shark surf fishing setup help!
oscarb904
Posts: 25 Greenhorn
Hi all im looking to start surf fishing off the beaches for sharks! What i want to know is what a good setup, i would prefer to use a spinning reel but not sure if it would work out. I had in mind a Penn spin fisher on a surf rod but im not sure i just want to know what you guys would suggest any help will be greatly appreciated thank you! 
Replies
From my experience with Penn Spinfisher & surf fishing Sharks it's pretty EZ to get out gunned in a hurry. It's can also get tiring having to release a lot of Sharks under 10 lbs. Trying to hurl very heavy baits & leads, as far as possible, is often not far enough.
The serious surf Shark anglers usually prefer heavy conventional reels w/scads of line & many swim big baits out far beyond "surf rod" range. Big old Penn Senators, size 9/0 being entry level, still seem to rule. Especially around inlets, where they drift big baits out w/the tide, they can catch Sharks over 100 lbs.
What area are you at?
But I think Oscar wants to catch bonnethead sharks smaller that 3'.:grin
Seen some big Sharks landed, never caught one over 100 lbs personally, but 60-70 lbers often enough to make it interesting. Once jumped a big Spinner Shark for nearly 30 minutes from STA/Porpoise Pt. Used old 60# pink Ande on an older 6/0 & plugs/slabs of Ladyfish, drifted out on tide under hi-vis float.
Shark fishing is also traditionally practiced from bridges & also piers. Seen some huge Sharks cut loose from Sunshine Skyway fishing pier.
Also since you are new I would never suggest getting a big conventional. You will hook into a big shark that you don't know how to handle and you will get hurt or the shark will. Everyone thinks sharks can handle abuse and can be out of the water a long time. FALSE!!! Get the hook out snap a picture and release them! Should be under 2 mins. If you have a low tide keep the shark in the surf so the waves can crash on them and into there mouth so they are still breathe.
Please don't fish from a pier or bridge. You end up having to cut the line or some people even gaff them and haul them up... which kills them. Now that is fine if your keeping it but horrible if you just throw it back. Also some will argue that it's fine to cut the line and the hook will rust. Yea it will in time but oxidization only occurs OUT of the water. If it is in it's jaw and in the water it takes a lot longer to rust out.
Maybe I am a treehugger or maybe I just respect nature. I keep fish and have nothing against you if you keep sharks just be respectful of the ones you don't keep. You want to carry around a hook with 15 feet of line on it for 3-4 weeks hanging from your lip? Didn't think so.
If you have any questions about shark fishing from the beach your more then welcome to PM me otherwise I will comment if I see the post. Have fun and be safe!
And there are plenty of 5-6' blacktips roaming within casting distance of the shoreline.
Buona Fortuna.
a team and want to handle 12 foot hammer heads....Good lord when did everybody go straight to... "You need a Monster Reel"
a Yak and 10 lb stingray for bait.... a small shark will hurt you in a heartbeat... learn to walk and then you can run all you want..
In fact try to get a hold of some of sharkers/teams and see how they do it... before you even try to do it on yourself..