# Shark fishing leader.



## johnf (Jan 20, 2012)

I'm really wanting to try to catch at least a decent 4-5' shark. I watched a youtube video that seemed like complete overkill so I started looking for something that might work for me. I found some 1/16" aircraft steel cable with 480lb breaking strength. I figure this would be big enough for any shark I'm going to catch off the beach. I'm I wrong? I can get 3/32" at 920lbs or 1/8" cable at 1760lbs but figured the extra weight would make it pretty hard to cast with my 7' catfishing rod. I figure I'll use about 6' of that followed 10 yards or so of 50lb braid and then 20lb mono. 

Am I crazy on my plan or will it work? Does the cable have to be coated? Mind you I'm only going to be on the beach for 4 days and if I catch 1 decent shark (4+ feet) I'm probably going to call it done, and go for pomp, whiting or trout the rest of the time. The whole thing will likely go in the trash when I'm done.

I've seen a couple vids where they used weedeater line, but I don't think I could do that and cast from the beach.


----------



## The Pitt (Apr 7, 2012)

why not just go to wal mart and buy some single strand steel leader? make a 6' ish leader, 50lb braid on the reel and call it a day. youre probably not gonna be able to cast very far with that rod though.


----------



## johnf (Jan 20, 2012)

The Pitt said:


> why not just go to wal mart and buy some single strand steel leader? make a 6' ish leader, 50lb braid on the reel and call it a day. youre probably not gonna be able to cast very far with that rod though.


I want to get this set up before I come. They don't carry steel leaders in Arkansas. Whats a leader like that cost? Maybe I should wait and get it there.


----------



## Buckyt (Oct 1, 2007)

Probably $2-3 at Walmart, Sam's, most bait shops. You'll have plenty of leader for your trip.


----------



## johnf (Jan 20, 2012)

Buckyt said:


> Probably $2-3 at Walmart, Sam's, most bait shops. You'll have plenty of leader for your trip.


 
Sounds like a plan. How do you set those up? The only videos I've found have the really big cable.


----------



## penn 10/0 (Apr 7, 2011)

just get some decent 3 way swivels and haywire twist the cable to the swivel and haywire twist a hook to the other end of the wire... then tie a 18in section of mono to the other ring, tie a dropper loop in it and use a 3-4oz pyramid weight... Tie that to your main line and cast as far as you can... works for anything you would want to catch on 20 lb. mono, and don't use the braid if you can help in unless its your main line, if the shark tail whips braid your done.. lol


----------



## penn 10/0 (Apr 7, 2011)

I mean use braid on the reel, but not as a shock leader...


----------



## Jason (Oct 2, 2007)

Basic math on sharks, make the leader bigger then the size shark you wanna catch. 6 ft. shark, add a few feet to it. The sharks skin will cut mono w/ ease. There have been BIG sharks taken off local shores by our expert sharkers but the average would probably be 4-6 footers. If you can cast baits fine, if not you can float your baits out if the tide is right or paddle them out on a tube/yak whatever..... Good luck on your trip!


----------



## yenzie35 (Mar 31, 2012)

Is 100 lb. mono sufficient for a shock leader?


----------



## johnf (Jan 20, 2012)

If I put a 7-8 foot leader on it can I lay my bait on the sand, take out the slack and just sling the crap out of it? Otherwise I've got a swivel in my pole. How exactly would you cast a long leader like that? What do you mean "float it out"? Don't have a kayak.
What do you mean "HAYWIRE"?


----------



## yenzie35 (Mar 31, 2012)

Google Haywire twist, it's the preferred way of securing a self made wire leader to a hook / swivel.


----------



## penn 10/0 (Apr 7, 2011)

I don't know how heavy of a rod you have but i normally use a drag cast for long leaders 8ft+... you just lay your bait behind you, get a good powerful start and cast when your close to the water, i use an 8ft 100lb. class rod and can get the bait 30+yds, i know it doesn't sound far but when chunking a 3-5lb. bonita i feel its pretty good.... but my other casted rods for sharks are longer, 10ft+ and can just cast those straight out...


----------



## johnf (Jan 20, 2012)

yenzie35 said:


> Google Haywire twist, it's the preferred way of securing a self made wire leader to a hook / swivel.


Thanks, I've done those for years. Didn't know what they were called.


----------



## cbump (Jun 8, 2011)

http://www.thehulltruth.com/fishing...igs-custom-tacke-10-pack-shark-rigs-55-a.html

This guy made mine. I got 5 monos but had him make them with a dropper for a surf weight. I also got 5 cable rigs with weighted swivel for boat fishing.


----------



## Trophyhusband (Nov 30, 2011)

I fish from a boat so I don't have to cast, but for sharks I use about 2 feet of 135# steel leader connected to 6 feet of 200# mono and then 85# braid for my main line. With that setup there the shark has to be at least 8 feet from the corner of his mouth to the tip of his tail to cut my braid. It has happened to me only once. 

