# Penn 6/O reel for shark fishing ?



## ReelDeal50

I have a new Penn 6/0 114 HLW reel and I was wondering since I am relatively new to shark fishing will that be a good reel to start out with ? 

Also, can you cast that reel far out or do I need something smaller ? one last question ... what would be a good rod to go with that reel ? I have a 12 ft. surf rod that is pretty stout ... should I hook up the 6/0 reel to the surf stik ? 

All info and pointers are appreciated ! 

Thanks 

RC :texasflag


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## Category6

Excellent reel for all but the truly big sharks...like 250# and up. You won't be able to cast it very far. I am a pretty big guy and good at surf casting, but I can't get my 6/0 wide much more than 100 feet or so. The spool is just too big to hold down with your thumb when you load up to cast. I pack mine full of 50# suffix tritanium and then drop my baits beyond the 3rd bar with my kayak. I can cast it just far enough to get a bait from where I'm standing on the 2nd bar to the outside edge of the gut between the 2nd and 3rd bar, which is what I do if it's too rough to yak through the breakers. Fortunately when it's rough the sharks tend to feed closer, so I've caught some good fish in the 2nd/3rd gut. Also at night during calm weather with green water to the beach some really good fish will move into the close guts. I have mine on a custom 8.5' rod I made out of a calstar e-glass blank, and it's able to handle 15-20 pounds of drag no problem. It's hard to find a production rod longer than 6' that can handle a lot of drag pressure. I would rather have it on a 6' rod with enough backbone than an 8 or 9 footer that was really intended for 20-30# line.


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## newsharker

don't know if this happens a lot, but I have a new 6/0 and on its first drop the clicker came apart. inside the sideplate with the clicker, the screw that holds the clicker ring came out. next to this screw there is two little tabs one broke off. now I need a new sideplate. it happened on its first trip the first time out. I think the new ones are junk. get an older one.


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## Blake Tyler

I've got an older 6/0 and that's the reel I use for shark/surf fishing. I have it on a 12' beefstick rod. I don't like the shorter rods, but that's just me. It's a perfect reel for what you want it for. As far as casting, Don't think you can cast it very far, we yak our baits out so i've never really tried to cast it, but I don't think it'd be easy.


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## Norman Bateman

Hi ReelDeal50:

Personally, I think that combo sucks! But, that is just me. I wouldn't hit the beach with anything short of a 16/0 reel. I want to catch a real shark and not fool around with those little bait snatchers. 

That combo you described will work very well on those little bait snatchers, but if you were to hook into one of those rare Tigers or Hammers then kiss that equipment goodbye. You can have a lot of fun catching those bait snatchers but, the real test is one of those big sharks! 

Best and tight lines,

Norman Bateman


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## Russell B

Sharks are skinny critters — a five footer won’t weigh fifty pounds, and sharks that size aren’t a big deal to land on 30 pound line. (We’re talking reality, not Jaws.) If you have a 4/0 size reel (like a Penn 113HL) full of 50 pound line, that should do you for anything up to 100 pounds. A reel that size is small enough to cast a good distance with 6 to 12 ounces of weight (sinker plus bait combined). A longer rod will help you cast further, but the leverage will work against you when pulling on a big fish, so I’d recommend about a 9-foot rod.

Since your post reads: "I am relatively new to shark fishing will that be a good reel to start out with ?" i hope this helps. Maybe you'll be as good as Norman one day and sit on the beach with a big 16/0. In the mean time have fun and enjoy.


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## daddyhoney

That 6/0 HLW is a great choice for yacking out bait over the third bar. Holds as much line as a standard 9/0 and has the same drag. It will handle most of the sharks caught from the beach in this area. I used to go that route and got to where I find Penn 555, 545, 535 reels with 40# mono could catch most any shark in the 6' and under range and was a lot more fun not to mention easier to cast. When I was young and dumb I fished a Penn Squidder and caught many a 5-6' shark on 20# mono and did not know that I was supposed to have heavy gear. Later at got a 14/0 and wenched in some beasts but Lord the work was just not worth it for a recreational week end. Go out in a boat off shore to one of the floaters and catch a bigun if you must other wise be content with your 6/0 or smaller from the beach and a cooooold brew and binoculars to watch the babes. Gary


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## JWS

youll be fine with a 6/0. i fished for and landed sharks for years with much less. 5-6 footers on a newell 235, penn 330, daiwa sealine 50shv, just to name a few. get a big spool of 65lb braid and then top shot with about 150-200 yards of mono. youll have plenty of line capacity and be able to land pretty much all the sharks youre gonna land on the upper coast. now if youre lower coast, ie pins or corpus, and youre targeting big sharks, id use something bigger. as far as casting, i have huge hands and wont cast a 6/0. i also dont find a need for rods over 9ft unless theres alotta seaweed. why give the shark more leverage ?


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## newsharker

Norman Bateman said:


> Hi ReelDeal50:
> 
> Personally, I think that combo sucks! But, that is just me. I wouldn't hit the beach with anything short of a 16/0 reel. I want to catch a real shark and not fool around with those little bait snatchers.
> 
> That combo you described will work very well on those little bait snatchers, but if you were to hook into one of those rare Tigers or Hammers then kiss that equipment goodbye. You can have a lot of fun catching those bait snatchers but, the real test is one of those big sharks!
> 
> Best and tight lines,
> 
> Norman Bateman


i agree you can catch perch in a lake. go big. no success like access.


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## Mustad7731

*6/0 Reels and the Beach*

You will want to get practice in before you tackle "Jaws" off the beach the 6/0 will
do you just fine....

Sure you can put a 30 lb bait on that 16/0...But the crabs and the bacteria will eat
all the bait before you're likily to get a run....But if/when you get a run...you'll
remember it!!!

Get another couple of rod/reel combo and fish for what is available and 
put the 6/0 out past the 3rd bar with 5 lbs of stingray or jackfish...
Catch the 4' to 6' sharks...so when the monster 8'+ hits you will be ready...
Those really big sharks can be dangerous for newbies and the sharks too...

After all we want to fight the shark, get a few pictures and what it swim away...
My $.02
Mustad7731
Jackie


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## Fishin' Soldier

The 6/0 is fine. Ol' bate man up there saying he will not hit the beach with anything under a 16/0? I have a 9/0 and I believe I can probably handle almost any shark up here. Now if you are fishing down in SPI different story. You have some good advice, from the other guys. Have fun.


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