# Surf fishing Ft Morgan for sharks and other at night



## squirrel (Mar 19, 2012)

Guys, I'm headed to Ft Morgan for a week of fishing mid may. We go ourselves a house on the beach. We plan on spending a lot of time fishing the beach in front of our house, and especially at night. Any tips on rigging for some larger fish would be appreciated. We will be casting out, don't have a kayak. Specifically interested in what knots to use for tying to braid, what pound fluorocarbon we should use, hooks and such. I don't really have a heavy duty pole like I've seen some of the guys using so I'll be using my two surf rods...


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## johnf (Jan 20, 2012)

If you aren't kayaking bait and your rods aren't big I would go with some 120# 7 strand wire with a 10/0 circle hook. Make the wire leader about 3-4' then use a 100# swivel or so to some big mono or weed eater line crimped to the swivel short enough that you can still cast it all. Put a weight slider on your weed eater line and put a 4-6 oz weight on that. Use a sputnik if you can find one. Use another swivel on the other end of the leader and just use a regular fisher mans knot on your main line. Put a chunk of fish on the circle hook and sling it out. If you see someone on a kayak have them take it out past the breakers. Just make sure you have plenty line on your reel.

For bait, pretty much any fish but a hard head will work. I cut mine in half and use the head end hooked through the eyes or up through the nose from the lower jaw. I fought a really nice hammer with a speck carcass.

Good luck.


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## MathGeek (Mar 31, 2012)

For redfish, we use 30-50 lb braid, an 80 lb mono leader, and cracked crab or mullet for bait. 2 oz minimum weight sinker on up to 6 oz if needed to hold the bottom. 7/0 offset shank J hook. All knots are uni knots.


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## johnf (Jan 20, 2012)

BTW if you didn't figure it out, my post was primarily for sharks. What size reels are you running?


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## Justin618 (Aug 18, 2013)

For sharks I use 135# coated cable with a 16/0 hook. Do bite section and then use a heavy mono uni knotted to you main line. A good braid knot to swivel etc is a palomar. Really simple and fast.


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## toddboy23 (Apr 29, 2014)

My brother and I will be there may 16-19. Surf fishing the whole time. This will be my first time there...killed the bull reds last weekend in gulf shores!


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## Shark Hunter (Apr 17, 2014)

You need to get past the 2nd bar to get at those Sharks. Use what you can catch for bait. If its in the water at the time, that's what they will be eating.
Really any fish head will do, just sling it as far as you can.


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## squirrel (Mar 19, 2012)

I'm using a Penn Torqe 9 and a Penn 650. Getting past the second bar is a challenge for me sometimes with a lot of weight. I really don't enjoy wading out chest deep to cast...but eventually talk myself into it. Sounds like I need to get some wire and crimps ordered to make up some leaders. 
What is the offset shank j hook purpose? I need to order some hooks as well. 

Where do you guys order your wire/crimps/hooks from?


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## MathGeek (Mar 31, 2012)

squirrel said:


> What is the offset shank j hook purpose? I need to order some hooks as well.


The purpose of the offset J hook is to catch fish. I think they work better than non-offset Js and circle hooks because sometimes a big fish (like a redfish) is running with the bait in his mouth but is not hooked yet. 

When you tighten up, the force is tending to pull the bait out of his mouth, and the point of the offset J has a better chance to catch on something before sliding out. 

I can't prove this because I'm just feeling the rod end of the line and not actually seeing what's going on in the fish's mouth. I do know from experience, we have more failures to hook up with non-offset hooks.


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## squirrel (Mar 19, 2012)

ok that makes sense. Thanks for the explanation MathGeek. 
We are also thinking about using a balloon launcher to get some bait out a little further than we would otherwise cast. Seeing as how there will be 3 of us, we can do it!


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## toddboy23 (Apr 29, 2014)

What dates will you be there? I might bring my yak...Haven't decided yet.


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## Shark Hunter (Apr 17, 2014)

squirrel said:


> I'm using a Penn Torqe 9 and a Penn 650. Getting past the second bar is a challenge for me sometimes with a lot of weight. I really don't enjoy wading out chest deep to cast...but eventually talk myself into it. Sounds like I need to get some wire and crimps ordered to make up some leaders.
> What is the offset shank j hook purpose? I need to order some hooks as well.
> 
> Where do you guys order your wire/crimps/hooks from?


I Buy most of my rigging material from Catchall tackle. They sell some good hooks too. Its not a necessity to get past that 2nd bar, I just think it will help your chances. Let me know how that Baloon Launcher works.


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## squirrel (Mar 19, 2012)

toddboy23 said:


> What dates will you be there? I might bring my yak...Haven't decided yet.


We are arriving morning of the 16 and leaving on the 20th. Staying around mile marker 5 near the ferry port. We'll be the guys that have no idea what they're doing, but appear to be having lot's of fun doing it anyway!


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## squirrel (Mar 19, 2012)

Shark Hunter said:


> I Buy most of my rigging material from Catchall tackle. They sell some good hooks too. Its not a necessity to get past that 2nd bar, I just think it will help your chances. Let me know how that Baloon Launcher works.


I'll look them up this afternoon. Have to get an order in soon...runnin out of time.


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