I’m going surf fishing tommorow and will be using 2 light reels and one heavy reel, using shrimp for the light reels but what to use for the heavy rig as cut bait out of whiting, mullet, herring, or menhaden. Targeting sharks and reds
KingFisha, The sharks will eat whatever they find even each other if u get a small one, Im partial to whiting because because they are easy to catch,are free and both sharks and reds will eat them.Small live whiting are great-if to big to cast cut in half for sharks. The reds love mullet chunks or filets or half a blue crab legs and claws removed. Check web for cleaning instructions. The baby sharks used for bait have been recommended by Captain Killer to be butterflied from belly to tail and they flap in water and attract sharks. Use wire liter for sharks and a mono liter for reds. Good luck out there Mr Fisha.
KingFisha… I was on the coast this past week and i caught two good decent sized pinfished that i hooked through the back and cast out for shark bait. Both times they were picked up withing 30-60 min. I believe my gear failed on me the first time cause it took my whole rig (steel leader, 5ft of mono, weights and all) after doing a couple of pirouettes(sp) in the air. I had 85 lbs braid and the drag was relatively loose. Line went slack but upon retrieval there was clean slice on the end… no fraying. Bit through? Second time it pulled drag for a while and i thought i set the hook but retrieved shredded bait. Next time i go out im trying pinfish again but of course will use cut ray and any other decent sized fish.
I don’t know what size shark you are looking to catch but if you are going for large sharks over 5ft the rig we use is. 500lb Swivel crimped to 6-10ft of 500lb mono crimped to 500lb cable. The mono pre leader is good for the abrasion resistence. Even with a wire or cable leader the sharks tail and rough skin will cut the main line. When targeting blacktips you will be happy you have that mono pre leader cause once they start jumping if you dont have a heavy mono pre leader they will snap you off in the blink of an eye. This is the rig we use right here… except we use cable not wire.
My rule of thumb…cut what you’re catchin’ and seeing. Menhaden should be thick, just of the beaches. Or Mullet, bought or caught, is always good. Still plenty of Sharks, Blues and Lady fish right now. A+ choice for the shrimp on the smaller rigs, will catch anything.
Don’t use the small sharks for bait. While they may work, remember the regulations for keeping them. Not likely DNR will check you out but you don’t want to be caught with something your not supposed to have even if it is being used as bait.
Olde Man Charters
Keep a sharp-nose gut it and bleed it, and ice it up, there okay to eat with a little extra prep then normal fish. Rinse the sharp-nose in the water to clean before putting in the ice and it chums the water excellent. Fish with the guts of the sharp-nose and prepare to feel something strong. My favorite places are steep quick drop offs with current rips near a beach inlet and my favorite tide is the falling tide because it pulls the sent trail out into the ocean.