# Patrick AFB night sharking



## cpn_aaron (Apr 11, 2006)

Yaked a short line (~100 yds) and a long line (~250 yds) on Friday. No moon and a load of heat lightning. MAde me nervous, but I did ok. Had two screaming runs who refused to take the hook. Then nothing until I packed up to go home. My double hook rig felt heavier than the monster 18" mullet I had used and I found out why. 







Unfortunately this little male blacktip (36 3/4" FL)had got caught on my long line and never took out any noticeable line (many waves so little runs of line was normal due to seaweed and waves pulling line off spool). he was stone dead so I guess he became a keeper. Good news is he became a teaching shark. Check out my post in the recipes forum as I used him as a way to teach a meat saving filleting technique.
http://www.pierandsurf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=30261
I'm fishing tomorrow so hopefully I'll have more to report about tmorrow.
Tight lines homies


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## KodiakZach (Mar 16, 2005)

Nice little toothy brotha! What size circles are those?


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## cpn_aaron (Apr 11, 2006)

20 o/ circles in a double hook configure to hold 14-18" baits are pictured. He was a greedy shark eating my 2 lb bait. Playlinda was a bust. I caught one 18" blue on a cast netted 2" mullet. Had some baits torn but all sharks were pretty hesitant with their bites and missed my hooks.


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## jettypark28 (Jun 23, 2006)

*I am*

thinking about trying sharking from the beach, since my last outing at Cocoa...fishing early morning notice boats chasing the baitpods...so i was fishing with large pinfish and some spots...(live) three poles..one set with 20lb line and 60lb mono leader...and had one with 80 pd leader...both got hit and i couldnt even turn or gain any line...then both got cut off...I changed to 100lb mono leader..it got hit...i was able to hold on for a little bit...and gain some line...then it got snap also (leader)...well seeing that i wasnt going to be beat i left and got ready for the next morning...this time i came back with wire leader...i talk to the guys at the bait shops and they said tarpons and kings were really close to the beach because of the bait pods...I have caught tarpons and even some big old amberjacks...and i was always able to turn some of them...and on the same poles and reels well i came back with livebait again and wire and even changed one reel to 40lb biggame ande line LOL...The first pole got hit so hard that i had to kick the spike down to get the pole out and this one was going to spool me..(drag was set HARD)...so i try to stop and it snap the line...the other pole got hit...(snook) piss me off heh heh...caught a few blues on the smaller setup...then I got hit again on the heavy wire...this one was a slow hard pulll...I mustve piss it off cause it just took off...and snap the wire leader in half....I was fishing close to the inlet...and one of the guys at the baitshop said the big sharks were also roaming the beaches after the baitpods...(and i was wading out there) And it was right at sunrise when all this happen...anyway what reel, line, rigs do you use for your sharking...I am looking at a penn 9/0 sentor reel....The reels i have couldnt stop them so i have to get something heavy...and all i have is spinning reels...so they won't hold the line that the Penn does..But i also was told that it didnt matter what i have...if the shark is big you won't get him in...what your feeling on that?? I hate getting my butt kick like that...I fought some big old snooks,jacks and even fought tarpon off the skyway...and none of them broke me off like that day at Cocoa...And even if it was a big King...I don't think he would have snap the wire that fast....Damn sharks..LOL.


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## cpn_aaron (Apr 11, 2006)

A Penn 9/0 would do the trick. I don't play nice anymore really. I took a while but the only way to have a fighting chance is to have some serious yds of high test mainline. I use a Daiwa saltist H50 reel since I'm too poor for Penn. The reel was made with braided lines and big fish in mind. It has the drag settings like big rods and all aluminum alloy construction so it can handle big tests. I use my spool full of 80 lb braid (~750 yds worth) and then a 15-20 ft 400lb mono leader. The high test mono leader is more for bite/rub offs than breaking strain. The braid has no stretch so the mono provides stretch when 80 lbs strain is near and the leader's thickness can handle a long fight rubbing against the shark's skin. I was about being sporting back in the day and using 100lb mono leaders so they could break it should I horse them, but it turns out I never got a shark in past 5 ft with that leader because their skin would abrade and snap the mono before the fight had even begun. The wire I use can actually be called cable. I use 49 strand 600lb cable to prevent bite offs (as you experienced). I use 4-5 ft of cable. So my rig is ~20-25 ft long meaning I can only yak it out, no casting.
I never wade fish around here. I just don't feel safe enough after seeing the types of sharks I can bring in and how close they are to shore (they take my short lines ~75 yds off shore costantly). As for spinning reels you can turn smaller sharks with them. I fish a okuma (forget brand, it's the biggest surf reel they make) spinning reel with 350 yds of 50lb braid ~75yds from shore and I've got sharks in that are just over 5 ft. The trick with the spinning rods is knowing what they can handle. They will not do well from shore if you don't have 200 yds of free line and are using scaled down baits and tackle meant for smaller sharks. I use my spinning reels for some real good fights with smaller sharks. So I downgrade all my tackle to shorter 200lb mono leaders with 275lb cable. The sharks can fight better this way and it's a real challenge getting them in that breaks up the boredom of waiting for a line 300 yds out to go screaming. Half the time you never get hit on your long line anyway. Makes you feel better to get something in for a photo and a brag to your buds,wife, gf, etc.
Last, you can always turn a huge shark, providing you have the equipment for it and some luck. In a boat you can chase the shark until he tires, from shore you're at his mercy. However, many times you can just run laterally along the beach with him as most sharks will just go north and south a certain distance out from the beach instead of just trucking for the open ocean. Just have plenty of line and patience. Good luck.


