# Shark Rig 101



## Jawbonez

After receiving several PM's on how do I make my Shark rigs I decided to do a 101 on the subject. First off I would like to apologize to Mark55 for the delay in the making of this. I was laid up from some recent health issues. So here we go.

Firstly I'am in no way a expert on the subject of sharking. Do I have very good success? Yes I do. Partly because I've evolved my techniques and my rigs to the type of shark I'm fishing for. There are many types of rigs you can use and make that work great. Many people on this forum also could chime in with thier rigs and experience. Keep in mind while your reading this 101 these are the rigs and setup I use but by far not the only way. I myself have as many as 20 different rigs I use depending on which type of shark I'm going after. In this 101 I will show you some of these rigs but will be specifically showing you how to make my favorite rig that will pretty much work on any shark including monster tigers. Also keep in mind me and my son do all our shark fishing from the shore and we use kayaks to take our bait out. Now these rigs could be just placed in the surf if no kayak is available. We all know our tooth friends lurk even in knee deep waters.

These are me and my sons reels we use for sharking Mine is a Shimano tiagra 50 with 1000 yards of power pro 100lb test. His is a Shimano TLD 25 with 700 yards of power pro 80lb test. Once again any reel could be used just keep in mind have plently of line and a solid drag system.








These are the basic things you will need to make this specific rig. 10ft 400lb mono, 2ft 174lb solid strand wire, 2-#16 rubber bands, rig wheel, 350lb test barell swivel, 300lb test aussie swivel, steel thimble, Large hook. I like Diachi 12/0 13/0 improved circle hooks, and a crimp set.
















On the subjects of hooks, Many time these huge hooks are used especially J hooks I myself find they are not needed especially if you plan on practicing catch and release. J hooks can cause extreme damage to the shark So I use circle hooks only that are actually not even that big. My shark hooks are also the same I use for red drum.








On to the rig making first take a 2ft piece of 174lb solid wire and haywire twist the aussie swivel on.








to the other end of this wire haywire twist your hook on.








this part complete will look this this.








Next take your 10ft mono and place your 2.2mm double barrel crimp sleeve on and crimp this to your aussie swivel.








Now you want to get your barrel swivel out and with needle nose plyers compress your thimble in place.








The other end of your 10ft mono place your 2.2mm crimp sleeve thread through thimble pull tight and crimp.








And thats the completed rig.








Why the rubber bands you ask. Well I use one attached to the hook for brideling my bait to the hook and the other I place on the barrel swivel to hold the completed rig on the rig wheel till use.
















Now a little about this rig. Obviously the solid strand wire is for the sharks toothy parts. Using circle hooks that mostly catch in the corner of the mouth the 2ft piece is plently long enough to prevent bite off. The 10ft section of mono is to prevent the sharks body or tail from cutting the line. With sharks they tend to roll into the line or jump and roll depending on the species either way their bodys and tails are sharp sorta say. Of course the swivel are for line twist during this battle. Now why do I like this rig so much. In my expeirence several interesting things occur with shark fishing. One they can be very shy to alot of steel cable and wire. They actually can sense it and this will prevent a strike. By eliminating all cable and wire except the 2ft for bite off protection my strike and hook ups have increased drastically. Also with this rig after catching a shark just cut the solid wire, release the shark and attach a new 2ft wire with hook to the existing mono rig and walla new shark rig. The 10 ft mono depending on what sharks you catch should last you a many shark battles. I will also post some photos of other shark rigs and things I use shark fishing. But first I want to get this up.


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## Jawbonez

As in my earlier post me and my son practice catch and release. While doing this we were informed by a member here about the apex predator tagging program. This is ran by NOAA out of New Jersey. We made the call and they sent us all the info plus the tags and dart tool. So now we tag and release all our sharks. The tags come with a card you fill out info on the shark and mail back to the program. Heres a pic.











