# Castable shark leaders for the surf



## Fatback (Aug 6, 2003)

Hey fellows, its middle of winter and I'm doing what I normally do this time of year, making up next seasons surf rigs. Just got done with a nice batch of this years castable shark leaders and thought I'd share. These shark rigs are designed for my 12' OM heavy rod paired with five to eight ounce sputnik style sinker and a big hunk of bait. These are the latest version of what has become an evolution that has been going on for many years now. I'm quite pleased with them and would like to show them off. This rig has easily landed many five footers, a dozen or so six footers and even has gotten me a seven footer. 
This rig is solid ya'll, as far as castable shark rigs go, it has yet to fail me. I've had some feisty ones do a number on the the first few inches, but, overall I think this rig is capable of beaching a nine/ten footer. I'm gunning for my first eight footer this season, my hopes are high. 

All comments or criticism are welcome.



Overall view of rig..................









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The business end...............









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The first ten inches......................









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The sinker slide with stop.........









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The top few inches that attaches to rub/shock leader............









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Another view of the whole assembly..................









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What do ya'll think?


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## Jollymon (May 21, 2015)

Nice, have you cast it yet


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## ohio13 (Jan 25, 2017)

That is pretty good. I will try to get some pics of the ones I make.


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## poppop1 (Feb 16, 2004)

Real nice, especially like the way you wrapped around the hook and swivel. Doubling the wire with a twist is a real good idea, what is the # rating on the wire?. Have you ever had any issues with those type sinker slides throwing heavy weights? I messed with wire years ago but must have bought the wrong kind as it was stiff and hard to work with, also kinked to easy. You may have to try one of those new leaders around the 2nd full week of Feb., I think that is when my son and family will be there on Tybee.


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## Jollymon (May 21, 2015)

I do like the rig , I have a few questions, What kind of wire is that, what Lb.test why did you use that plastic slide instead of a swivel, and last does your wife know you've been in
her jewelry box for your pearl beads.


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## pods (Sep 10, 2013)

I like it. I have strayed away from single strand wire. Too many kinks. Here's a trick I do to allow for a long abrasion leader. When I attach it to the bite leader, I leave about an inch of a tag sticking out from the crimp. When I go to cast, I hook the loop by the hook on the tag, that way I can have a 6 foot abrasion leader along with a bite leader, and I can cast it.
Can't wait to get on the sand already!


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## SloppyTilapia (Oct 4, 2013)

I make mine very similarly, without the double twists on each end. What is your overall length and do you have any problems with helicoptering baits out without the sinker stop being a little closer to the hook? Also, do you use a separate rig for your drum fishing, or this is your one size fits all? Thanks


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## spydermn (Apr 26, 2009)

Looks like my rigs that I use except mine are made out of 400# mono to 150#mono to shock to main. I like the offshore loop connections. How hard was it in the cable? 

I have not had a lot of experience with sharks but what I have had smaller fish are weary to bite a lot of metal, hence the mono

I hope you have a good pair of gloves...


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## spydermn (Apr 26, 2009)

Also what size sputnik are you throwing?


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## Fatback (Aug 6, 2003)

poppop1 said:


> Real nice, especially like the way you wrapped around the hook and swivel. Doubling the wire with a twist is a real good idea, what is the # rating on the wire?. Have you ever had any issues with those type sinker slides throwing heavy weights? I messed with wire years ago but must have bought the wrong kind as it was stiff and hard to work with, also kinked to easy. You may have to try one of those new leaders around the 2nd full week of Feb., I think that is when my son and family will be there on Tybee.


Thanks. The twist in the wire does two things. One it removes stress on the crimps which makes the connection VERY strong. Two, near the hook it adds a great deal of abrasion resistance against a sharks teeth when its violently head shaking. In a prolonged fight this is important. And the top of the twist on the hook end acts as a sinker slide stop, which means one less thing to deal with.

Its 135 lb wire.

Yes I had a problem with thrown weights when I used to use the snap that came with the slide. Now I remove that snap and add the snap in the picture, no issues now.


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## Fatback (Aug 6, 2003)

Jollymon said:


> I do like the rig , I have a few questions, What kind of wire is that, what Lb.test why did you use that plastic slide instead of a swivel, and last does your wife know you've been in
> her jewelry box for your pearl beads.


The wire is; AFW SURFSTRAND 1x7 stainless steel leader/trolling wire, 135 lb test, camo color. I buy it in 30 ft spools.

I use the plastic slides because I have a bunch of them, they look cool, and I like the way they kinda get stuck up near the swivel after hook up. Stays away from the sharks head. I use a regular snap swivel sometimes to.

Yep', it was a little awkward at first when the wife caught me checking out her jewelry, but its ok now.


