# Must have terminal tackle for the surf?



## mario8402

Ok, I have the rod, the reel, waders and the _need_ to try some surf fishing. What must-have terminal tackle must I have?  spider weights, double drop leaders, hooks (sizes)? Will be using a Penn Jigmaster 500L on a 11ft American Rodsmiths rod. would like to target some big reds and anything else that might be tasty, or just fun to catch :work:


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## jagarcia10

Beer and food for when the fish are Bull$h*ting.



I used double drop leaders with at least 1/0 circle hooks tipped with shrimp for my bait rod. The hooks vary in size depending on brand. I use a 12/0 for cut bait and 6/0 for live mullet. In the winter I mainly stick with these. This was off a casted whiting head, obviously the fish one that battle. I think its a 12/0. Not sure though. My casting spider weights range from 3-8oz.


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## Bucky2010

like stated before, circle hooks are a must, stronger swivels, pliers, heavy mono or braid, and spider weights are a good start. i made these leaders out of 100# big game mono with size 1 crane swivels and 12/0 mustad circle hooks, mainly for bull reds. i use cut mullet or other freshly caught bait fish on these rigs.


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## histprof

Lots of fun in this. I always like fiddling with the tackle.

I like to keep two kinds of tackle. For larger baits such as cut bait or live mullet, I use 4-5 oz spider sinkers. I love the breakaway style sinkers that I buy on ebay (sputnik style). I am pretty minimalist in many ways and rarely use more than a 3/0 hook. Most folks using big baits go (way) bigger than that. I use 50# mono as a shock leader and tie a surgeon's loop at the end for the sinker and a dropper loop a couple of feet up for the hook. If there is a possibility of mackerel, I will use a wire snelled hook on the dropper. I generally avoid snaps, swivels or clips on these rigs. No reason, it is just because the loops are so easy to tie and use.

For the bait rod, I use store bought double drops with 1/0 hooks and 2-3 oz weights. If I can get away with flat sinkers for this, I will. I fish these on 8-9 med light surf rods. I will also take a light tackle rig with me and tie a simple slip rig with a 1/2 oz egg over a swivel and 30# mono to a 1/0 hook.

Other than that, the pile includes the cast net, homer bucket, pliers and a measuring stick. I bought a cheap metal yardstick at the hardware store ($3) and wrote the current limits on the back with a marker.

Don't forget to get a 10' length of 1.5 to 2" pvc and cut it at a 45 degree miter to make two sand stakes.

And, X2 on What's comments: gotta have beer, WINE and snacks


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## bigfost

Forget the double drop leaders for anything other than your bait rod. Secondly, either don't rely on store bought leaders, or at least recrimp all connections. I've seen far too many good fish lost because the crimps on store bought leaders failed.

Get some 100#, or heavier, mono, or 120# or heavier cable, and make some standard surf leaders. There are instructions on most every surf fishing website. Rig with 12/0 circle hooks or larger ( I prefer 14/0 to 16/0) and some 5 to 8 oz spider weights and you should be set.

Leaders are very easy to make, and every serious surf fisherman should know how to make their own.

I did notice you said you wanted to catch bull reds, or anything tasty. Bull reds are not tasty. They should all be returned to the water. If you want eating fish, you need to get a lighter bait/eating fish rig.


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## shadslinger

When I started surf fishing seriously I learned to make leaders out of blue weed eater string and really heavy duty swivels and snap swivels. 
I first started using Academy fish finder rigs, but like Bigfost said they don't hold up on big fish.
So I cut the J hook off and crimped on 12/0 circle hooks, they worked for a while, but soon I was making my own as the wire leaders on the store bought rigs would curl up like springs after just one good bull red.
Now I only use my homemade weed eater leaders and have very good performance from them and have been using some for many years now.
Rinse them off with fresh water and they will last a long time.


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## surfguy

Agree with everything said above. Here's a pic of my homemade leader I use for everything except my bait rod. This leader handled a 42" red a couple weeks ago. As Bigfost said, you can not trust any store bought leader, so I suggest you start making your own leaders as soon as possible. For this leader, you need a crimper, swivels, crimps, wire, a circle hook and some "magic red beads" (LOL). The spider weight slides along the wire between the 2 red beads and 2 crimps. I prefer to use wire instead of mono in case I get into a Smack or Shark. Obviously, this is NOT a leader for big sharks. That's a whole different ballgame.


