# Hoping to try shark fishing from shore in August



## TxBrewer (Jul 23, 2011)

We are going to Galveston in mid to late August and I am wanting to try night fishing for sharks if the equipment I have is good enough and figured some of y'all might be able to give me some feedback.

I have two Penn 4/0 reels on 6 foot Shakespear rod's. I picked these up cheap at a garage sale so if they would work for surf shark fishing what type line would you recommend that I restring these with since I don't trust the line on it.

Thanks for any feedback.


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## troutless (Feb 17, 2006)

Those should get you started and I would go with 30 lb mono line with 2 to 6oz weights and a 12/0 to 16/0 mustad cirlce hooks. leaders should be 400 lb mono or wire leaders. 
Baits should be what ever you can catch on your bait pole or you can purchase some mullet at a bait stand. This is very general info. and you can go in all different directions. Hope this helps you.


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## fultonswimmer (Jul 3, 2008)

When using my surf rods equipped with Penn 550ssg spinning reels, I catch sharks up to 4'. My reels are spooled with 15lb. P-line mono with a 25 to 40 lb. section of shock leader. Spider weights up to 4 oz(5oz in heavy surf) are also standard equipment. Admittedly, I am fishing for reds, black drum and pompano when I hook the sharks but.....I have nothing larger on the double drops but 03 Owner Tourney circle hooks. The sharks have taken dead shrimp, cut mullet, cut skipjack(ladyfish) as well as Fishbytes. Ever so often I will get cut off by a shark but this does not happen as often as you might think. Before I retired them, I also caught shark on my dependable 6'6" medium duty Ugly Stiks using Shimano Spheros 4000 FA spooled with 12 to 15lb. P-line mono.
Bottom line....you do not need heavy duty, specialized equipment to hook sharks unless you are after the really big boys that lurk a few hundred yards offshore.
Besides....the smaller ones are really good eating(be careful what you post up on this topic as it can lead to rather caustic comments). The info in the TPWD regs are not the clearest written but will provide info to keep you legal.
Good luck!


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## Swells (Nov 27, 2007)

Sure, the 4/0 such as the Penn 113 will work, and with 15 pounds of drag you should be OK - the reel will probably be stronger than your pole. For line I might get 60 or 100# PowerPro with 100 yards of 30# mono on top. The conventional 30# mono is fine but you're limited to about 475 yards of it. The real trick is the leader - the real serious guys use weed whacker line and plastic coated cable with 20/0 hooks. Remember to tape the hook with electrical tape, except the very end by the barb. This picture is from a Texas shark fishing blog.


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## Rebelsharker (May 4, 2009)

Swells said:


> the real serious guys use weed whacker line


:spineyes::rotfl:


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## BadBob (Dec 16, 2010)

^^^^ thats what we use ^^^^


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## 535 (May 23, 2004)

WHY? you invest all of that time, energy and money on beach vehicles, rods, reels, leaders, etc. then you save a few pennies by using weedeater line instead of monofilament designed for this exact purpose???

there are plenty examples showing that the stuff works as good as mono I just don't get why you would purchase all of this leader making material from fishing manufacturers then drop everything to run down to home depot and buy weedeater line... oh well, whatever floats your bote


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## BadBob (Dec 16, 2010)

it keeps my BOAT afloat


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## chazbo (Sep 7, 2006)

I used to use the weedwacker line (and coated stainless steel) for leaders. Now I only use #400 mono. It works just as well, if not better..... I know it's better than stainless steel, because of the electrolysis. You'll get more hook-ups with mono..........


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## Redfishr (Jul 26, 2004)

I would put 40 lb mono on the 4/0. Thats what I always used on mine.
Plenty of line capacity. I never like braid on my surf rods. But to each his own.
Another thing we do is put about 20 ft of 135 braid before the leader. This way you dont need so much actual leader.
Shark bodys or tails cut through mono easy but not that heavy braid.....I cant remember the last time i lost a leader on a surf rod.
BUT, you have to know how to splice the 40 lb mono to the 135 or so braid....it aint hard if you know how.

500 lb mono leaders are all we've used for decades now on surf rods.
Most sharks are hooked in the jaw with circle hooks and bite down on the hook not leader.
CuZ believe me, a Big Bull can surely bite through that big mono. Seen it....
But they do scuff it up pretty good.
On another note. If you could get some rods out into West bay, you would have a better chance of catching some bull sharks than you would the beach IMO.
20 years ago not so but.....
Just the way it is these days round galston.


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## Rebelsharker (May 4, 2009)

Braid has less abrasion resistance than mono. If it didn't, everyone would use spectra topshots.


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## TxBrewer (Jul 23, 2011)

Thanks for all the gread advice everyone, I am going to get the poles relined and try this out. Hopefully I can rent a kayak somewhere for running the bait out.


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## Fishin'Aggie (Jan 5, 2011)

Carribean Breeze rentals on 61st rents the yellow ocean kayaks @ $60 for 24 hours. It is a little expensive but that is the only place i know of there.


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## Wermanium (Jul 13, 2011)

Why do you cover most of the hook with electrical tape?


