Shark hooks

[saltydog]

At the time 6'1" and 250.

[Shark Hunter]

Nice pic Salty!
Did you have some Jewfish sandwiches?

[Bunnlevel Sharker]

If he h d any jewfish samiches now he's be eating egg samiches in jail lol I he rd they are great eating. A senator is nothing like an avet, they don't break all the time!

[saltydog]

That fish was caught before there ding a ling law(being smart butt) went into effect,we never saw a reduction in fish and I could take you to places in Fla. you could catch them till you passed out from exhaustion even when they said they were rare,now they are a real PITA.And yes they are just a grouper and make great sandwiches(even at that size) but haven't had any since they closed em down.That fish fed my family for around 2 years.I would pay 100.00 or more for a yearly tag for 1 fish if they would open it up.The reason why anglers don't catch em too much is most live were you can't tug there big rear end out of.

And here in Texas it's a dry balony samich three times a day with a sip of spoiled milk.

All kidding a side if you want to test what your tackle can do throw a 20' 1000# aircraft cable your favorite hook and your strongest Rod and reel and go hook one of these and try to get em off the bottom, most of the really big guys get away after they have drug you on your knees around the boat a few times.I know several wrecks in South Fla. that when you dive the VW bugs come to see what you brought them and they are way bigger than that fish I caught.

[Shark Hunter]

Very Nice Buddy! That is Classic!

[Bunnlevel Sharker]

Goon south Florida shark club and look they have those unlimited 9ft gators bent double on those fish

[Dynamo]

I read a post that the SFSC adminstrator wrote, they were bringing in a 12 ft tiger and the fish tail whipped the fresh line, 600 mono, in a single swipe! He went to cable and never looked back. Plus cable is more resistant to pilings and crab traps.

[saltydog]

How many times was that leader used in the past and how long had the tiger had to rub the coral.All the hub bub is where you have to learn to draw the line from the guys who have to have the biggest baddest stuff in the water when a 3 dollar rig will do.There is alot of mis information out there and I will tell you you will catch more sharks if you stay away from cable and use heavy wire.I remember when JAWS came out and take it at face value,I was 6 years old and drove my uncles boat for him when he used to run his lines on the weekends and summers for sharks.We would get 40 or 50 and had good days( and that was at 27-33 cents a pound)

Then the movie came out and I still remember to this day in sunny south Fla.every crazed ding a ling with a boat a rope a winch and a harpoon from the pier were all looking to kill a great white in 5' of water in the bay.It was that way for years, and we laughed, these guys had these thousands of dollars of tackle tens of thousands on boats and god knows what they were thinking they had goat,cow legs , chickens, you think it they put it out for bait for those mythical bloodthirsty monsters going to eat your child for breakfast sharks.

I have caught hundreds of sharks and I follow one rule, I keep it simple and always check my leaders.Always remember you will never get every fish you hook and no matter how hard you try line will break,swivels will fail,snap swivels will open and anything else you can imagine will happen on big fish and little ones too.I still remember a friend who swore he lost a 20' Tiger in Gordon pass Fla. but two days later I caught his leader in the mouth of a 7' hammer,that fish broke 200# mono and took 200 yards of line with the drag locked go figure he had spunk.The mono also broke 100' from the shark and he had a 30' 1000# aircraft cable attached to his 20/0 J hook and a 25# ray.He swam away no worse for ware.

In closing always remember these simple rules:
1.SUPER SHARP FRIGGIN HOOKS
2.Check yur mono frequently
3.Check your knots
4.Minimalize and you will catch more fish
5.Use surfcraft(use what you see,if the mullet are everywhere use them)
6.Have fun

[Dynamo]

Having fun is definateley the prority! The people whom I am speaking of are strictly monster hunters, they have caught many small sharks such as lemons and tippers. The 600 lb test mono was fresh and only took a single swipe from what I remember. If mono rubbs on crab traps, coral or barnacles, pilings, or telephone poles the line will part in seconds. Mono will work for sharks on the smaller/average side of the spectrum but when monster hunting or bridge sharking, I recommend a cable tail whip leader. And please don't say the people on the SFSC don't know what they are doing. They have caught many sharks and alot of them are monsters. I don't know them personally but they are hardcore and dedicated to their sport. They have alot of experience and knowledge under their belts. They are the most hardcore sharking site in my opinion. They are not like Texas Shark Fishing. Go check them out. They do some awesome stuff.