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## Fatback (Aug 6, 2003)

pods said:


> I like it. I have strayed away from single strand wire. Too many kinks. Here's a trick I do to allow for a long abrasion leader. When I attach it to the bite leader, I leave about an inch of a tag sticking out from the crimp. When I go to cast, I hook the loop by the hook on the tag, that way I can have a 6 foot abrasion leader along with a bite leader, and I can cast it.
> Can't wait to get on the sand already!


I messed around with a clip system, abandoned it, to messy and fouled easily. I like simple, besides I attach the rig to 16' of 80 lb mono for a rub/shock leader.


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## Fatback (Aug 6, 2003)

SloppyTilapia said:


> I make mine very similarly, without the double twists on each end. What is your overall length and do you have any problems with helicoptering baits out without the sinker stop being a little closer to the hook? Also, do you use a separate rig for your drum fishing, or this is your one size fits all? Thanks


Overall length is about 32-34 inches.

I don't have any trouble helicoptering. I think mainly because of the large heavy baits I'm tossing and my cast is a slow lob. I don't like having the weight close to the hook. A few extra yards in distance is not that important when sharking, they will find the bait. 

Yes, my Drum rig is different, although I landed many Drum with the shark rig. Yes, my sinker stop on my Drum rig is much closer to the hook to prevent helicoptering and gain distance.


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## Fatback (Aug 6, 2003)

spydermn said:


> Looks like my rigs that I use except mine are made out of 400# mono to 150#mono to shock to main. I like the offshore loop connections. How hard was it in the cable?
> 
> I have not had a lot of experience with sharks but what I have had smaller fish are weary to bite a lot of metal, hence the mono
> 
> I hope you have a good pair of gloves...


The Flemish eyes, offshore loops as you call um, do take practice to master, but not any harder than mastering a knot.

Mono is ok but I don't use it because sometimes you have to catch a bunch of smaller sharks before you get to a big one. Each one of those little sharks put nicks and cuts in your mono and when you hook a big one your leader is already compromised. Might have to change rigs often. With wire the little guys don't seem to affect it. And more importantly I'm gunning for sharks bigger than 6'. I've had six foot Blacktips maul my wire after a prolonged fight, not sure if mono would land the big guys.

I'm aware of the wire vs mono debate when it comes to leader shy fish. But hen it comes to sharks 
I don't think it matters much. Just like Redfish, metal does not matter.


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## Fatback (Aug 6, 2003)

spydermn said:


> Also what size sputnik are you throwing?


I use Gemini Breakaway sinkers in 5, 6, and 8 ounces.


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## spydermn (Apr 26, 2009)

Thank for the info. I may have to try with cable. 

Never heard them called flemish eyes, but it sounds cooler 

I was looking on ebay at lead the other day. Seems to be the way to go if you cannot cast it yourself. Normally I use FT or pyramids but been looking to add a couple sputnkiks to the collection


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## Fatback (Aug 6, 2003)

spydermn said:


> Thank for the info. I may have to try with cable.
> 
> Never heard them called flemish eyes, but it sounds cooler
> 
> I was looking on ebay at lead the other day. Seems to be the way to go if you cannot cast it yourself. Normally I use FT or pyramids but been looking to add a couple sputnkiks to the collection


Frog Tongues are good, I sometimes use them on my grocery rods. But for sharks sputnik style is the only way to go. Why? Because for your circle hook to work correctly there must be enough resistance when your bait is picked up to get it started in the sharks jaw. Without that resistance the shark will mouth the bait, feel the hook and drop it. Bottom line is you will have more hook ups using a sinker that will hold bottom.

Here is a link to pics of the Gimini Breakaway sinkers I use....................

https://www.google.com/search?q=gem...ved=0ahUKEwjEz9iX3-DRAhVHLyYKHXG0DkgQ_AUIBygC


Here is a link to where I buy them.................................

http://www.petessinkhers.com/Page_2.html#21._GEMINI_BREAKAWAY_SINKERS


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## pods (Sep 10, 2013)

I just bought a couple of moulds from UK hooks for sputniks (75 g and 4 oz). I hated going to the tackle shop and them not having the Sea Striker ones in stock. 
They were pricey, but man they are pretty. Still waiting for their 6 and 8 oz to be stocked. I will have plenty of sputniks for this year! And they use the tubing on the side instead of the beads, which I always seemed to break.


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## MadDawgJ (Apr 16, 2016)

Well it's about time you post your rig recipe! To rip off your previous design I had to search for all your posts and read through the 20-30 where you gave away one or two pieces of info on how you made them. 

