# grapling hook style weights



## newsharker (Oct 31, 2009)

read its hard to keep bait for shark down. I've made 6 grapling hook weights like I read. the plans call for 3/4 in. copper pipe and old wheel weights. once completed they are HUGE. 2-6in. 2-4.5in. and 2-3.5in. is it nessasary for them to be so big or is this way overkill? also do you make them with plans of loosing them, can immagine they are tough to reel in.


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## Norman Bateman (Aug 10, 2009)

Hey Newsharker:

The style and size of your sinkers is directly related to the size of your bait and the type of current your fishing in. Years ago when I was activally fishing, I would swim out 20-30 lb. baits into the 2nd or 3rd gut. It took a lot of weight to keep those baits out there. I would put the same size baits out in the ship channel and you can imagine the current there! I was fishing for really big sharks though.

Depending on the size of the sharks you are trying to catch and where in the surf your putting your baits, it will be trial and error until you understand the size weights you need.

Best and tight lines,

Norman Bateman
Cape Coral, Florida
[email protected] 
www.batemanphotography.net


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## Norman Bateman (Aug 10, 2009)

Hi again Newsharker:

I forgot to add. Yes, I made my weights to break off on the first run. Yes, they are tough to reel in, but that's what makes a man out of you. There is no such thing cushy shark fishing. You have to work for big sharks.

Norman


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## newsharker (Oct 31, 2009)

*thanks*

that's funny. I would drink a beer with you anytime haha. I have caught a few small sharks before. since the very first time I have become addicted. guess mabey I would like to catch 4-6 foot range. I own a kayak and have paddled since I was a small boy so as far as my 6/0 will let me go is where I have planned to drop my bait. live north of dallas so I can't fish as often as I would like to but nearly sleep with my pole and can't wait to go.


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## justletmein (Feb 11, 2006)

I like the "Big Lou's" style weights, flat pyramid and they dig in hard and stay put with less actual weight.


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## Rebelsharker (May 4, 2009)

justletmein said:


> I like the "Big Lou's" style weights, flat pyramid and they dig in hard and stay put with less actual weight.


The only thing I don't like about big lou's, is sometimes they dont come back.


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## San Martian (Feb 20, 2007)

You can also use a topfloat and go out and remove your weight before you reel in.


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## newsharker (Oct 31, 2009)

don't understand...topfloat?


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## newsharker (Oct 31, 2009)

my weights are 14oz. 18oz. and super giant boat anchor 24oz. is that just huge? I have never fished with weights over 3oz. but then never had big pole.


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## justletmein (Feb 11, 2006)

Rebelsharker said:


> The only thing I don't like about big lou's, is sometimes they dont come back.


This is true. I had some that were around 8-10 oz that grabbed so hard I lost my leader because I broke the 50 lb mainline trying to pull it in. I actually started leaving the two middle legs straightened and only using the outside legs because of that.



newsharker said:


> my weights are 14oz. 18oz. and super giant boat anchor 24oz. is that just huge? I have never fished with weights over 3oz. but then never had big pole.


Wow that's really heavy!


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## ApetRock (Aug 19, 2009)

Unless you're using HUGE baits, like several pounds, I'd say those weights are too big. Oh and they're called spider weights btw. Unless the current is really ripping I never use more than 10 oz, but then again I dont use monster baits... just my .02


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## 535 (May 23, 2004)

if you're gonna go with a breakaway weight use biodegradable material like a simple sandbag... cheap, less work and biodegradable

also, you can use less weight if you use heavier copper on the legs

and if you're having a problem breaking weights off try keeping lots of tension on the line and cranking the handle down every fifteen minutes or so to keep the weight near the surface of the sand... once a heavy weight buries so deep its not coming back...

this style are my favorite

http://extremecoast.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=9644&p=86106&hilit=+weights#p86106

jc


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## LongTallTexan (May 19, 2009)

Capt Teez over at Pier30 has some cool breakout weights. These are really nice. You might want to give them a try, rather than going through the trouble to make your own.

http://www.pier30fish.com


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## 535 (May 23, 2004)

LongTallTexan said:


> Capt Teez over at Pier30 has some cool breakout weights. These are really nice. You might want to give them a try, rather than going through the trouble to make your own.
> 
> http://www.pier30fish.com


dayum those are CHEAP!!!