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## GarryRS (Apr 28, 2010)

*Don't Do It*

I recommend not starting. Before you know it, you're a couple grand in, never see your family, spend all your time on message boards, and need an intervention. Just say No.


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## Rebelsharker (May 4, 2009)

Wermanium said:


> Why do you cover most of the hook with electrical tape?


 I do it to prevent rust. I Don't beleive in the electrolosis thing.


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## Wermanium (Jul 13, 2011)

Rebelsharker said:


> I Don't beleive in the electrolosis thing.


I've only heard about it. Anyone care to expand?


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## matagordamudskipper (Feb 18, 2006)

Buddy of mine explained this very well on another site, figured I would chime this in.

"Sharks have a sixth sense called electroreception, most often defined as an acute sensitivity to electric fields, however definitions vary depending on research content. By this definition a shark can sense a static charge. Nothing has to happen, there is no need for oxidation to occur, a shark can simply sense the available electrons and protons in the elements of its immediate environment. This is a completely foreign sense to us and difficult to comprehend. Sharks can receive tiny electric signals from their environment such as a trail of charged bodily fluids (electrolytes) from a wounded bait fish. Often I hear people incorrectly reference electromagnetic fields (moving charges) and electro-magnets, however, I have seen them mentioned in many research papers as tools to create electric fields creating the illusion of a long range sense by making an entire pool or aquarium environment an electric field. I have also seen the geomagnetic field lines of the earth referenced and it is thought perhaps sharks use them to navigate but that’s really a different subject. 
As it is relevant here… all metal, short of Area 51 or NASA inventory, has some kind of an electrical charge(-), aluminum, copper, stainless steel or whatever, it’s simply a physical property of metal to have extra electrons. Seawater is an ion-rich median that conducts electricity rather well and any metal object in seawater is going to have a larger electric field than out of the seawater. Insulating hook and leader can reduce the size of the electric field which is crucial because electroreception is a short range sense. Respective to size, 3 feet away from a large shark’s target, electroreception kicks in to orient its jaws for accurate, final placement. The insulating properties may also minimize and distort any electrical signature that the shark can detect as something previously experienced and undesirable.
Obviously, there have been more than a couple sharks caught with a bare metal hook and leader, so it would seem logical that most sharks are aware of a metal hook and leader and don’t seem to mind while others remain wary. Ask anyone who has ever fished a visually active chum slick and they will tell you it’s the old wise ones that are wary.
Sharks are constantly being pursued with metal hook and leader, even being caught and released. It is possible sharks are becoming more educated to the point that older larger sharks may be more aware and wary of a metal hook than a young shark that has never been caught before. Like a shark, a lion is an apex predator. He’s king of the jungle, will attack if provoked, will eat you if he’s hungry, and smart enough to be center ring in a circus show. We are targeting a smart animal, very capable of learning. What do you think a shark learns by a missed hookup? How about a tag and release? There is plenty to argue, this is simply my perspective, and why I prefer to fish insulated terminal tackle. 
By the way, do you know what electrical tape smells like? Did you know that over 1/3 of a shark’s brain is devoted to smell…" Catchsharks.com


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## Gfish (Aug 31, 2009)

Last month I was on the North Jetty and caught a bunch of 40 inch black tips. I was using a Okuma 9ft med to heavy action pole with a Okuma reel strung with Proline 50lb at a 12lb dia. If I'm in a boat then I switch to my 7ft rigs. The Proline will cast so much smoother.


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## jagarcia10 (Mar 10, 2011)

matagordamudskipper said:


> Like a shark, a lion is an apex predator. He's king of the jungle, will attack if provoked, will eat you if he's hungry, and smart enough to be center ring in a circus show.


Interesting read. Thanks for the info. However I disagree with the statement above. Sharks are not the king of the jungle. In some locations (like here) where Orcas are not normally present your statment is correct for "some" sharks. But the true apex predators of the ocean is the Orca.

Not bashing, just thought I'd throw that out there. On the Discovery Channel being that it's shark week, i consistantly hear them saying that the Great White is the Apex predator of the ocean. This can't be true when there is video evidence of an Orca eating a great white.


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## TxBrewer (Jul 23, 2011)

Well we booked our trip, August 18 - 21 so if anyone is fishing that weekend and would like to help educate a newbie let me know.


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## ZenDaddy (May 22, 2004)

WHAT said:


> Interesting read. Thanks for the info. However I disagree with the statement above. Sharks are not the king of the jungle. In some locations (like here) where Orcas are not normally present your statment is correct for "some" sharks. But the true apex predators of the ocean is the Orca.
> 
> Not bashing, just thought I'd throw that out there. On the Discovery Channel being that it's shark week, i consistantly hear them saying that the Great White is the Apex predator of the ocean. This can't be true when there is video evidence of an Orca eating a great white.


You guys think my Ocean Master Rod and Penn Jigmaster will hold up to a killer whale? I may have to double crimp my Weed Eater leader.


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## mullethead00 (May 31, 2010)

TxBrewer: We'll be at High Island the same weekend going after the big girls. IM me if you're interested in setting up near us.


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## tank8677 (Apr 20, 2010)

weed wacker line with coated cable, 14/0 hook with electric tape is what i use..no problem at all!!


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