Beach and jetty fishing - Need pro advice

[Mac]

If you hook a big shark you wont slow it down. Alot of the sand bar rub is from when you run a bait 100 yards past the 3rd bar and the spider weight grabs. The line will roll across the 3rd bar for hours. I dont see your set ups doing this. Thats why you see shark guys with elevated “deer stands” welded in bed of truck and elevate rod holders off the stands. Puts rod tip 20 foot up.

You are overthinking it. Put some 50# braid in - put on a 50#-80# mono leader maybe 50-75 yards. Take some baits out and see what happens. Worse that happens is you get dumped a few times and upgrade your set ups later.

Solid advice right here!

[kevin nicholls]

If you hook a big shark you wont slow it down. Alot of the sand bar rub is from when you run a bait 100 yards past the 3rd bar and the spider weight grabs. The line will roll across the 3rd bar for hours. I dont see your set ups doing this. Thats why you see shark guys with elevated “deer stands” welded in bed of truck and elevate rod holders off the stands. Puts rod tip 20 foot up.

You are overthinking it. Put some 50# braid in - put on a 50#-80# mono leader maybe 50-75 yards. Take some baits out and see what happens. Worse that happens is you get dumped a few times and upgrade your set ups later.

This. Run some baits out, fight some sea monsters, have a blast. You'll figure it out pretty quick. Go get em.

[Huntindad]

Tim / Paul

when y'all went with OZ down to PINS, would a stock tundra 4x4 make it to MM 45-50 ?

[Mac]

Tim / Paul

when y'all went with OZ down to PINS, would a stock tundra 4x4 make it to MM 45-50 ?

Just got back this afternoon, you’ll be fine. I saw a Corolla at about 32 miles or so

[Big Lee]

Tim / Paul

when y'all went with OZ down to PINS, would a stock tundra 4x4 make it to MM 45-50 ?

Yes, if you are sensible about it. Pic your lane wisely. Run in 4Lo. Carry a set of traction boards with you.

[Huntindad]

Just got back this afternoon, you’ll be fine. I saw a Corolla at about 32 miles or so

Yes, if you are sensible about it. Pic your lane wisely. Run in 4Lo. Carry a set of traction boards with you.

thanx guys, thinking about doing more saltwater fishing...been a long time.

Big Lee... traction boards, you talking bout boards behind the wheels or boards atached to the wheels?

[bigdawg]

I've been fishing the surf and jetties all my life and one thing I can say is don't go out and spend a bunch a money. Fish what you have and you will see what works for you and what equipment you need to upgrade. I have spent alot of money on my fishing gear and have been outfished many times by people with so called cheap gear. I was once out fished on the surfside jetties by a man fishing with 4" of bamboo with some mono tied to it with a rock tied about 18" above a #10 treble hook with some shrimp he caught in a cast net. He out fished me 4 to 1 and I had about $400 in my trout rod and reel and bought my shrimp at the bait house and had it in my oxyegenation system. I still have nice gear but its not necessary to catch a fish, just a choice because I like it.

[justletmein]

50# will be way more drag than any of your reels. I would spool with #50 and use about 30-40 yards a 100# mono leader. He isnt gonna catch big sharks with those set ups but 6 foot blacktips or spinners. Catching big sharks takes a minimal of 50s and some chase them with 80s. I would look for a older 30 wide and put it on a 12 foot rod. Big question is are you paddling baits, flying them out, or casting?

You would be lucky to get 20# of drag on a Penn star drag system

Yep, 100# is way overkill. I like 50lb or 65lb braid.

Also OP you don't need to be 800 yards out, I've seen an 8' bull caught without the guy getting his feet wet and my son caught an 8'4" hammerhead on a cast bait as well. I always put baits on the front and back sides of the 2nd bar and front and back sides of the 3rd bar for the class of reels you asked about.

[Crabtrap]

My son now wants to get more into salt water fishing. Mainly after sharks.

He has a Penn 6/0, 4/0 wide, and a Penn 309

For starters I'm thinking 100# braid that should get him +/- 850 yards on the 6, 700 on the 4/0 and 450 on the 309.

Suggestions on higher # line or lower? My thoughts were the 100# so he could still use the bigger ones off the beach. Also is it good to put on a few yards of mono before spooling with braid?

He's going to need tons of advice. So this thread my go on for a while with lots of questions.

I would do 80lb on the 6/0 and 65lb on the other two. Top em all off with a bit of 80lb mono

[Big Lee]

thanx guys, thinking about doing more saltwater fishing...been a long time.

Big Lee... traction boards, you talking bout boards behind the wheels or boards atached to the wheels?

These are plastic boards 4ft Or so. If you get stuck you can shove them under the tires and drive your way out.

[rvd]

I always make sure I have a 5 gallon bucket and a shovel of sorts. Use the bucket to haul seawater to pack loose (dry) sand so you can drive out when you get stuck. If you don’t dig too deep spinning all you need is the bucket, if you dig too deep (always more fun) you’ll need the bucket and shovel.

[Huntindad]

These are plastic boards 4ft Or so. If you get stuck you can shove them under the tires and drive your way out.

Gotcha... I'll have traction boards of some sort with me. Last resort, I'll split my bed mats if need be.

I am nearing retirement and these threads got me wanting to fish the surf again.

[tvc184]

I've been fishing the surf and jetties all my life and one thing I can say is don't go out and spend a bunch a money. Fish what you have and you will see what works for you and what equipment you need to upgrade. I have spent alot of money on my fishing gear and have been outfished many times by people with so called cheap gear. I was once out fished on the surfside jetties by a man fishing with 4" of bamboo with some mono tied to it with a rock tied about 18" above a #10 treble hook with some shrimp he caught in a cast net. He out fished me 4 to 1 and I had about $400 in my trout rod and reel and bought my shrimp at the bait house and had it in my oxyegenation system. I still have nice gear but its not necessary to catch a fish, just a choice because I like it.

I think that (but rarely say anything) on many threads.

Someone will say, “I am looking at getting into…..______”

It can be golf, flyfishing, surf fishing, bow hunting, etc.

[SwampBuck]

There’s a few ways to look at the braid/mono thing.

You go lighter scale (50/65 lb) braid and just use it as backing for if you get a fish that’s long winded. This braid is stronger than the drag number a 6/0 would put out and gives you added line capacity for the fight. But you would be best to spool it with a more abrasive top shot of say 80-100lb mono and when deployed that’s the only part that’s in the water taking the abuse.

Or if you would rather go nearly all braid with only a very short piece of mono top shot or a super heavy piece of braid top shot, then go 100lb Braid minimum on the 6/0. The only reason being is although it’s not as abrasive resistant as like strength mono, it will serve you much better sitting in the water than 50 or 65 lb braid.

It’s very much preference and it’s very much up to your style of fishing.
If I were trying to save money I’d do the light braid backing then heavy mono route.

Just me personally, I hate the sag/stretch of mono in heavy current and tend to go all braid so I tend to be on the heavy side.

[justletmein]

^very well explained. Also what I like about the lighter scale, as you called it, is that I can change out that 300 yard piece of mono from time to time to keep it fresh. Changing out 900 yards of braid sucks! I actually like an 80lb copolymer line like the Cajun or Pline, although I hate that stuff for smaller reels it works great as a long top shot.