One note on hooks. I never use light circle hooks anymore. These are 7/0 mutu light circle chunk hooks. I do like the size of these hooks and also do like the open gap the hook has. Hook ups were very easy with this hook but as the pic shows on large sharks they dont hold..











Here is some various rigs with brief explanations.

174lb solid wire, hook, aussie swivel.











10ft 480lb multistrand cable, swivels, 6ft 175lb multistrand cable,hook. This rig works well for monsters otherwise dont use. Smaller sharks wont go near it because of all the steel.











10ft 480lb multistrand cable hook swivel. Once again great for monsters but too much steel for anything else.












Various shark rigs ready and waiting.











I wrote this to try to help people with their rigs hopefully this 101 was helpful. I also showed many different rigs I use. So theres no wrong or right rig. Try many rigs and see what works for you and above all keep your lines tight and have fun cause thats what its all about!!!!


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## Drumdum

*When I shark fish I do with a j and no crimps...*

But like you said,no right-wrong way to do it...

Your post is the REAL DEAL,and it is much appreciated,will add much sharking knowlege to this board.. Thanks for taking the time...


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## Jawbonez

Drumdum said:


> But like you said,no right-wrong way to do it...
> 
> Your post is the REAL DEAL,and it is much appreciated,will add much sharking knowlege to this board.. Thanks for taking the time...


Thanks for the response.


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## SmoothLures

Neat stuff, thanks for sharing.


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## Jawbonez

Also I wanted to note these rigs could be weighted for bottom fishing or a float could be attached or my personal favorite free line the bait depending on what the currents are doing. 

When I yak my baits out I come back to shore and place the drag to a light setting. Several reasons for this 

1. I want the shark to take the bait with little resistence. Keep in mind most sharks grab the bait run off then consume. If the drag is set to tight it may pull the bait from the shark or the shark will release it. If the shark releases it because of this just lower your drag and wait they usually return for a second bite.

2. Since I use circle hooks you dont have to "set" the hook instead by having a low drag setting the shark will swim off with the bait. After you wait a few seconds so the shark is eating the bait just slowly increase your drag and this will set the circle hook.


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## basstardo

Nice rigs. I want to mess with biters more this year hopefully.


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## Oldmulletbreath

opcorn:*EXCELLENT *


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## BubbaHoTep

Great post, Jawbonez!


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## Mark55

outstanding Jawbonz! Very much appreciated, and thank you for taking the time and trouble to put this together.


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## RuddeDogg

Nice. Thanks for sharing.


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## mtbrider

Nice


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## Shooter

Nice looking rigs,, just one question, would rubber coated steel cable work just as well and thus being coated kill the sharks sence of steel??


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## inshoreangler95

Very nice post bonez! This will surely create alot of hype about sharking on here! I had a question, what purpose do the steel thimbles serve? I hadnt heard of those before!


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## bcssux

thanks for the info! cant wait for summer now!


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## sprtsracer

GREAT POST! I'll make some up and give it a shot. Are you using alluminum crimps on the mono? Doesn't look like it in the photo, and would probably be too weak anyway. Second, have you ever had a failure at either of the crimps? The reason I ask is that I usually "double crimp" mine with a bout 1"-2" between them in case one fails.


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## basstardo

I've used crimps like that before and haven't had one fail, but I've never really gotten ahold of a sea monster other than huge rays. I'd be interested to see how easily one would actually fail.


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## Hannibal

I build more of a "standard" rig as part hobby/part use. Based on your explination, I would say they are meant more for the bigger boys as they do utilize a good bit of steel. But I tend to use them when yakking out baits.

I've been thinking about "downsizing" the rigs and making a few short range setups. Last year in Assateague, we had a bout of breakoffs through-out the night that we blame on the toothy guys. We weren't fishing our shark rigs, just regular drum-type setups. Thought about making a shark rig with a 2' steel cable/wire to protect it from teeth - right up to a heavier mono line. Something a bit easier to cast out into the breakers for when yakking doesn't work ............ say after dark (that is a "no way" for me). Right now, my steel line is 400# but I am thinking about going smaller diameter. Just not sure how I want to do it.

