# Maximum no. of hooks on a rod and reel . . . . etc.



## sarbot (Apr 10, 2012)

Been fishing the gulf piers and coming up empty handed for months since Dec 2011 - - watching many others do the same.
Unless you are after Kingfish or sharks, the pickins have been slim.

Thinking now about moving over to surf fishing SPIDS via Kayak.

TPW rules are not clear (2012 booklet).

I am not talking about throwlines, trotlines or saillines - - only rod and reel.

The Question: What is the maximum number of hooks one could legally use on a single rod and reel in surf fishing ?

TPW also does not define "fixtures".

Background: A huge number of surf fisherman now Kayak their lines out from the beach - - so number of hooks - - - or leader length - - - is not an issue because casting is not used and does not limit your ability to get a mass of hooks and baits out there.

Therefore, the importance of the prior question.

It's not a trotline, a throwline, or a sailine so those rulz don't apply - - this is a surf rod and reel.


No need to reel the hooks through the eyes of the pole . . . . the hooks and line are all prespooled on a 3 foot spool.

Just one snap swivel connects the entire rig to the pole line . . . and NO, it's not a trotline - - its, because it’s being fished from a fishing pole.


Can be unspooled on the beach for baiting in serpentine S shaped curves, then when all baited - - Kayak it out in the surf until buddy on the beach blows freon boat horn telling you line is tight on the rod and reel.


Or, if using live bait, you got a more interesting situation . . . . Kayaker cannot merely sit in the waves waiting for someone to bait each 100 foot section . . . . got to keep live bait wet, yet wave action pounding the near beach not particularly healthy for live bait.

Question is, what if you catch a monster shark ? 
Maybe he spools your reel ? 

What if you can play him till tired then leave him out till next day when you reel up the entire rig and see if you caught anymore fish ?


What do you do when you when retrieving - - - reel up to the first leader - - and you still have 600 feet of line with 29 hooks still in the surf ? 
Pull it in with gloved hands ?

Walk it back to the sand dunes each section of line ? Cars running over your hooks ? - - - Ruining your line.


What size spider weight for such a rig ? 

Monster weight to hold all that 1200 feet of line ? 

That will make it difficult to pull it back in too.

I'm leaning more towards 6 to 8 surf rods/reels on stakes with 5 hooks on each line, 25 feet apart each hook - - this may be doable.

This requires many more rods and reels - - and thousands of extra feet of line, but allows much more flexibility.

One continuous 1200 foot line with 30 hooks on leaders appears to be too "high maintenance".

The goal ? 

A mass of baited hooks on long lines, up to 1200 feet out - - - - drastically increases your chances of catching major amounts of fish.

Last 2 rods/reels could be WAY out there longest runs with shark hooks and huge pieces of meat injected with "secret sauce."

Bait for Bull reds: Appears that Crabs, piggie perch, and large fresh cut mullet are the top choices.

Crabs hard to come by now with rainfall low last year.
No bait houses carrying live mullet, maybe got to go put out the clear plastic mullet traps in the bay with bread crumbs ? You gotta be an Ace to cast net mullet they move so fast.

Any suggestions on how to catch live mullet appreciated . . I'm not seeing 'em where I'm at at Bob Hall . . . . maybe I need to go to the back bays with oatmeal or bread crumbs to lure em ?

Maybe someone can offer tips for cast netting mullet in the surf ?
What about fiddler crabs and ghost crabs (land crabs)? They are great for sheepshead, but what about for Bull reds ? ?

My luck with both cut perch and whole live perch has been dismal for last 15 months in the 2nd and 3rd guts at North Padre beaches . . . .


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## CaptDocHoliday (Feb 3, 2011)

Sounds like way more work than it will be worth. Not sure about the regulations, but I bet you loose a lot of equipment and have a lot of headaches.


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## PBD539 (May 4, 2010)

Wow! If you want a meat haul go to the market. If you want to fish, cast or yack out your baits with no more than two hooks.
For the amount of hooks and legnth of line you are describing, you would need a winch and drum to reel in the 1000+ # main line, not a rod & reel.