[Shark Hunter]

Sounds like a plug to me. I registered on Friday and my account is still not activated by the administrator. I just wanted to take a look, mainly about the 14/0 spools. I guess it takes a week to look.
Listen to SaltyDog. That is pure experience talking. Not something read on a blog.

[Dynamo]

SOS says to allow at least 2 weeks, maybe they were extra fast in your case. Also to fully become a member you have to pay 30 dollars, then you can join in there activities and tournaments and win prizes, etcetera. I'm not saying Salty dog's wrong, I'm simply saying that there is a reason people use cable tail whip leaders, if they don't they lose more sharks to crab traps and pilings. And no offense, but If I shouldn't listen listen and trust what the SFSC people say, then shouldn't I not listen to what Salty dog is saying? There's pure experience on both sides of the spectrum. Also Salty Dog fishes in texas from a boat, where there aren't coral reefs, telephone poles, craggly pilings, and dozens of crab traps. Also manuvering around snags is an option with a boat, its alot harder from bridge or beach.

[Dynamo]

Do you get what I'm saying? Not that mono leaders do not work, I'm saying that for monster hunting, especially around areas with lots of snags, cable tail whip leaders will lose you less fish. Heavy mono tail whip leaders will work, but cable is the way to go monster hunting in Florida. Does anybody understand what I'm saying?

[saltydog]

Yes I do but from 30 years of experiance you avoid those places because you will loose with a true monster.He knows every rock,piling and snag where he haunts but there is another way.Those monsters have huge territories,what you have to do is look for them cruising in areas where they can be caught.We used to climb coconut trees and watch for big one swimming and sometimes you can see a pattern,now most areas have big buildings,a perfect vantage point to look for cruising fish.Don't let them fool you alot of big sharks have areas the hunt and when you find one,use it.

SURFCRAFT

I guess you missed where most of my fishing has been the last 30 something years, AKA South Floridia, when I wasn't on the boat I fished the beach for money,remember I commercial fished for my rent, food,clothing and everything else I did from the beach.And yes alot was from a boat but I have been fishing the beaches and piers there until some snow birds made it illegal or just uncomfortable to fish.At least where I live in Texas now it is unlawful even by a peace officer to harrass a fisherman or hunter,I quit spending my money the last few years in Fla. because every time I put out a line I was harrassed several times a day by law enforcement even when I was 2 miles down the beach from anyone.Now if you have to pay to belong to a site so you can belong hey it's a free country,but most of those places go the way of the dodo because it ALWAYS becomes about the EGO's of site administrators and others who always have to be the best at everything.I have no ego about shark fishing because I know what I have caught and seen,but I am willing to give my 30+ years of knowledge for free with no affiliations or showmanship to anyone who asks and I have a few guys I am teaching in the Dallas area right now.

Plus in Texas we have old cars,houses,oil stem pipes,from a hundred years of hurricanes scattered all up and down the Texas coast.Now that I am not able to get around so well I have switched my approach for this next year to go after large sharks on 50# or less gear and try to break some records in the line class catagories,which is easier on me but is probably gonna cause me alot of heartache too.And most of my fishing in Texas is in the surf or from a kayak.

I know alot of people might think I am arrogant but I am a very quiet guy who loves fishing and will do anything for a fellow angler,I am going to start fly fishing classes this winter and hope to introduce more to the sport that doesn't just take it gives back.If you have any questions don't be afraid to ask,and that goes for anyone.

William

[Alto Mare]

If you have any questions don't bother to ask,and that goes for anyone.

William

Yo William, are you saying I'm not allowed to ask you a question and I thought I was your friend

[Shark Hunter]

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I guess you missed where most of my fishing has been the last 30 something years, AKA South Florida, I have no ego about shark fishing because I know what I have caught and seen,but I am willing to give my 30+ years of knowledge for free with no affiliations or showmanship to anyone who asks

William

Bingo! Don't let this guy upset you William.
I have had enough.