Good write up. Like the smaller vs more hookups comment. Makes a lot of sense.


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## abass105

Very nice post. Thanks for sharing. I am sure the information will certainly be put to use in the upcoming months.:fishing:


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## Jawbonez

Shooter said:


> Nice looking rigs,, just one question, would rubber coated steel cable work just as well and thus being coated kill the sharks sence of steel??


I read a study on this once and yes it did block the sharks sense of the steel but the coating was so thick it made the cable impractical. To answer your question though it would work. Thanks for the comments


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## Jawbonez

inshoreangler95 said:


> Very nice post bonez! This will surely create alot of hype about sharking on here! I had a question, what purpose do the steel thimbles serve? I hadnt heard of those before!


The purpose of the thimble is for line chaffing against the ring of the barrel swivel. Another words from the tension on the 400lb mono against the ring the line would pinch down if this makes sense. The thimble keeps the line round and supports the line from pinching down. Hope this helps. They are commonly used for large sport fish.


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## Jawbonez

sprtsracer said:


> GREAT POST! I'll make some up and give it a shot. Are you using alluminum crimps on the mono? Doesn't look like it in the photo, and would probably be too weak anyway. Second, have you ever had a failure at either of the crimps? The reason I ask is that I usually "double crimp" mine with a bout 1"-2" between them in case one fails.


No aluminum. You are correct the aluminum failed on me many times and I do not us them anymore. The ones in the photos are double barrel copper sleeves. The 1.9mm and 2.2mm are long and I have yet to have them fail even on large tiger sharks. Actually I had more problems with hooks straighten out when I used the light hooks in the pics. Some people double crimp their rigs and it works well but personally I never had needed to yet. Hope this helps.


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## Jawbonez

Hannibal said:


> I build more of a "standard" rig as part hobby/part use. Based on your explination, I would say they are meant more for the bigger boys as they do utilize a good bit of steel. But I tend to use them when yakking out baits.
> 
> I've been thinking about "downsizing" the rigs and making a few short range setups. Last year in Assateague, we had a bout of breakoffs through-out the night that we blame on the toothy guys. We weren't fishing our shark rigs, just regular drum-type setups. Thought about making a shark rig with a 2' steel cable/wire to protect it from teeth - right up to a heavier mono line. Something a bit easier to cast out into the breakers for when yakking doesn't work ............ say after dark (that is a "no way" for me). Right now, my steel line is 400# but I am thinking about going smaller diameter. Just not sure how I want to do it.
> 
> Good write up. Like the smaller vs more hookups comment. Makes a lot of sense.



The rigs with all steel are typically for hogs. I use these specifically if looking for large tigers and such. The reason I use the 480lb steel 10ft cable ones is the rig being so much metal keeps all the blacktip,spinners and other small sharks away but the big bulls and tigers dont mind that much steel. So in a way only the monsters will hit it. Now the Rig I showed how to make with the mono and 2ft solid wire all sharks will hit this including tigers, bulls, spinners, blacktips and such. Its probably my best rounded shark rig and the nicest to use because only the 2ft wire really takes a beating so thats all that needs replaced instead of the whole rig. When the all metal ones get used they take a beating from kinks on the solid wire to frays on the steel cable plus after they soak a while they begin to rust quickly. I've actually have a new rig thats all mono that I've recently made that I will be testing this year. If it works out well I post it also. Its a little different then just one piece straight mono but it has no steel at all. The sharks hit it fast and a couple tests last year look promising. Hope this was helpful.


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## Jawbonez

Thanks to all for the positive reples.


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## Brandy

I don't have a Yak so in trying to successfully shark from the beach via casting - what changes would you suggest to the rig so that it would well? Also what reels would you suggest?


