I’ve lost about 5 nice fish now. Well I didn’t really lose them, I just never had them. I’ve watched a lot of youtube videos and sometimes that can make you feel like an expert, kind of like the guy who stayed in a holiday express last night, thinks he is a doctor. But I lack the experience. I’m having trouble hooking up to some fish using my shark setup.
I’m using a 8000 series spinning reel with 30lb test for now. I’ve been using a 14/0 hook with whole whiting with the hook run through its mouth, out his gills and then through the belly. I set the drag down to probably 2 lbs. My rod starts popping like crazy and my spool starts spooling, not to fast but steady. I think I’m just getting to antsy and trying to set the hook to soon. I probably didn’t even give it 10 seconds each time. Plus, its hard to set a hook with light drag so I’m trying to figure that one out. This happened 3 times yesterday and within an hour and each time the whiting had very little bite marks. The first time it had none at all. But something obviously picked up the bait. I feel like it must have been something to small or I just didn’t give it enough time. I’ve never fished for or caught sharks other than the small ones. If anyone can give me any guidance that would be awesome. Maybe I’m trying to fish for too big of shark since I have that size hook and only 30lb mono. Honestly I feel like an idiot since all this has happened and am question what little bit I do know. I did hook up with one the other night probably only becaue it was dark and I was busy baiting a hook for one of my kids and my rod got pulled over and started dragging into the water. Unkowningly, it had time to chew on the bait I guess. I ran and got it just in time and the fish was spooling me like crazy. It was definitely hooked but since he was still spooling me, I tightened my drag some more and must have overtightened it and the line broke at the knot. I’ve got much work to do to learn how to catch these things but if you don’t mind sharing some more tips I’d ap
What size hook are you using? Is it a circle hook? It sounds like you might have too much of your bait inside the hook. Try just hooking your live bait through the lips, and don’t fill up the inside of the hook. The inside bend of a circle hook has to be able to get into the corner of the fishes mouth. If there is too much meat (your bait) in the bend of the hook, it will act like one of those plastic dehooking tools and make the hook slide right out of the fish’s mouth without grabbing anything.
Semper Fi
18’ Sterling
115 Yamaha
Big Ugly Homemade Blue Push Pole
Thanks hoof…Size 14/0 circle hook. Yes, the hook probably did have too much of the bait inside the circle part. I thought I wanted to hide the hook. So I actually need the hook to hang out and be more free? I think I should have reversed the hook then so that the point faces owardly. I had it go in one side of the belly and out the other side of the belly. So yes the inside of the hook was filled by the bait. Now that you mention this, I recall seeing BlactipH on youtube show how to do that and I just forgot all about it…Amateur I am. Any other advice about how long to let the fish take the bait?
Salt Life Travis
“The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word.” Hebrews 1:3
Your hook is probably too big for this time of the year. Lots of sharpies out there until June and July. Go down to a 10/0. Your drag should be as loose as it can be without current or waves pulling line. When the fish bites you should very slowly inch the drag a few clicks at a time and if they stop tighten it up and watch them make their real 1st run.
I would go down to 6/0 or 7/0 I’ve caught several 100lb + sharks on those size hooks .
Thanks jeff462. As for the bait, you all do use the whole whiting correct? I used one about 8-10" long. But I think I did hook him wrong. I remember now Stan said through the gills and out the belly like a giant gulp bait. So the hook will be coming out on the bottom of the fish.?
Salt Life Travis
“The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word.” Hebrews 1:3
I hook them a bit like Stan or thru the nose if i want to keep them alive either way i want the whole bend exposed… you said “Set the hooks” do you mean jerking back on the rod? if so you are doing that your pulling the circle hook out of there mouth. I dont do the slow drag thing, i think you loss fish that way, but i also dont use spinning reels. i point the rod at the fish then push the drag to strike (any ware from 9#-25# of drag depending on the reel) then keep the rod pointed at the fish until he takes off like a bat of of hell. constant pressure is the key so getting a circle hook to set. once the he takes off or at least takes the line tight i reel like hell in low gear unless he is taking line of course. lots of constant hard pressure, then never let the line go slack. the big lemon i got last week was on the point of the hook, it never made it all the way in,but with constant pressure they cant spit it either. he spit the hook just as soon as he was on the tail rope.
the hook should match the bait… me and spencer both caught shappies on 18/0 hooks yesterday. we didn’t miss a take(except a bite off) big bait big hook, little bait little hook. 16/0 is about right for a 12" or better whiting. i would use 10/0 or 12/0 for the little guys or chunks, the important part is that the bend and the tip are exposed. that being said i would much prefer a 18/0 on a little whiting then a 10/0 on a big whiting. Next week ill have some free time i can come out and set a rod with you if you like.
the hook should match the bait… me and spencer both caught shappies on 18/0 hooks yesterday. we didn’t miss a take(except a bite off) big bait big hook, little bait little hook. 16/0 is about right for a 12" or better whiting. i would use 10/0 or 12/0 for the little guys or chunks, the important part is that the bend and the tip are exposed. that being said i would much prefer a 18/0 on a little whiting then a 10/0 on a big whiting. Next week ill have some free time i can come out and set a rod with you if you like.