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## Norman Bateman (Aug 10, 2009)

Hi guys:

Some of you may laugh, but my bigger weights were 55ozs. I would use 1, 2, or 3 to keep my baits out in the ship channel or the surf. Yes, the next day I did have to go out there and get them. There was no reeling them in. But, I caught sharks using them, so no complaints from here. 

Norman Bateman


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## Arlon (Feb 8, 2005)

Biggest weight I've ever used casting (no swimming baits for me) where 8oz. They would hold a medium sized mullet in the surf. My thumb couldn't hold any more than that. I make them myself and they have swiveling grappels that unset and turn back when you reel them in. No dragging grappel wires all the way back to the beach. Even the 2oz ones hold extremely well until you pull them loose. Grappel wires never break either. I have a few that where used for 10 years and still haven't broken. If they did break, you could replace the grappels in 10 secs anyway..


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## johnmyjohn (Aug 6, 2006)

The ones I built are about 5-6 onces, about the diam. of your little finger and about 4 inch long. The gauge wire is where it's at, the four wires come straight out the bottom and if curved up all the way you'll snap 50 lb mono trying to break them free. The less you bend the wire into a hook on a spider wieght the easier to pull free, but the less it will hold also. I've used these on a 6/0 with 80 lb dacron with half small sting rays as bait. They meet my needs and haven't found anything better yet. There's the smaller model for my 7000 with 25-30 lb line on the right. Good fishing to you.


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## Torpedo (May 21, 2004)

Norman Bateman said:


> Hi guys:
> 
> Some of you may laugh, but my bigger weights were 55ozs. I would use 1, 2, or 3 to keep my baits out in the ship channel or the surf. Yes, the next day I did have to go out there and get them. There was no reeling them in. But, I caught sharks using them, so no complaints from here.
> 
> Norman Bateman


No kidding, I use 4 lb kayak anchors rigged to reverse. It takes quite a bit to hold a 25 lb jack in current.


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## Norman Bateman (Aug 10, 2009)

Hi all:

I do understand what it takes to hold a 25 lb. Jackfish in the ship channel or the surf for that mater. It does take a lot of weight. Years ago when I was actively fishing I use to have to go out and pick those weights up because they could not be reeled in after sitting there all night. It was not really that bad though. I tied a float to the top swivel and all I had to do was swim a raft out there and pick up the float and hold upward pressure on it for a few minutes and it would usually come loose. On occassion I would have to go to the bottom and pull the weights out of the sand. Either way though, I got my weights back. I did not use this method in the ship channel. Oh, I took the raft out there and used the waves to break them loose. I don't think I ever lost any of my weights in the ship channel. 

Best wishes and tight lines,

Norman Bateman


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## San Martian (Feb 20, 2007)

LongTallTexan said:


> Capt Teez over at Pier30 has some cool breakout weights. These are really nice. You might want to give them a try, rather than going through the trouble to make your own.
> 
> http://www.pier30fish.com


Why did I click on that..$48 dollars just flew out of my bank account


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## newsharker (Oct 31, 2009)

agreed! my wife thinks that I am a moron for spending so much time and money on a fish that I'm going to let go...we don't even live close to the beach. I tell her that one of these days I'm going to lower the sea level with a giant...so big the picture weighs 10lbs. she will see


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## Norman Bateman (Aug 10, 2009)

Hi Newsharker:

Now your talking! The next thing you have to do is show her! You know that there is no written law that says you have to turn the shark loose! If it is a legal catch you can take the jaws and clean them and display them. I would have no problem with that. 