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## lil red jeep

Great info! Might I nominate this for the "Bible".


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## Hannibal

Brandy said:


> I don't have a Yak so in trying to successfully shark from the beach via casting - what changes would you suggest to the rig so that it would well? Also what reels would you suggest?


I guess this is for anyone to answer:

Personally, I use a Penn 950ssm on a 12' OM heavy rod. Can handle 12oz + and the reel holds 300+ yards of 65# power pro. 

For my rig, it's a 14/0 circle hook onto a 3' steel 400# wire (crimped). Wire then connects to 250lb mono section (via crimp and swivel) up to the running line (albright). With the large eye on the OM - you can get away with a bigger knot but given the thickness of the mono - you have to try to make it as small as possible. 

When making the crimp between the wire leader and mono leader, I feed the wire end through the crimp a little longer than needed (by about 1/2"). This allows me to bend it back, creating a "hook" that I can hang my baited hook on (cuts down on casting length).

With the large cast lock swivel sliding along the mono line (ala fish finder rig), the would put the weight and the bait at the same spot (when clipped to the wire hook) - allowing me to cast and avoid the helicopter affect.

I also cover the hook and first 4" of steel line with painted on electrical "tape". Choose "red" as in I really didn't think it mattered but maybe (as they say with some store bought red hooks) mimic "blood". Kind of doubt it due to how color is affected by water depths (all turns grey at some point).


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## charlesw

Cool setup. I only have one question. Where do I get some of those cool rig wheels?


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## obxflea

*casting for sharks*

I would prefer a penn 555gs or a daiwa 40 or 50 size packed with 40-50# braid and a 80 yard topshot of 40-50# mono and a 80-100# shock leader. I fit about 550yds total on my reels. Caught lots of sharks with them casting and also use them when yakin baits. IMO you gotta have some mono on top of the braid to give a little stretch, around 60-100yds. It doesnt kill your hook setting ability with 400yds of line out, it has worked pretty well for us. As for the rig I use about 3-4 feet of 300# mono. This is hard to explain.... here goes.... slide two 400# crimps onto the 300#, next the hook put about 14" or so through the eye with one crimp down by the eye like you would normally crimp on a hook and the other at the end of the 14" you put through the eye. So no you have the hook hanging on the 300 with one crimp an inch or so away and the other is 14" or so up the rig at the tag end. Take a piece of 80 or 90# single strand bend it around the hook or something round so you dont kink it. Once you have it folded in half it should be a bit longer than the 14" or so of the doubled 300. put it through the eye of the hook and through the first crimp(in the middle of the 300# mono) and then through the second crimp. Back to the crimp at the eye of the hook, get the wire and mono straight so one doesnt have more slack than the other and make sure they are not crossed, crimp away. Go to the second crimp get the wird and your mono the same length and crimp away. Break off the excess wire, now you have two strands of mono and two strands of wire between the crimps looks like a mess ala fireline20. Tightly wrap from the the hook with electrical tape to the second crimp, now everything is nice and tidy. Slide a snapswivel and crimp on a swivel and you are ready to cast away. I have had BIG problems with sharks not wanting to pick up a bait attatched to a wire rig, alot of pick up and drops. With this "rig" that has not been the case the bite it as if it were a drum rig. This rig has caught several big hammerheads, blacktips, sandbars, duskys, sandtigers, drum, etc. 

As for hooks, CIRCLE HOOKS SUCK!!!! I only use J hooks from 9/0-12/0. I have NEVER gut hook a fish all are in the corner of the mouth. I have lost too many fish using a circle, they rarely get around the jaw bone. Ususally hooked in the skin which can pull out or in the jaw which will straighten them out as you have seen. When the hook is holding from the tip and not the bend like in a "set" hook the leverage to straighten it is much greater. Especially on a shark that has wrapped your line around his body. I have had 16/0 mustad circles and 350# swivels send back to me straight...... GOOD LUCK!!!


