MY SETUP AND HOW I DO IT

[fixed80]

When i shark fish from shore, i use a Penn 114 6/0.

a 5'6" Jarvis Walker rod rated 40 - 80lb.

80lb braided suffix fishing line.

100lb mono leader around 8'.

200lb cable leader about 3' long.

9/0 galvanized circle hook




This is my main setup that I use for beach shark fishing. Other accessories are gimbal, bricks, and 20lb fishing line. The 20lb fishing line is tied from the loop in the cable leader to a red brick. The 3 hole red brick is used for a break away weight. The things that I also bring with me is a 9' kayak, backpack with tackle, sand spike, sunglasses, a drink, and bait. there could be other stuff but I don't remember. I typically paddle bait like a mid size jack, mackerel, mullet, or bluefish within first sand bar. last shark I caught was about 200yds off beach in cleaner water. an hour or two is all I wait for a hit. If not, I re bait hook. Favorite time of day is few hours till dusk. that's when they come out and hunt. I like to do this fishing when its near calm or 2' swell the most.

[MoJo]

I only have 1 suggestion..Longer Leader

I would suggest 12-20 feet.

Tight Lines!

[cudaman]

This is just my opinion....Many other fish differently.

The setup you got is enough for sharks up to 150 pounds or so. With any other sharks, you can get them in but you will work them too hard. and they may pass or you will probably end up getting spooled. The first gut is very productive (between the beach and the first sand bar).

I would switch from 100lb mono to no less than 250 as a leader with no less than 20 feet length (if the shark gets to the sand bar or structure it will help with abrasion and tail whipping). Since you have braided line on your 6/0 you should be able to use an Albright to join both lines with no problem (use at least 25 turns). On my 6/0 with stainless steel gears I use 50lbs mono to 250lbs mono joined by an Albright.

The cable is good if you want the bait to lay low on the bottom. If you want your line at mid then use #19 wire and place a balloon or empty small water bottle about 5 to 10 feet away from the bait.

The hook will match the size of bait you are using. The hours you are fishing are great, but if I didn’t catch anything at dusk I would stay until at least 10:00 p.m. if possible.

Once again it’s just my opinion and I hope this helps a little.

[fixed80]

Under stand ya. one day i will by new fishing gear for the fish over a couple hundred pounds. and of course, i will use a longer leader.

[Fla Shark Hunter]

JUST MY TWO CENTS.YOU DONT HAVE TO SWITCH BAIT.LET IT SOAK.AS CUDAMAN SAYS WIRE WORKS BETTER.I THINK CABLE IS OVERKILL.ALSO FISH LONGER HOURS.KNOW THE TIDES.WE GO SHARKING AL NIGHT,IT PAYS OFF.

[fixed80]

I don't know if it was you or someone else, but i saw the video of that 9 or 10ft hammerhead caught in melbourne beach. if so, what bait was used, how far off the beach was it, and how long was the battle.

[Fla Shark Hunter]

I don't know if it was you or someone else, but i saw the video of that 9 or 10ft hammerhead caught in melbourne beach. if so, what bait was used, how far off the beach was it, and how long was the battle.

That was not us.We(TEAM APEX) just Beached A 9'1" Hammer last week.We used a whole bonita,run about 450 yards out.It took my team mate 35mins on a 80w.You will do best when you drop out baits far out.You want to be in the reef,the color change.PM me,if you want we can hook up and hit the beach.It dosent matter if you have 10yrs or 2days of sharking,you are more than welcome to come along.We have yak's and tons of gear if you dont have the heavy gear.

[JunoChris]

The 19 will do you better then the cable. We caught a handful of nice Hammers last year and the key is fresh bait. Almost all the Hammer we got were caught on baits that we caught that day at the same spot.

[bigboyjames11]

I don't know if it was you or someone else, but i saw the video of that 9 or 10ft hammerhead caught in melbourne beach. if so, what bait was used, how far off the beach was it, and how long was the battle.

That was not us.We(TEAM APEX) just Beached A 9'1" Hammer last week.We used a whole bonita,run about 450 yards out.It took my team mate 35mins on a 80w.You will do best when you drop out baits far out.You want to be in the reef,the color change.PM me,if you want we can hook up and hit the beach.It dosent matter if you have 10yrs or 2days of sharking,you are more than welcome to come along.We have yak's and tons of gear if you dont have the heavy gear.

only problem with the color change and the reef is he's fishing up in melbourne and that is a heck of a long way out there. 200 yards off the beach in spots and your still in 15ft of water. and since hes using a 6/0(even with braid) 450yards is about half his spool which doesnt leave much for him to fish a big fish on the 6/0's drag. id say fish the second gut, maybe even the third if you can find it. get out early and scout it out a little so your confident while droping the bait.

and like junochris said, fresh bait is key. people think sharks will eat anything but they can be picky. bait thats been frozen for weeks might get passed up but a nice fresh blue will get hit.

