Hi folk,

I intend to go Sharking in July / August time from Plymouth having never done it before I don’t know much about the end tackle side of things! does any one know of a website for this? Or how to set up the balloon ECT?

Cheers all
Mustgofishing

Guests - this sponsored link will vanish when you log-in. Click here to register for free.

If you are going sharking on a charter boat then all the tackle should be provided. Balloons/floats, traces and hooks all rigged ready to go by the skipper and or crew.

It could get a tad expensive to buy the right gear to find out you only use it once/twice a year or two.
Have fun, it can get a bit boring waiting for the first run.

Dave

Pop to the library and look in the fishing books there - there's always a 'how to set up for shark fishing' page or two. - as for tackle - use a hire rod& reel, but make your own trace or buy your own from the shop, there's nothing worse than losing a fish due to someone else's poor knot tying or crimping.

Use your own kit and rod as you will enjoy the experience much more. The hired kit may be some huge old world penn reel and a broom handle. Here is the best set up and my suggestion:

Lever drag multiplier reel such as TLD30 with 30 to 35lb main line - lever drag allows you to set it in a run position and have the clicker on.

Long boat rod best and I use an Ugly stick Conger in the 20 to 30lb rating.

Rig is this:

Slide on mainline in this order

Bead.
Snap lock swivel spinning on the line ( blow up a ballon and clip the snap into the loose end of the knotted balloon)
Bead
Heavey 2oz drilled ball weight or similar
bead

Then tie on the trace which must be the following:

Large swivel rated 200lb plus
12 to 15ft of twisting rubbing length of 200lb nylon or wire but nylon best.
another swivel
3 to 4ft of biting length of heavy coated wire
large bronzed hook 9/0 to 12/0.

All double tied or crimped.

Finish the set up by forming a sliding stop knot on the main line to set the depth which can be a few feet up the line or 50 to 60ft. I like to use some heavey power gum.The depth is a varied thing and usually all fishing rods (4) are set at different depths and distances from the drifting boat. This covers the water and slick the shark may approach the boat from.

Do not use stainless or galvanised hooks as if the shark should take the hook then you want something that will corrode easily. Best to debarb the hook.

Mackerel flapper or two or three squid are better than whole mackerel and setting the hook seems easier with them.

Sit back and wait for the run. Take a second rod and enjoy the abundance of mackerel that are attracted to the dubby slick.

Hope this helps.

Hi Mustgofishing,
I went through the same process last year in trying to set up a shark trip. In the end it went better than expected but I would say there is a wealth of conflicting opinions out there as to what is suitable.

Bilbo's advice is spot on and a lever drag reel is an essential along with the right trace to suit your intended target species. We were targeting porbeagles and the tackle recommended is all slightly up rated from what bilbo described.

Good luck with your hunt .

Cheers
Dave

Use your own kit and rod as you will enjoy the experience much more. The hired kit may be some huge old world penn reel and a broom handle. Here is the best set up and my suggestion:

Lever drag multiplier reel such as TLD30 with 30 to 35lb main line - lever drag allows you to set it in a run position and have the clicker on.

Long boat rod best and I use an Ugly stick Conger in the 20 to 30lb rating.


Gilbo, I agree that this is a great way to go, but to go sharking for the first time and don`t really know if he is going to stick at it, is it worth spending out on a new set up if it is not going to get used again or only once or twice a year.

I went for at least 2 years without even seeing a shark let alone catching one.
Just my humble opinion that`s all.
Dave

Thanks you very much for that gilbo, a great help, i'm looking forward to it already!

Rick aka MustGoFishing

hi dave.


we were out agian for the past two weeks with malc on sea spray
last sat we were uptiding off whitby when i hit into a decent size cod.
just started to get it in when i was pulled the full length of the boat by something which got hold of my cod and wouldnt let go
took approx 150 m straight off reel then it was gone.
deffo not a seal as no sign of them all day and also the rod was really thumping and the angle of line was going down in the water not coming up.
nothing even popped its head up to eat its meal, when the line gave there must have been at least 3m of extremley frayed 30lb mon above where the rig used to be. ( mine & malcs personal opinion deffo porgie of bloody big tope ) as weve never seen a seal go that fast or with that much power.
we were only 1/2 mile off at the time, and seeing what happened last year when you and norm b were on it was exactly the same scenario.
also that day fins were spotted by others off the wall ( same location as last year ) so maybe they have arrived ( shown themselves ) a little bit earlier this year

are you going to have a go again this year, and if so hope to see you soon


cheers

krysb

Krysb - porgies come in close, the commercial guys here netting for red mullet and bass in winter accidentally get them within 1/2 a mile of the shore in 20m of water. My father-in-law and I had a visitation from what we think was a porgie when we were wrecking the summer before last:-

..it chomped his (would have been double figures easily) pollack and a (would have been 5lb) cod that I caught. Both fish were seized about 2/3rds of the way up to the boat.

This post has been edited by Toerag: Apr 16 2007, 11:46 AM

toerag
we find they definately enjoy a good feed of cod / ling / pollock as i have had many decent fish reduced by 1/2 upon arrival at the surface
they accidently get caught in the salmon nets but i have never thought id possibly get a run when uptiding this close in especially at this time of year
the water was filthy with visibility of approx 6 inches
it really took off as i was stood at the bow reeling in, and i got dragged straight down the side of the wheelhouse, straight off the step down, and half way along the back of the boat.
in this time it must have done 150 m down tide.
obviously my powerstix / 535 combination does not have the backbone for porgie bashing!!!!!


krysb