# Hoping to get my first shark!



## Sooner359 (Mar 3, 2018)

Hey all, I’m new to the forum! I’ve been to Texas the last two years in hopes of catching a shark, but I’ve come up empty! My sights are on the beaches of Florida now and I already have a better feeling about it! We’re staying near Navarre from March 18th-22nd. I’ve been scouting some areas with close sand bars (using Google maps) because I won’t have access to a kayak and I have found a couple bars. I’ve got a couple smaller rigs for baitfish and I’m looking at getting a Penn Squall LevelWind 30 on a 7 foot ugly stik for my heavier rig. Am I in safe water with that combo? I figured I’d load it with 500 yards 50lb braid and top it with 25 yards 100lb mono and maybe 3-4 feet of AFW tooth proof stainless wire with 9/0 Mustad Demon Circle hooks. Am I close to a good set up there? I’ve tried reading as much as possible to get a good rig, so now I’d like an opinion before I pull the trigger on it. Making my own wire rigs also. Hoping my first trip to Florida yields my first shark! Any tips or recommendations? Thanks all!

-Eric


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## AdrenB (Jun 20, 2017)

My suggestion would be to go to the pier. My group fishes Navarre regularly, and short drops just don't produce much for us. Your setup will handle >5' fish just fine, although I would suggest sacrificing a hundred yards of braid to lengthen that topshot. Check out BallisticMarineGroup on Facebook, and if you happen to be able to stick around a couple extra days, we are fishing the 24th, we'd love to have you out there!


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## Sooner359 (Mar 3, 2018)

Thanks! My only hesitation with piers is that they seem to be crowded. And I’m pretty new to saltwater fishing so I’d surely embarrass myself ? Does Navarre pier get crowded often? I also realize that spring break is probably not the best time to look for a secluded area in Florida Unfortunately, we have to be back sooner than the 24th. Thanks for the invitation though! Are you talking 50 yards of 100lb mono or more? And if more, what’s a good inexpensive line to get with more yardage? Thanks again!


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## AdrenB (Jun 20, 2017)

I use Elmax for my topshots, its cheap and tough. You could also try the east jetty in destin, the west jetty requires an eglin permit and you have to leave at sunset, but the east side is free range. The access there is called Osteen beach. I cant say that the pier will not be crowded, but weekdays are usually less crowded. Please be extremely careful when handling sharks..


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## AdrenB (Jun 20, 2017)

Google Texas Shark Fishing and read their handbook, it will help you A LOT! Without it, I would still be a couple years of trial and error behind where I am now lol


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## Sooner359 (Mar 3, 2018)

Thanks so much for the info! I’ll see if we can check those areas out! Hoping to hook into some Pompano as well!


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## OCLLC (Aug 30, 2017)

*Shark Leader ready to go*

Try an Oceanic Customs shark leader. All you have to do is clip it on your snap swivel. Oceaniccustomsllc.com


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## AdrenB (Jun 20, 2017)

OCLLC said:


> Try an Oceanic Customs shark leader. All you have to do is clip it on your snap swivel. Oceaniccustomsllc.com


These look to be well made leaders


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## OCLLC (Aug 30, 2017)

Thank you, I take pride in all of our rigs I build. We only use the best products to build ours. I have even built my own jigs to assure consistency and quality.


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## dirtybird19 (Mar 14, 2018)

I used a 10ft Penn surfrod and Penn reel with 40lb braid. Braid line attached to a swivel with 60 lb mono with a sliding pyramid sinker in between two plastic beads with the other side of the mono attached to another swivel. then to this swivel I had about 26-28inch of steel wire attached to a circle hook. I forget the pound test of the wire.

Fished in the morning off of the beach in Destin starting around 30 min before sunrise. Was using a ladyfish cut in half on a circle hook. Within 15 min of my bait in the water, I hooked up and I was able to feel in a 4 foot black tip.

After taking photos and removing the hook, I got my bait back in the water and had another run on my line around 30 min later, but was not successful in setting the hook.

The other days prior to this I had no luck with sharks but this day must have been more active for some reason. This was over the summer last year.

Usually during the spring pompano run, I see some smaller sharks, maybe 1-2ft swimming along the shoreline in the early mornings. A couple of times they would attack my pompano as I was fighting it. Ive managed to catch a few of these smaller sharks on my pompano rig too. I can imagine there are probably bigger ones out further but I haven't tried shark fishing this time of year.


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## OCLLC (Aug 30, 2017)

This is 40lb mono main line attached directly to our leader via snap swivel. Fish the evening hours.....3 to dark.


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## AdrenB (Jun 20, 2017)

OCLLC said:


> This is 40lb mono main line attached directly to our leader via snap swivel. Fish the evening hours.....3 to dark.


That's a perfect eater right there!


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