[fixed80]

I don't know if it was you or someone else, but i saw the video of that 9 or 10ft hammerhead caught in melbourne beach. if so, what bait was used, how far off the beach was it, and how long was the battle.

[fixed80]

I don't know if it was you or someone else, but i saw the video of that 9 or 10ft hammerhead caught in melbourne beach. if so, what bait was used, how far off the beach was it, and how long was the battle.

That was not us.We(TEAM APEX) just Beached A 9'1" Hammer last week.We used a whole bonita,run about 450 yards out.It took my team mate 35mins on a 80w.You will do best when you drop out baits far out.You want to be in the reef,the color change.PM me,if you want we can hook up and hit the beach.It dosent matter if you have 10yrs or 2days of sharking,you are more than welcome to come along.We have yak's and tons of gear if you dont have the heavy gear.

i'll think about it one day, and see how you really do it.

[Fla Shark Hunter]

I don't know if it was you or someone else, but i saw the video of that 9 or 10ft hammerhead caught in melbourne beach. if so, what bait was used, how far off the beach was it, and how long was the battle.

That was not us.We(TEAM APEX) just Beached A 9'1" Hammer last week.We used a whole bonita,run about 450 yards out.It took my team mate 35mins on a 80w.You will do best when you drop out baits far out.You want to be in the reef,the color change.PM me,if you want we can hook up and hit the beach.It dosent matter if you have 10yrs or 2days of sharking,you are more than welcome to come along.We have yak's and tons of gear if you dont have the heavy gear.

only problem with the color change and the reef is he's fishing up in melbourne and that is a heck of a long way out there. 200 yards off the beach in spots and your still in 15ft of water. and since hes using a 6/0(even with braid) 450yards is about half his spool which doesnt leave much for him to fish a big fish on the 6/0's drag. id say fish the second gut, maybe even the third if you can find it. get out early and scout it out a little so your confident while droping the bait.

and like junochris said, fresh bait is key. people think sharks will eat anything but they can be picky. bait thats been frozen for weeks might get passed up but a nice fresh blue will get hit.

I will agree that freash bait is best,but we have used forzen bait tons of times and come up big.

[bigboyjames11]

old bait is better than no bait.

[fixed80]

i use old bait two. i think it puts out the oil in the water, like from a jack or a mack.

[Get-em-wet]

i used to think that also...until we started to use fresh catches this winter....a shark is a predatory animal and wishes to hunt its foot not have it laying on the bottom...they will take it...but they have to be hungry, they are like any other fish out there...give them something that lays on the bottom and you might catch one once and a while but give them something fresh or alive they will instinctly go after it.

edit: if all you have is old bait then go with it..but leave it out for a bit so it can regain its juices.

[JunoChris]

Its not that you wont catch sharks on frozen bait, we have caught a lot on frozen bait. You just increase your odds at getting a nice fish with fresh bait. Think about it, if you catch it there then not only is it fresh but its also the prey that the sharks in that area are targeting. We come with bait on ice or defrosting bait but we always bring a spinner for when the jack school comes by. Several of our best sharks in the Shorebound this past year where caught using Jacks caught at the same location. I dont like swimming them as much as cutting the tail off and putting them out on a brick. Its the same as you eating fish that has been frozen verse one you caught that same day, you will eat both but no way you would pass up the fresh fish.
If you are serious about catching bigger sharks then you have to upgrade from the 6/0. Even a 9/0 would make a large difference. If your interested in that Hammer you have to upgrade your mono above the wire, that knife fin of a dorsal will work right through 100. Also a longer leader is a must cause thier tail is pretty nasty too.

[fixed80]

I know one thing for sure, when summer comes, the cownose rays will school up by the dozens. i usually find them around the bridges were they cruise. ive caught them before, but never used that bait in the same day. i think now i will. u know those rays are the best. their big, and bloody.
a hammer just can't resist that. don't you think. oh and for the reel step up, maybe i should go with a tld.

