# Your big rod/reel for the big surf fish



## Tamzor (Feb 14, 2013)

What do you guys used for those big sharks you guys target out there in the surf, looking to put one together but i don't want to over do it.


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## iamatt (Aug 28, 2012)

We just use penn 9/0's from ebay. American made. with a new ht100 drag kit. Let FTU do a once over and spool up for us. Majority of your fish are 3-6 feet and it's plenty. We did get one dumped two years ago, nothing like watching 70 dollars of line disappear through the line guides. Avet 80 is way too much for what you going to run into around here *I* think. 50 wide would be a nice long drop rig, holds bunch of line and heavy drag. I just don't want to spend the coin on all that great gear but we are not too hardcore with the sharking as some others around here.


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## Mako20 (May 11, 2016)

I mainly use Penn 9/0's, but have a Penn 12/0, okumo 50w, and an avet 50W. also use a 4/0 and 6/0 for cast outs and short drops

start out with a 6/0, or a 9/0, they are somewhat cheap and if you don't like it they are easy to sell. I run 6 Penn 9/0s and I love them. all have 100# braid topped off with 80# mono


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## Greatwhite (Mar 28, 2011)

What these guys said. Until youre certain how much time youll be spending down the sand and get a little experience handling bigger fish, a penn 6/0 wide or a 9/0 will handle most fish youre going to bump into.


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## sharkchum (Feb 10, 2012)

I agree with all the above. 6/0's and 9/0's are great reels for the money and will handle almost anything you can hook. With that being said, I did have a 12/0 almost spooled a couple of years ago, the hook pulled when I got down to about the last 50yds of line, but there was no slowing it down.


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## Tamzor (Feb 14, 2013)

how much line do you guys try to aim for your rigs, i just bought a avet 6.3 from someone on the site. i can prob get 600yards of line on it all together with braid and topshot. also what kind of spinning reels do some or if you guys even use them for the surf for reds and maybe decent size sharks.


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## sharkchum (Feb 10, 2012)

Tamzor said:


> how much line do you guys try to aim for your rigs, i just bought a avet 6.3 from someone on the site. i can prob get 600yards of line on it all together with braid and topshot. also what kind of spinning reels do some or if you guys even use them for the surf for reds and maybe decent size sharks.


If I'm dropping bait past the third bar, hoping for a big shark, I want something that will hold at least 500yds to 600yds of 50lb or 60lb mono. For my average casting surf rods I want a reel that will hold 250yds to 300yds of 30lb mono. I use 6000 size spinning reels, Penn Battle, Penn Conflict, and the new Penn Clash. They all preform well and will handle anything from small whiting to 6' sharks.


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## iamatt (Aug 28, 2012)

Forgot to mention if you going the penn senator route. Some of the 6/0 (maybe 9/0? too) have a faster retrieve than others Keep your eye out for like 114H2 vs 114. the extra speed makes a big difference when reeling bait back in.


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## alka144 (May 4, 2010)

Avet 50w and 80w are my go to reels in the surf for bigger baits. 600-750yds 130JB Hollowcore with 100-130lb Sufix mono topshots. 

50w is perfect for Texas on a 8-9ft rod. If you want to save a little money take a look at the penn squall 50w. 

- Zach


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## Mr. Saltwater (Oct 5, 2012)

I agree on the 9/0 Penn...it will handle just about anything you will hook, but not so heavy that it's awkward to handle.


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## Sharpest (Mar 31, 2014)

Mr. Saltwater said:


> I agree on the 9/0 Penn...it will handle just about anything you will hook, but not so heavy that it's awkward to handle.


Um...why is there a raccoon on your shark?


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## Mr. Saltwater (Oct 5, 2012)

Sharpest said:


> Um...why is there a raccoon on your shark?


That was a friend's pet ****...and they LOVE fish. :rotfl:


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## caddis (Jan 22, 2012)

I like the Avet LX reels. I don't do long drops, just casting. The reels are great for boat rods around the closer oil rigs too. 65lb braid with 40lb topshot then various leaders.


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## 535 (May 23, 2004)

Mr. Saltwater said:


> I agree on the 9/0 Penn...it will handle just about anything you will hook, but not so heavy that it's awkward to handle.


Best shark pic ever


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## Sharkhunter (May 22, 2004)

My favorite shark in reel is a 12/0 with an 80T handle. The bigger handle really gives you good cranking power without breaking the bank. I mainly fish with 4/0 wides loaded with 40# mono now. It's a good size for the kids and I've caught shark to 6ft with no problem. I truly believe I could whip an 8ft plus shark if I dropped short and played him smart with a 4/0 wide.


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## iamatt (Aug 28, 2012)

Those 4 wides are hard to come by! You can load up a 4w almost as much as a 6/0 and less bulky. I have several from eBay. If you can find 4 wide that will beat 99% of what you going to hook on a ray wing on the upper Texas coast.

Sent from my ONE E1005 using Tapatalk


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## Sharpest (Mar 31, 2014)

jc said:


> Best shark pic ever


Pretty much...


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## Mr. Saltwater (Oct 5, 2012)

Sharpest said:


> Pretty much...





jc said:


> Best shark pic ever


Thanks!!

That Hammerhead got me 1st place in a "human powered surf fishing tournament" near SLP back in about 1989. No motors allowed to run baits out...only paddle or swim. Kayaks were pretty much unheard of back then, but I used a canoe. Bait was a dozen foot long mullet hooked through the tail on 2 hooks...looked like a stringer of fish. The organizer of the tournament sealed his baited hooks in a 5 gallon bucket and swam them out 400 yards through swarms of cabbage head jellyfish...tough old guy.

That shark was a little over 8' and weighed 171#, beating a 7' Bull that weighed 168#. I didn't know it at the time, but it would have been the State Record Scalloped until a 197# was caught on Padre two weeks later.


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## the toninator (Jan 19, 2016)

Landed this small shark this weekend on a 12/0 on a 130lb rod like it almost wasnt there. Pretty sure it would have been a decent fight on a 9/0 80lb rod, which i had set out right next to it. I got the 12/0 for $250 or I would have just bought 2 9/0's.
Only running 3/400 yards from Bolivar.


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