We do a lot of surf fishing and shark fishing. Typicaly for sharks we use around 4 shark rods with penn 9/0's & 12/0 reels. Reels are loaded with 80-100# line and have 1-2 large circle hooks baited with sting ray, mullet, jacks, etc. A 8-16oz spider weight is used to hold the bait in place. These are kayaked out between 500-1000 yards. For smaller game surf rods are casted or droped into the second or third gut and consist of 1-2 hooks w/ a 4-8oz weight depending on conditions.
The more lines you have in the water the more work you are in for. Kayaking out baits is a work out. Unless you are using sting ray for sharks, baits must be checked and redeployed every couple of hours. also, with more rods, there is a greater chance of lines being fouled. If you hook onto something big that wants to make big runs, you will be dancing in and around all the other lines you have out. I would hate to lose a nice fish cause it got tangled up and broke free. Plus, if the bite is on, depending on how many people in your group, you can only man so many rods at one time. 
If I have one tip, it is to simplify! Fishing is work, but it shouldnt be a job! The whole point is to get out & have fun & hopefully catch some fish.

Just my .02!
Shawn


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## scrambler (May 28, 2004)

If the line has more than 5 hooks it looks like it is defined as a trotline and trotlines are not allow at the beach(gulf waters within state waters).

If this is something you really want to do I would email TPWD and take the replied email with you if you attempt this operation.


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## jagarcia10 (Mar 10, 2011)

I agree with PBD539.


Why dont you try using 6 to 8 rods with ONE hook and see how much work it is before trying out what you proposed. 


You can catch your mullet using a cast net.


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## 535 (May 23, 2004)

And you weren't doing good from the piers?


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## sarbot (Apr 10, 2012)

*PBD539, I hear ya . . . .*



PBD539 said:


> also, with more rods, there is a greater chance of lines being fouled. If you hook onto something big that wants to make big runs, you will be dancing in and around all the other lines you have out. Shawn


　　
Yes, I hear you and I have pondered that.
　
What is your opinion of using braided Power Pro 100 Lb in place of mono for shark fishing ?

Any tips for cast netting mullet at the beach ?
　
Ever used live crab for Bull Red bait ? 
If so, how would you rate it ? I'm thinking of trying ghost crabs (land crabs).
　
Best luck I ever had for Bull Reds was live 12 inch mullet cut in half.
I lot of guys swear by piggy perch - - I have no had any luck with them for Bull reds.

Any luck using pogie oil ?
　
Thinking of using an Ocean Kayak Frenzy - - is it too small for an 175 Lb. adult or doable ?


Thanks.


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## Jolly Roger (May 21, 2004)

way over complicated


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## SurfRunner (May 22, 2004)

Kep things simple....It will make your fishing more fun and less work.


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## Rawpower (Jul 4, 2011)

SurfRunner said:


> Kep things simple....It will make your fishing more fun and less work.


X2 Don't make it more complicated than it is. Have fun and enjoy the day on the beach.:doowapsta


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## spicyitalian (Jan 18, 2012)

Hit up youtube for videos on how to cast net. There are a dozen different ways to try. Practice on dry land, then practice some more. 

Why would you try ghost grab for bait, when there is perfectly effective blue crab available. It may work, but they aren't normally available to reds. King crab legs may work, but for my money, I'll stick with the ones that they know they like to eat.

I've caught reds on mullet, fish bites, fresh shrimp, and good sized croaker. I'm sure they'll eat piggy perch too, but seriously, keep it simple.


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## Chief5x5 (Apr 25, 2005)

Remind me not to go swimming anywhere around Bob Hall.


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## weimtrainer (May 17, 2007)

Sounds way too complex for me as well. You mentioned that putting out multiple reels with 1 or hooks was going to be a problem if you hooked something large that wanted to run. How "convenient" is it going to be when you hook something large and it becomes tangled in the 100 ft of line and 5 hook apparatus you describe? Are you going to drag the last 100 feet of line with all those up on the beach by hand? I don't think so. Way too much chance for serious injury in my book, not to mention the possible injury to a fish you might want to CPR.


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## Vsynk (Jan 4, 2012)

You're definitely making it way to complicated then it needs to be. On a good day normally 2 big rigs and a medium rig is going to be enough work for one person including if you hook up with 2 big fish at a time.
I run 2 rods at a time and I have had one start screaming and as soon as I attempt to set the hook the other one starts going off as well.

Using more then 2 hooks on a fishing rod is pretty useless (though 2 hooks on a shark rig can be good when needed to secure a big bait. Outside of that using more then 2 hooks you might as well just be using a Sabiki rod and lure to get bait.


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## big john o (Aug 12, 2005)

jc said:


> And you weren't doing good from the piers?


Hahaha


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## 535 (May 23, 2004)

sorry for being such a smarta$$ Sarbot, I assumed this was a "troll"
I am in full agreement with others here in "keep it simple!"
worry about learning to fish one or 2 rigs with one or two hooks to start
lord knows thats all I can handle on most days!


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