Best and tight lines,

Norman Bateman


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## Top_Dog (Aug 1, 2007)

Or...you could CPR, frame the picture and brag to your friends if you want, essentially that's what the jaws were for. Bateman's era of killing sharks, cutting out the jaws, and dumping the carcass in a nearby channel is why these massive sharks are difficult to come by. Thankfully, most have taken that turn towards conservation.


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## kutb8t (Jul 1, 2009)

*spider w8ts*

_These r my spider w8ts I make,6,7&8's.I had a mold made @ a machine shop made out of alum._


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## 535 (May 23, 2004)

San Martian said:


> Why did I click on that..$48 dollars just flew out of my bank account


tackle ho ho ho!!!

I did the same thing and my girl's stocking is gonna be heavy this year...


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## Arlon (Feb 8, 2005)

These are the ones I make. Wires are easily replaced so about the only way you loose one is to break your line.


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## Captn Teez (May 19, 2009)

*Now have Breakout Molds*

Cast aluminum molds that make up to 8 ounce weight. Mold kit contains mold and parts to make 5 weight, this is an all stainless steel kit. We have 4 different assembly kits, 2 with standard length grips, 2 with long grips and 1 with straight side grips. Each kit contains parts to make 10 weights. Also check out our extensions, 2 sizes, that extend the center of gravity and almost double the holding without increasing the overall weight of sinker. We also have fixed weights in 3 wire strengths from 2 to 8 ounce.

http://www.pier30fish.com

Captn Teez


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## 535 (May 23, 2004)

TOP NOTCH CUSTOMER SERVICE!!!

I called Pier30Fish.com on Saturday to discuss details, ordered that afternoon and just received my fed-ex box with a Christmas sampler to field test... they look great and were less than half the cost of the other "breakaway" type weights I have always used...

THANKS!


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## San Martian (Feb 20, 2007)

jc said:


> TOP NOTCH CUSTOMER SERVICE!!!
> 
> I called Pier30Fish.com on Saturday to discuss details, ordered that afternoon and just received my fed-ex box with a Christmas sampler to field test... they look great and were less than half the cost of the other "breakaway" type weights I have always used...
> 
> THANKS!


I agree, My weights arrived a few days after I ordered and were every bit as nice as I expected. I had also ordered a couple leaders and was disapointed with the crimp job (no bad but not perfect). I called them up and they offered to send me some new ones at no charge and that I could keep the old ones for parts.I will definatley order from these folks again.


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## TheExxonKid (Dec 28, 2007)

When we shark fish we use the Daiwa Sealine reels in 4/0,6/0, and 9/0s. The big ones are spooled with 50lb mono with a 50-100yd top shot of 80lb. We use the 480lb coated 7x7 cable with a swivel on each end. We made weights out of copper pipe with a piece of copper wire bent in half and twisted before we added the lead in varying weights from 4-20oz. We have never lost a single weight in the surf. We will normally fish jack or stingray for bait. Only 1 time do I remember we had a weight get stuck bad in the sand, and we just kayaked out to the drop while holding the line and pulled straight up on the line and managed to free the weight.


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## 535 (May 23, 2004)

Captn Teez said:


> Cast aluminum molds that make up to 8 ounce weight. Mold kit contains mold and parts to make 5 weight, this is an all stainless steel kit. We have 4 different assembly kits, 2 with standard length grips, 2 with long grips and 1 with straight side grips. Each kit contains parts to make 10 weights. Also check out our extensions, 2 sizes, that extend the center of gravity and almost double the holding without increasing the overall weight of sinker. We also have fixed weights in 3 wire strengths from 2 to 8 ounce.
> 
> http://www.pier30fish.com
> 
> Captn Teez


finally got the chance to use your light casting weights last weekend at PINS and they are perfect for long-rod surf fishing, thanks again...


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