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## JOHNNYREB

This one of my typical casting shark leades
700# mono
4/0 swivel
This particular leader has a 14/0 ss circle but i build em up to 20/0s
Fixed weight with the circles. personally i have better hook ups vs sliding leaders...Total length is 8'









Redfish leader....200# mono with a 7/0 owner...The basic concept stays the same but im always changing hook size. This one has 7/0 owners....3' long with quick clips....Snap swivels suck!









Diff weights have diff purposes...I use the big lous, tubes, and breakaways








And believe it or not....Tourist leaders have there place too, Just gotta tweek em a lil....with 1/0 circles this set up will catch your bait and slay the pomps!


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## mario8402

great info guys. I was hoping to get something store bought but it looks like I may need to start making them. off to do more reasearch and spend more money 

looks like most of your leaders are putting the bait on the bottom? The double drop leaders that I usually use on my lighter stuff have a weight on the bottom and 2 hooks spaced up that keep it off the bottom. is it different for surf?


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## saltwatercowboy

mario8402 said:


> great info guys. I was hoping to get something store bought but it looks like I may need to start making them. off to do more reasearch and spend more money
> 
> looks like most of your leaders are putting the bait on the bottom? The double drop leaders that I usually use on my lighter stuff have a weight on the bottom and 2 hooks spaced up that keep it off the bottom. is it different for surf?


pm sent


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## JOHNNYREB

Jmo store bought sucks! Its cheaper in the long run to build your own...You can contact steven at Catchsharks.com or see kingkilla on extreme Coast.com...both are good guys and pretty much have everything you need! For live mullet and such i like my baits suspended. I have been using a live bait leader i made for tarpon...but all i have caught with it so far are shark....ill try and get a pic up!


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## surfguy

mario8402 said:


> great info guys. I was hoping to get something store bought but it looks like I may need to start making them. off to do more reasearch and spend more money
> 
> looks like most of your leaders are putting the bait on the bottom? The double drop leaders that I usually use on my lighter stuff have a weight on the bottom and 2 hooks spaced up that keep it off the bottom. is it different for surf?


If you want a short cut, get a few store bought "redfish" leaders, a crimper, some double crimps and #3-#7 circle hooks. Cut off the J hook, loop the single wire thru a double crimp and a circle hook, crimp it, add a spider weight and go fish. Then go back and get the rest of the materials (mono or wire, swivels, beads, etc) you need to make your own later.


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## JOHNNYREB

Not a great pic but you get the idea


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## skooter2

I don't target any BU's so I opt for the lighter gear. I make double drop and Carolina rigs with 80# test Ande mono. That's about the largest line to tie an improved clinch knot without signs of stress in the knot. Depending on the brand of hook, I use 12/0 or 13/0 circle hooks.

I use the same set-up on my small artillery except 40# for the leaders and use small circle or kahle hooks.


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## justletmein

Lots of great info, perhaps too much to digest. 

I forgot my leader bag once, fished for bull reds and jacks by stripping 6' of 80# off one of my shark reels and just carolina rigging it with a circle hook and spider weight. Worked great.

JohnnyReb, what kind of hook is that in the first leader you posted in post #8? I like that hook.


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## JOHNNYREB

justletmein said:


> Lots of great info, perhaps too much to digest.
> 
> JohnnyReb, what kind of hook is that in the first leader you posted in post #8? I like that hook.


LOL....yeah your probably right....i was drinking a lil last night, So i just started posting pix:cheers:

Ill have to check, i got from kingkilla some time ago. Not sure who makes um but they are nice, They are ss and razor sharp, i rarely have to sharpen em.


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## SaltWater Hook'n

*Surf Leader*



surfguy said:


> Agree with everything said above. Here's a pic of my homemade leader I use for everything except my bait rod. This leader handled a 42" red a couple weeks ago. As Bigfost said, you can not trust any store bought leader, so I suggest you start making your own leaders as soon as possible. For this leader, you need a crimper, swivels, crimps, wire, a circle hook and some "magic red beads" (LOL). The spider weight slides along the wire between the 2 red beads and 2 crimps. I prefer to use wire instead of mono in case I get into a Smack or Shark. Obviously, this is NOT a leader for big sharks. That's a whole different ballgame.