Since buying a 10 or 12 foot rod to give you some decent casting distance is probably not practical, try to find someone from this forum to fish with that has a kayak to ferry baits out. I've had nothing but good experiences from the people I've met on this forum so just ask. Someone will be happy to fish with you.


----------



## shootnstarz (May 4, 2011)

IMHO 90 to 200lb 7 strand will work on most smaller sharks but a lot depends on your tackle. You want to try to match your leader to your line weight/rod/reel combo. You wouldn't want to use 3/32 aircraft cable on a 30# class rig nor 90# 7 strand on a 130# rig. Any of the local tackle shops will help you select the proper tackle.

As for all these swivels, shockers, and different size leader materials on the line I tend to avoid any weak spots, and every connection is a potential failure. I would just use a single piece of leader with one heavy duty swivel, double your line and tie an improved clinch knot and let that be you rig. Caught many a shark like that back in the day. If you need to weight your bait down I would use a small piece of mono tied to the weight and to the eye of the hook. When a shark picks up the bait he will cut the mono and you're off !!!

I also think laying out a bunch of line and slinging the bait out will give you the most distance. That's how we did it on the pier way back. Floating it out is also great if the elements are working for you.

Rick


----------



## TheRoguePirate (Nov 3, 2011)

For most sharks, use a 6-8 foot 240# wire leader with a size 13 or 14 circle hook coated in electrical tape or dipped in plasti-dip (a rubber coating) so the shark wont hit the metal hook and spit it out. 
put a 250-300# barrel swivil on the end of your wire leader. Use 3 feet of downrigger line (cheaper than mono and the same thing) with 250-300# clasp at one end and barrel swivil on the other (this is your shock leader) than anywhere from 30-100# braid on your main line, you only need about 300-500 yards on your spool. Wade out and cast past first sand bar to the left or right of a rip current, set your drag to the lightest setting possible, you want the shark to pick up the bait and run with it a bit, then set the drag hard and give the rod a little pop to set the hook, or a couple pops to make sure its good and in there, then hold on for the ride.

good luck and hope you come out with all your fingers and toes. make sure you know the type of shark before keeping it as some protected species look like other non protected species.

TRP


----------



## nathan70 (Jul 12, 2011)

The whole plasti-dip thing sounds good. Anyone ever try heat shrink tubing?


----------



## Dragsmoker (Aug 15, 2011)

Well I caught a 5 foot black tip on a 5 inch leader. The only reason I got it to the boat is it was hooked perfectly in the mouth. If you want to catch a 5 footer I woul put on a 6 foot leader.


----------



## Kachok (May 1, 2012)

I am no grandmaster shark expert, but I do spend 30+ days out of the year fishing for them, so I am no novice either. Here are a few pointers on leaders.
Hardwire is more tricky to use then multi-strand and is a royal pain in the butt when still fishing large live baits, but the payoff is more bites then the thicker multi strand stuff and higher bite resistance per pound of tensile strength. NEVER tie hardwire directly onto a pyramid sinker or anything with an edge, that is asking for a kink before the shark ever gets to it. Always link or 3 way any hard edge sinker.
The total length of your combined leader should be 1-2ft longer then the largest shark you plan to fish for, now that does not all have to be steel leader, only the first 18-24" needs to be a bite leader, the rest of the length should be something strong with a very high abrasion resistance. 300lbs leader grade mono and weed eater string are common choices, this is to resist the abrasion of the sharks skin that will wear through any mono/fluorocarbon/braid you would ever want to cast.
Shark hooks do not have to be as large as many would have you believe, my bite to landing ratio has actually been better on smaller hooks with my 30-50lbs tackle, sharks have a very tough mouth and you don't need that wide a gap, just a stout hook that won't straighten. I have landed many a shark on my bait lines that all use a beefy little #6 hook!! One trophy bull red and a monster black drum have also fallen prey to my little #6, never had one straighten, never had one break, and hardly ever had one pull. IMHO the ideal hook size is about a 3-4/0 on 30lbs tackle and a 5-6/0 on 50 lbs class gear. Leave the 14-20/0s to the uber heavy gear we fish with from the boat or run out 500yd in the kayak.
How heavy a leader? Some think that anything under a 1,000lbs test steel cable is silly. I tend to disagree, I have pulled in thousands of sharks including some true monsters and have yet to have one bite through 250lbs test steel, dumb luck..... maybe, but I usually leave the reel locked in where they hook themselves as soon as they bite, almost always catching the corner of the mouth and avoiding the teeth for the most part so your milage may vary if you let them run the clicker for 30 seconds and swallow the bait. 100 lbs hardwire is the smallest I personally use and 400lbs is the largest grade I keep in my tackle box.


----------

