Penn 309 for shark fishing

Tightlines667 · January 28, 2014, 01:19:28 AM

I have some 'hotrodded' 4 and 6/0s for sale but they may be a bit pricy for what you are looking to spend (range from $340-$450). Your best bet is prob to buy used on EBay or locally, and use the service tutorials here to service it before fishing. Check out the for sale section and you might find something else available here that will fill your needs too.

Shark Hunter · January 28, 2014, 09:16:21 AM

Topshot has some for sale. A 600H would be perfect for what you are looking for.

CapeFish · January 28, 2014, 09:21:11 AM

I can point you to a website where there are plenty of photos of 200kg+ sharks and rays way over that caught on Torium/Trinidad 30s, but they get spooled with over 700m line , but going smaller than that is asking for serious trouble. If you are going to use a kayak to get your bait out you can basically go as big a reel you feel comfortable with, but chances are that even on a big reel you can run into trouble.

Shark Hunter · January 28, 2014, 11:33:31 AM

Well said, Some fish just aren't meant to be caught and anything can happen.

LucasGeneau · January 28, 2014, 02:12:09 PM

Thanks to everyone for the info i do apreciate it. I saw the reels of topshot they are cheap and good but i dont trust ebay because i had a bad experince.

Shark Hunter · January 28, 2014, 05:51:10 PM

LucasGeneau · January 28, 2014, 06:28:02 PM

Nice bait i can only imagine what you use for chum jaja

CapeFish · January 29, 2014, 08:26:29 AM

Quote from: Shark Hunter on January 28, 2014, 11:33:31 AM
Well said, Some fish just aren't meant to be caught and anything can happen.

I am a firm believer though that lighter tackle gets more pulls and it helps to build confidence to fish with manageable tackle. Yes sometimes you will get a hiding, but having fish on teaches you how to use the drag, when to let the fish run, how much pressure you can put on and that you can actually pull pretty big fish if your knots, end gear and reel is in good nick. If you are fortunate enough to live in an area where the fish are thick, then I suppose it won't make such a big difference, but if they are few and far between then I will hedge my bets on a lighter rig.

pcde123 · February 01, 2014, 04:17:22 PM

if you were on a boat or a kayak, that could work, but the ammount of line you have on your reel is what most sharkfisherman would consider their bait deploying distance, a 309 will not break down or buckle under pressure, its just that there is not enough line, maybe if your off a pier and you lower your main line to 40lb braid and 50 lb mono, honestly with only 10lbs of drag, you will only need 40 lb braid

Shark Hunter · February 01, 2014, 10:10:45 PM

A reel with only 10 lb drag capabilities is not a shark reel. It will break and buckle and at the minimum you will lose all your line. If you want to put 50lb line on a 10lb reel. You are going to lose it!
Lets face the facts here. A 309 is not a Shark reel.

saltydog · February 01, 2014, 10:35:29 PM

Shark Hunter is right a 309 is not a shark reel and most 5+ footers will break your levelwind sooner or later, face it buy a 40 to 50 dollar 6/0 and use it you will be better off and at least have a chance. Now I do a lot of light line fishing for sharks but levelwinds just don't cut it, I have a diawa 20 shv that I use 30# braid on and it catches plenty of good size sharks in the 6 to 8 foot range and haven't been spooled but twice with it. A jigmaster 500 with 30# mono works good too.

Shark Hunter · February 01, 2014, 10:48:28 PM

The Dog is a much more experienced Shark fisherman than myself. This is real world Experience talking here.

saltydog · February 01, 2014, 10:53:00 PM

Shark Hunter I can't wait for the water to warm and the tips to start pupping this year so we can try for some big Tigers, we are also planning a whole week in June fishing for tips on 16# thru 30# for records so wish us luck, and most of those will be with 3/0 thru 6/0 Senators and a few spinners to boot, but you can bet our 12/0 will be there too in force.

Shark Hunter · February 01, 2014, 10:58:43 PM

Go Big or Go Home Brother! I am only fishing with two reels this year. A 12/0 and a 14/0.

Hopefully it will be an awesome year for both of Us!

saltydog · February 01, 2014, 11:09:00 PM

Don't get me wrong it's go big or go home but were fishing for great big on the little ones as well as the big. HAHA I will probably get spooled a few times but we may also break a few records. The only thing about those 12/0 is last year it caught our smallest shark, a 4'2" Bull on a 10# ray. We pulled the bait in and he was on the circle hook still kicking away, another greedy gus for the books.