I like the setup. Could you make a video or a description on how this is made? This is the setup I use for reds and anything else that bites in the surf. Thanks a ton!


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## SaltwaterTom

Academy sells this








http://www.eagleclaw.com/product/rigs/double-drop-rig

that I have caught bull reds and small/ medium sharks out of the surf with 5/0 to 7/0 circle hooks and 3-6 ounce surf weights. Inexpensive, effective, easy to find.


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## SaltWater Hook'n

I have a few of these. Thanks! I am getting ready to hit it hard again once I get my next short and long change from work.


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## justletmein

If you have to buy store bought Roy's has decent leaders.


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## saltlife3998

i use texas tackle factory leaders i have caught lots of 40 inch reds on them while using 4-8oz spider weight and 11/o circle hooks and bring tha beer and food while fish are slow


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## kweber

lotsa wood and some railroad red matches.....
and all above.


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## Rawpower

Man, This is a great Thread. So much info and insight to what everyone else is using. I make my own leaders as well. I usually go to FTU on I-10 and hit up the leader section. I use my trusty Klein crimpers to make my rigs. When I first started surf fishing I would use Academy leaders but that was short lived. You only need to loose one good fish and thats it! I like the float JOHNNYREB is using on his leader. Keeps it off the bottom from the Turd hustlers!!


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## Blueshoes

My best advice is to NOT use snap swivels whenever possible. When using them for your weight, sliding trace or whatever that is probably okay. I have seen the #300 or 500 or unlimited or whatever the giant size of swivels are open up and lose fish. Some of you probably think im joking about that.... anyways, I would definately recommend using gamakatsu octopus circle hooks. If you look at every one of my leaders... that is what hook is on it unless im going offshore or LBSF. 

I have had good luck on the fishbites as well, as before mentioned.


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## edjman

All good info. I don't trust the store bought leaders at all. Wouldn't buy those unless I had to. Be sure to bring plenty of extra leaders. Don't have much to add except make sure you bring a camera! You never know when you will catch the fish of a lifetime.h: I didn't see anyone mention it.

:work::work:
HARDHEADS


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## Blueshoes

forgetting the camera will ensure that you catch that fish of a lifetime though


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## hsif

I make most of mine out of weed eater line. I crimp it because it is too hard to tie a knot in. Leave about 1/4th inch of tag end hanging out of the crimp, don't squeeze the crimps right at their ends. This might cut and weaken your line. Take a lighter and burn the tag end and it will catch on fire and form a little ball that will not slide through your crimp. (Just in case your crimp slides.)

A typical leader is about 3 to 4 feet long, with a swivel crimped to one end to tie your line going to your reel to. A snap swivel then threaded onto it, and a knot tied about 18 inches from the other end. Then that end is finished off with a crimped on hook. The weight gets clipped onto the snap swivel, the knot keeps the hook from sliding up against the weight and gives a little slack for the fish to pick it up.

I drove a big nail into my garage door frame then cut it off leaving about 1/2 inch sticking out. I can hang the swivel on this, stick a rod through the hook and pull hard to test my crimps and leader strength.


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## Big Guns 1971

You also need a tool to cut a hook. Side cutters or bolt cutters. They could be used to cut the barb off when unhooking a fish or to unhook yourself. Yes I know from experience. You will wish you had them when your foot gets hooked on an abandoned leader with the weight stuck in the sand and the surf pounding you to death. Trust me just have them with you.


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## fishingcacher

I have used store bought leaders and I can count on one hand the number of times I have lost a fish over several hundred trips. If it does break it is when I am trying to remove the hook and the fish is already on the beach. I use a steel leader double drop. Granted the clasps are getting thinner and thinner every year. I use 3/0 Kahle or 2/0 circle hooks and a 4 oz pyramid or spider weight (if the lines are pulling to the left or right).


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## matagordamudskipper

All of the above is good. But if you don't have a good weight you will be frustrated. Don't buy store spider weights, unless they are quality stainless steel ones(roys). I make my own and so far have yet to find weights that work better..ill tell the internet my secret...stainless steel bicycle spokes. Had some old rims from my road bike and they work...many times too good. Getting a weight to stick is all about how you bend the prongs.


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