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## fairwxflyer

Wow, thats interesting. Ive been using Owner circle hooks for a long time and have never had an issue. I think a previous thread beat circles vs. J's to death, so I wont make it long. As long as your bait isnt covering the gap in the circle hook, you are fine. I even pull back the gap a bit further with pliers. The problem people have with circles is because they set the hook like maniacs, imho. I loosen my drag a bit until I feel the fish, then I tighten the drag about 10 seconds later when I know she has the bait. You have to remember that smaller sharks are even less likely to want eat even a small finger mullet whole. More commonly, a few strikes at the bait. Set the hook too fast and too hard, doesnt matter what kinda hook you use, forget the catch altogether. Using circles are more of a finesse game when hooking up, J's tend to strike quicker. But you really limit your bite offs when you hook a shark in the corner of her mouth versus a gut hook so she can eat right up thru your PLASTIC mono leader. I use all 49 strand 480# cable coated with PlastiDip, never had an issue. I do like the 0.095 diameter weedeater line though on some pulley rigs! Hope it helps.


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## Fireline20

obxflea said:


> As for hooks, CIRCLE HOOKS SUCK!!!! I only use J hooks from 9/0-12/0. I have NEVER gut hook a fish all are in the corner of the mouth. I have lost too many fish using a circle, they rarely get around the jaw bone. Ususally hooked in the skin which can pull out or in the jaw which will straighten them out as you have seen. When the hook is holding from the tip and not the bend like in a "set" hook the leverage to straighten it is much greater. Especially on a shark that has wrapped your line around his body. I have had 16/0 mustad circles and 350# swivels send back to me straight...... GOOD LUCK!!!


Is your name Quint?


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## Jawbonez

charlesw said:


> Cool setup. I only have one question. Where do I get some of those cool rig wheels?


I got mine at boaters world. They have a online store also. Hope this helps.


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## Jawbonez

fairwxflyer said:


> Wow, thats interesting. Ive been using Owner circle hooks for a long time and have never had an issue. I think a previous thread beat circles vs. J's to death, so I wont make it long. As long as your bait isnt covering the gap in the circle hook, you are fine. I even pull back the gap a bit further with pliers. The problem people have with circles is because they set the hook like maniacs, imho. I loosen my drag a bit until I feel the fish, then I tighten the drag about 10 seconds later when I know she has the bait. You have to remember that smaller sharks are even less likely to want eat even a small finger mullet whole. More commonly, a few strikes at the bait. Set the hook too fast and too hard, doesnt matter what kinda hook you use, forget the catch altogether. Using circles are more of a finesse game when hooking up, J's tend to strike quicker. But you really limit your bite offs when you hook a shark in the corner of her mouth versus a gut hook so she can eat right up thru your PLASTIC mono leader. I use all 49 strand 480# cable coated with PlastiDip, never had an issue. I do like the 0.095 diameter weedeater line though on some pulley rigs! Hope it helps.


Totally agree with you on the circle hooks. The drag technique you describe is exactly how I stated in this thread that I fish my shark rigs. As for all other fishing I use circles exclusively and the fish hook themselves. Once the rod starts jumping just pick up and start reeling and fish on....


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## Jawbonez

lil red jeep said:


> Great info! Might I nominate this for the "Bible".


Nominate away I think the replys are pretty much done.


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## BubbaHoTep

lil red jeep said:


> Great info! Might I nominate this for the "Bible".


I second the nomination!

Again, great post, Jawbonez!


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## Jawbonez

BubbaHoTep said:


> I second the nomination!
> 
> Again, great post, Jawbonez!


Thanks Brother.


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## charlesw

Jawbonez said:


> I got mine at boaters world. They have a online store also. Hope this helps.


Thanks, I found some there. they sure will help my tackle bag.


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## Jawbonez

charlesw said:


> Thanks, I found some there. they sure will help my tackle bag.


Glad I could help


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