just don't have the temprament for that. Nature is spectacular, and I can enjoy it as such. "

I spent a great deal of time out enjoying nature on the OBX, in Florida, In California beach towns, enjoying nature is not Drum Fishing, Drum Fishing is more of an athletic event.

When I am fishing for the Red Drum, I have a driving need to get bowed up and I will put up with what I have to in order to be in the right place at the right time. I am not out enjoying nature, I am out competing with myself, my friends, my associates, my rivals, and in some cases my actual long time enemies.....my goal is simple get as many Drum as possible, return them safely to the water so that we can enjoy them again next year. It is a pure competition, and you are competing against serious people who have spent decades developing their skills. It actually can be tormenting at times, especially if you are having an off day in some manner.

Your thread request was for a casting rod for Sharks, I have caught hundreds, if not thousands of Sharks on a bait that was cast out. I was speaking of my experience in my recommendations for a proper casting rod

In the process of Drum Fishing , you will run into hundreds upon hundreds of Sharks from punk ass sharpnoses up into the large type varieties of Dusky, Bull and the unknown monsters that spool you or just bite you off clean on the first chomp. Sharks are considered "vermin" and in the mind of the Drum fishermen, the fella who decked only one paper Drum, and had no other runs had a much more productive day than that a long caster that spent seven or eight hours continuously bowed up to dozens of Sharks.....

OBX is very predictable for prime locations and can be crowded in peak season, you can find solitude up on Pea Island come late October if you choose, If I am able to fish I will be on Rodanthe or Avon with the rest of the fellas....


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## NC KingFisher (Nov 20, 2011)

Them punky sharpnose make good bait though


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