I usually use black coated wire since I have plenty of it with a different style weight slider and this design works flawlessly. Landed plenty of toothies and some massive pissed off carhoods with them and never any failures. Even had a 10/0 Octo Circle straightened while the rig held. Pulled in multiple fighters with each before retiring them and once you figure out how, they are very quick and easy to make. Never had an issue with helicoptering but like Fatback I don't swing for the fences with this rig. Plenty of toothies in the shallows and the fresh whiting hunk brings them into you. 

The geminis are incredible with circle hooks, they make the fish set the hook themselves even with the grocery rod. I use them on my hi/low, double drop, what ever else it's called, and they do a great job of hooking up dinner while I'm busy fighting biguns on the glory rod.


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## Fatback (Aug 6, 2003)

I hear ya MadDawg, I finally spilled the beans. But, dang it, its only taken me a decade to get to where I'm 100 percent satisfied with it. 

I used to believe that coated cable was the way to go, not so much anymore. During testing I would get slippage threw the crimps. Not every time but some of the time, and the chance of losing a fish of a lifetime, well hell that is no good. Using regular cable solved that problem. And after landing a couple of toothies the coating comes off anyway. And I used to think the sharks could pick up the magnetic field of metal, hence the coated wire. Its BS, sharks are mindless eating machines and a thin piece of metal cable ain't gonna change that.

Big time tip, pay attention ya'll, 1) use the correct crimp size, 2) use a real crimping tool, 3) learn how to crimp correctly, there is only one way, google it, 4) use brass/copper crimps with stainless steel, aluminum crimps are for mono. 5) use double barrel crimps, single sleeves are worthless.

For 135 lb stainless cable I use .8 mm double barrel crimps. The .8 crimps are hard to find, amazon has them. 

Anybody care to show off their castable shark leader? Would love to see what others go with.


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## mdsurffishing (Dec 31, 2013)

what Mustad hook is that in the picture?


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## Fatback (Aug 6, 2003)

mdsurffishing said:


> what Mustad hook is that in the picture?


Well sir, not to down play the significance of the Norwegians contributions to the manufacturing of fine fishing hooks, after all they have been making hooks and fishing for many centuries, the hook pictured are not from Mustad but is from Gamakatsu. It is a Big Eye Circle hook. Made of tin and very strong, sharp out of the package, and it remains sharp after many uses. In fact, they don't rust or get dull, they only get darker as you use them. The stainless cable in this rig will wear out or get damaged, but I will just put the hook on a new rig. The one pictured is a 8/0. Guess its obvious I have confidence in them.


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## mdsurffishing (Dec 31, 2013)

Fatback said:


> Well sir, not to down play the significance of the Norwegians contributions to the manufacturing of fine fishing hooks, after all they have been making hooks and fishing for many centuries, the hook pictured are not from Mustad but is from Gamakatsu. It is a Big Eye Circle hook. Made of tin and very strong, sharp out of the package, and it remains sharp after many uses. In fact, they don't rust or get dull, they only get darker as you use them. The stainless cable in this rig will wear out or get damaged, but I will just put the hook on a new rig. The one pictured is a 8/0. Guess its obvious I have confidence in them.


Nice rig, I like the shape of that hook, nobody around here sells them large enough. I'll have to see if I can find them in a 12/0.


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## Fatback (Aug 6, 2003)

Bass Pro has um' in 12/0 and Tackle Direct sells um' to, I think, be prepared to pay some $$$, upside is they last. The 8/0 comes in a four pack, anything bigger is in a three pack. A solid quality hook and did I mention strong. Don't skimp on the part that attaches to the fish, cool?


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## mdsurffishing (Dec 31, 2013)

BPS has them for $15 for a 2 pack, I might have to switch to them if I can't find my goto hooks. Thanks for the info


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## js1172 (Jun 5, 2012)

I buy them off ebay, 1' of 270 cable, 3' of 200# mono, a 14/0 circle, never had a problem
js


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## MadDawgJ (Apr 16, 2016)

14/0 circle? You going for whales? Lol. I use high quality 7/0, 8/0 or 10/0s and bring in sea monsters that smoke my drag washers and sometimes my arms. I love how everyone has a different style.


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## pods (Sep 10, 2013)

MadDawgJ said:


> 14/0 circle? You going for whales? Lol. I use high quality 7/0, 8/0 or 10/0s and bring in sea monsters that smoke my drag washers and sometimes my arms. I love how everyone has a different style.


14/0 is for castable rigs. Wait till you get into the 24/0 for the yakked rigs. Big as your hand.


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## mdsurffishing (Dec 31, 2013)

11/0 is a nice size for anything up to 10' as long as you don't bulldog it in the wash, but a 12/0 - 14/0 hook does make sure it gets a corner hook-up much nicer. I don't trust anything I don't build, I like the Catch all tackle #175lb coated wire, I just strip back to bare on the crimping area because it will slip before the hook bends.


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