~Russ
Thanks Russ. Great info. I feel like I just need to watch some other guys catch a couple. I’m wondering now if I should keep my Penn 6/0 reel on boat rod. I already sold my TLD25 with the intentions of buying a solid spinning reel with some decent drag.
Anyway, I’ll send you a PM. Thanks!
Salt Life Travis
“The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word.” Hebrews 1:3
Saltlifetravis, your hook size is probably fine. One makers 14/0 is another makers 20/0. What Hoof said is probably your problem. Live or dead, I hook them through the nose. It leaves more of the hook exposed and increases your hookup rate. Running through the gills out the body tie wraps blah blah is old news. Hook can get turned sideways against the baits body and miss its target. I’ve been doing this long enough now and thru the nose has better hookup. Also, no pulling back or ‘setting the hook’. You’ll snatch the hook right out of its mouth. Let it eat!! let the hook do its thing. Watch videos of sharks feeding. They usually pick it up, swim with it and eventually swallow it on the move. Let it swim off with a loose drag and give it a chance to swallow the bait good. Then as xochal said, keep pressure on the fish. If it catches air, reel reel reel!! Or it may shake the hook.
Good luck!
Travis, you’ve mentioned the reel, line, hooks, bait. What about your rod? Circle hooks need to set (rotate) kind of slow. If your rod is really stiff, the hook may be “setting” to quickly. The hook needs to catch the corner of the mouth, not behind the teeth. I don’t shark fish on purpose but I have caught TONS of big cat fish on circles. When using circles, I like a rod with a very soft tip. And you definitely need to leave room on circle hooks as stated above. Make sure they are very sharp as well. And don’t snap the rod like Bill Dance. Just start reelin’.
Thank you RACRX and dparker. My rod for now is a 12’ ugly stick. I’m looking for a 20-40 lb 9 - 10 ft rod. Haven’t found anything like that at hadrells or angler. Any recommendations on a rod. I’m still a little unsure about whether to get the Penn 8000 with live liner (bait runner) or going without that. I like the idea behind it because of the clicking noise. Who doesn’t love to hear that clicking noise :)? Any thoughts on with or without the live liner for sharks?
Salt Life Travis
“The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word.” Hebrews 1:3
“Great info on this topic from great fishermen though.”
j
Agreed. I threw all my pride out the window and since moving here to the coast in February, have realized I know nothing about saltwater fishing like I thought I did.
Salt Life Travis
“The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word.” Hebrews 1:3
I doubt you’ll hear much clicking from any spinning reels against the surf. But then again, my hearing is not what it used to be. I remember my first ugly stick surf rod lol. It was like handling 12’ of cooked spaghetti haha. But I did catch sharks on it:-) I don’t know what your budget is, but the Tsunami Airwave Tuna Popper spinning rods are beast! I have them both and think the lighter action one is a little better suited for the surf. Comes with fugi new concept guides that are tangle proof. Pair that with an 850LL with braid and you’ll have a shark machine:-) check em out, on sale. http://m.tackledirect.com/tsunami-airwave-elite-blue-water-spin-tuna-popping-rods.html
I doubt you’ll hear much clicking from any spinning reels against the surf. But then again, my hearing is not what it used to be. I remember my first ugly stick surf rod lol. It was like handling 12’ of cooked spaghetti haha. But I did catch sharks on it:-) I don’t know what your budget is, but the Tsunami Airwave Tuna Popper spinning rods are beast! I have them both and think the lighter action one is a little better suited for the surf. Comes with fugi new concept guides that are tangle proof. Pair that with an 850LL with braid and you’ll have a shark machine:-) check em out, on sale. http://m.tackledirect.com/tsunami-airwave-elite-blue-water-spin-tuna-popping-rods.html
Awesome! Thanks for the suggestions RACRX
Salt Life Travis
“The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word.” Hebrews 1:3