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## jettypark28 (Jun 23, 2006)

*Thanks*

for all that great info (cpn aaron) I really do appreciate it. I really couldnt find anything on sharking....and like you i don't want to kill them just be able to bring them and maybe take a picture (if i dont forget) I am always looking new fights...I went wide open on Snook a few years back....and now with all the new laws around the cape. You really cant fish from shore at nite without having somebody run you off...(at the cape) but i am ready to look for something big to fight from shore...People on boats don't have any idea what a piss off big fish can really do But i will start getting my rigs ready now...I can get a hold a yak...Not that big but it will do the job of getting the bait out there...I know i will be freaking out at first doing that...Having a big bloodly or live bait in your lap in a little yak and taking out in the ocean that will take some time to get use too..LOL...but i did just get a 30 gallon livewell to haul around...It was for Snook to use around and drive to brigdes...but it will work for this also...again thanks for all the great info...I will keep you update...or you might read about it in the paper...LOL....hope not


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## jettypark28 (Jun 23, 2006)

*Holy crap!!*

I kept on looking up sharkfishing..found a site called "Boatless fishing florida" and they have some guys really into Shark fishing...The pictures are scary if you think about the last time you waded in the surf...There is also a site called " shark fishingGoneWild.com" I am going to go and see how to post the site so you guys can see the pictures...But the reels and rigs they have are After seeing what is in the water with us at times...you always wonder I try not to think about it..but after seeing those pictures...It wise to have somebody with you if you are going to tackle with some of those monsters out there LOL...at least a Snook can't bite your leg off...But i am still going to build my shark pole and see what happens......Go check out those pictures sorry i don't know how to post them yet...they are great..and if you are looking into shark fishing this will open your eyes...I guess those little skinny four and five footer arent crap compare to these..


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## cpn_aaron (Apr 11, 2006)

Jetty, Those sub 6fters never are. Seems they start packing on the girth and mean spirit once they break the 6-6.5' mark. I've been to those sites and seen the fish they nail. Those guys are using huge tuna reels and huge rods with huge (2-3') baits. I personally avoid this type of fishing (but jealously wish I could do it) as I have to try my best to catch and release my fish all by my lonesome during the night and many times during the day.
About kayaking in the waves, the rough stuff keeps me from fishing during the night. I just don't feel comfortable yaking in the dark in rough seas without a buddy to keep tabs on me and the situation should something go wrong. How big is your kayak. I use a 10.5' cobra navigator myself. She's old, slow, and meant for river usage as she's a sit on top low tech girl. However, she is so bouyant that I can float over most rough surf and love using her to death. With enough practice at yaking in waves you can usually learn to get most yaks (within reason) launched and moving in bad waves. It's all practice and a knowledge of the waves patterns. You need on rough days to count the waves and run in and launch on the breaks and get speed quick. That way you can lean back and ride over the waves as they come without them turning or trying to flood/flip you. Rough weather launching seperates the men from the insane.


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## jettypark28 (Jun 23, 2006)

*yak*

It's not even my yak, a friend has one really small one i belive cause he said you can carry over your shoulder I have so many things that i am doing and things i really want to do But you know how that goes...And i kinda of figure those guys knew what they were doing. They are really into it, i am in the shark 101 class....But i am just like you, in trying to find time and somebody to go with you...Hell my GF saw those pictures..And i don't think she is going back into the water now She always been my fishing buddy at nite..well she goes to sleep in the truck after awhile...But at least she does try. And ever since i show her those sites, the brakes have been put on me...Cause she knows i fish alone most of the time like you. And i wouldnt get in anything to swim out bait...Hell they even show this guy swimming out bait on a surfboard at nite  When i was younger and dumber i might have done something close to being that stupid...But once you reach a certain age you like to know if you can keep getting older. LOL LOL...I understand those guys are really into it...can you imagine the money in line alone on one of those reels...Hell that would be like starting a new hobby all over again..I just wanted to add a few things Have you gotten monster like that in ??? the problem with me is after i see something like that. I wouldnt be so crazy to go out in a yak in the surf and then go out 100 yards or so...maybe during the day..Maybe...heh heh...but at nite..I can hear the music to Jaws already...heh heh...I am not quiting on it..I will just scale down everything LoL..But i will still get that 9/0 penn, just incase i decide later to tackle something bigger...I am trying to figure out what kind of Yak i want...Narrow it down to Manta Ray by Liquidlogic...it's 12'2" long 31" wide and weights 58lbs..list price is $725...I been wanting a Yak anyway and this is a good excuse... But after seeing some of those pictures...Pier fishing doesnt seen that bad...


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