[Get-em-wet]

go with what you can afford...that TLD is not gonna be able to hold up against a big Hammer or Big Tiger..reelemin's girl (maneater) caught about a 13' tiger last summer in the Shorebound tourney and they were using a Penn 14/0 and they couldn't stop the shark from running they just let it tire out and they finally landed it...massive shark. I went big on my reel, and to big i will never use the drag i have; i'll get pulled in..i have 100 lbs of drag at strike and a 114 lbs at full...but it's nice to know i have that extra drag so i can stop a run on a big fish. Just do some research on reels and look on craigslist or ebay for some nice used equipment that hasn't been beat up.

[fixed80]

heard ya, but im not to fond of buying used gear. I'll just have to get use to purchasing expensive reels and rods. okay, maybe not to pricey but u know. i like to have plenty of line capacity on a reel, but wish to have the drag pressure to stop a beast. that's the reason why i rather go with lever drags vs star drags.

[Fla Shark Hunter]

Cost may be a big factor in going new lever.You can pick up a good senator 9/0 through 16/0,for a good price.I would say that is what most of us sharkers are useing now a days.They work hard and cost is not that bad.

[fixed80]

do u think this shark is 11ft like said.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzveq4gBxIc

[bigboyjames11]

no. but im about 95% sure i know where that is

[fixed80]

if u guess melbourne beach then applaud. i believe that fish was more like a 9 instead of 11. you know how it is, without a true measurement, your likely to here something completely different than it actually is. there was a time in the past where i over heard and angler talking to someone about a red he caught that was 73" long. when i heard that i just had to speak. he claims he caught it at Sebastian Inlet. i know there's big red fish down there, consider i caught a few around 40" and my biggest being 44. but 73" is 6 feet long. is that even particle. one day i might post a topic about that 73" long red and see if anyone agrees if that's true or if they think so.

[Fla Shark Hunter]

if u guess melbourne beach then applaud. i believe that fish was more like a 9 instead of 11. you know how it is, without a true measurement, your likely to here something completely different than it actually is. there was a time in the past where i over heard and angler talking to someone about a red he caught that was 73" long. when i heard that i just had to speak. he claims he caught it at Sebastian Inlet. i know there's big red fish down there, consider i caught a few around 40" and my biggest being 44. but 73" is 6 feet long. is that even particle. one day i might post a topic about that 73" long red and see if anyone agrees if that's true or if they think so.

I can state for a fact that the hammer in question was 11'.It was caught by a fellow member of mine from the south florida shark club.measurements were taken,and can be proven if there is any dout.It was caught by william fundora jr.In past years shore bound tourney.If there are any people who dout it look through the old tourment post and you see it for you self.We have the proof to back it all up.Big hammers are all over,we(TEAM APEX)from the south florida shark club,just beached a 9'1" hammer last week.If you want to catch big sharks,put in time on the sand and work it hard,it will pay off.Get your self a team 3 or 4 guys that have the same passion as you do,and trust.You should NOT DO THIS ALONE.It is very unsafe and you can get hurt easy with these tempermental sharks.

[fixed80]

that was a good thing to measure the shark. that's the proper way to find out how big the fish really is. I've encountered numerous people who don't take measures for any fish and they say this is how big it was. one time, a person told me he landed a 12' tiger in Melbourne beach, so i had to ask him did u land it. u know what he told me. it broke off in the surf. so who knows how big it actually was. that how unreliable some can get u feel. im sure you've heard of the other story of a 1300 pound tiger caught near Melbourne. his name is Rolando. he told me him self about the story of that massive fish. i don't know if they weighed it or if they estimate it. one thing for sure i know the shark had to be big. sometimes i see him and I'll talk to him about reports or ex. this man really knows how to fish.

[bigboyjames11]

that was a good thing to measure the shark. that's the proper way to find out how big the fish really is. I've encountered numerous people who don't take measures for any fish and they say this is how big it was. one time, a person told me he landed a 12' tiger in Melbourne beach, so i had to ask him did u land it. u know what he told me. it broke off in the surf. so who knows how big it actually was. that how unreliable some can get u feel. im sure you've heard of the other story of a 1300 pound tiger caught near Melbourne. his name is Rolando. he told me him self about the story of that massive fish. i don't know if they weighed it or if they estimate it. one thing for sure i know the shark had to be big. sometimes i see him and I'll talk to him about reports or ex. this man really knows how to fish.

theres a story about the "canova cruiser" (canova beach) which is said to be a 18ft tiger that cruises up and down the beachs in melbourne. its even been is news papers up there. friend of mines dad showed me a clipping from a old paper that was talking about it. dont know how true it is but you never know. there are big sharks out there and a 18ft tiger would have no predators and not to many anglers with the gear to land him. its a great place for there to be a big shark to, right in the middle of the seb. inlet and the port.