# What pound braid for shark fishing in the surf?



## Reid D (Sep 6, 2021)

I have a Penn Slammer lll 10500 for shark fishing in the surf and I don’t know weather to put 65 or 80lb test on it. I thought 65 at first for the line capacity but then I realized the reel puts out 60 pounds of drag.

Thanks


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## Lukikus2 (Sep 6, 2021)

I use 40 to get extra cast distance in case the trough is way out there. Have caught bulls up to 80lbs with no problem. Using a 3' steel leader of course.


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## gawildlife (Sep 6, 2021)

No shark experience but I assume you are planning on using a leader of some other material?
Braid is the least abrasion resistant option.


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## cuda67bnl (Sep 6, 2021)

Are you casting or yakking out baits? If casting, go with the 80. Don’t go full drag with either size.


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## Reid D (Sep 6, 2021)

cuda67bnl said:


> Are you casting or yakking out baits? If casting, go with the 80. Don’t go full drag with either size.


I will be casting


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## notnksnemor (Sep 6, 2021)

What ever size you go with, don't get it wrapped around any fingers...

...you want to keep.


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## cuda67bnl (Sep 6, 2021)

Reid D said:


> I will be casting


I run 50# on most of mine. But I shark fish from my boat. 65 will give you extra capacity, but that 10500 will hold way more line than you’re likely to ever need casting. I’d go with the 80 for the little bit of extra abrasion resistance. Run at least 3 or 4 feet of heavy mono or steel cable for a leader. Set your drag at no more than 20 pounds if you have a scale. If not, set it so you can just pull it out by hand. Make sure your rod holder is secure or you’ll watch your rod disappear....... where are ya fishing at?


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## Reid D (Sep 6, 2021)

I’m just fishing wherever I get to go on vacations.


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## cuda67bnl (Sep 6, 2021)

I’m always looking for folks to go with me and split costs, if you’re ever interested in chasing em by boat. Normally catch big blacktips, sandbars, bulls, and lemons. Always catch smaller ones too. Caught a 9 foot lemon last week, and several 6-7 foot sandbars.


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## Lukikus2 (Sep 6, 2021)

cuda67bnl said:


> Are you casting or yakking out baits? If casting, go with the 80. Don’t go full drag with either size.



After a 20 minute plus fight with the drag on 60 your arms would be noodles. Been there done that.


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## Reid D (Sep 6, 2021)

cuda67bnl said:


> I’m always looking for folks to go with me and split costs, if you’re ever interested in chasing em by boat. Normally catch big blacktips, sandbars, bulls, and lemons. Always catch smaller ones too. Caught a 9 foot lemon last week, and several 6-7 foot sandbars.


Cool


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## Lukikus2 (Sep 16, 2021)

My rig I sling. Add a 1/4 lb of lady fish and game on. Keeping the bait in the upper water column keeps the bait eaters away. I've watched blacktips 100 yards out fighting for the bait and skyrocketing out of the water trying to steal it from another. 
The beautiful knot is from fish having no respect for my leader.  ?


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## James Anderson 11 (Dec 26, 2021)

Use 65-pound-test braided line for your main line when surf fishing for sharks. Braided line stretches relatively little, which will enable you to achieve a solid hookset, and it will also withstand abrasion better than monofilament lines will. However, you can't simply tie your hook on to the end of your main line.


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## GeorgiaGlockMan (Dec 26, 2021)

notnksnemor said:


> What ever size you go with, don't get it wrapped around any fingers...
> 
> ...you want to keep.


Heck for that matter, be careful tying knots too.

That stuff is like handling a bag of fresh razor blades.


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## crackerdave (Dec 26, 2021)

Even a small (less than 6') shark is amazingly powerful on a rod and reel.
Very dangerous sport,in the surf.....


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## kingfish (Dec 27, 2021)

Back in my beach fishing days, it was 80 lb test on my 12/0s, 50 lb on my 9/0s and 30lb on my 4/0s.  Back then it was all mono.  This was beach fishing with the baits taken out various distances by a kayak.  We caught some absolute monsters back then with several of the fish over the thousand pound mark.


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## crackerdave (Dec 28, 2021)

As a former long-liner I would say that some of our best sets were a quarter mile off the beaches.
There are truly some monster sharks there when the mullet are thick and the migration south is on.

Call it "karma" or whatever,but I don't swim in the ocean.Those big sharks are the top predators and they make a man feel puny.


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## Fisherman001 (Dec 28, 2021)

crackerdave said:


> As a former long-liner I would say that some of our best sets were a quarter mile off the beaches.
> There are truly some monster sharks there when the mullet are thick and the migration south is on.
> 
> Call it "karma" or whatever,but I don't swim in the ocean.Those big sharks are the top predators and they make a man feel puny.


  I’m with you on that Cracker Dave. Back in the 70s, I used to skin dive and scuba dive with my dad and club, in Northern California coast. We used to free dive for abalone. Never did see any sharks, but they were out there. I’ve heard stories of other divers in our group that have seen them. But, I’ve heard that there has been an increase of sharks in this area, and I have become more nervous about getting in the water now, then before.


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## crackerdave (Dec 28, 2021)

Fisherman001 said:


> I’m with you on that Cracker Dave. Back in the 70s, I used to skin dive and scuba dive with my dad and club, in Northern California coast. We used to free dive for abalone. Never did see any sharks, but they were out there. I’ve heard stories of other divers in our group that have seen them. But, I’ve heard that there has been an increase of sharks in this area, and I have become more nervous about getting in the water now, then before.


As we get older,we hope to get wiser.
I used to love spearfishing and lobster grabbin down in the Florida Keys.My commercial fishing days gave me a look at what lives in the sea,and We're pretty low in the food chain once we go in that water and I'm pushing 70 now so I'm too old,anyhow.


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## tradhunter98 (Dec 31, 2021)

That 105 will hold enough 80lb that I wouldn’t worry about capacity. I think it’s up near 500yards. I have friends that have landed 10+ foot tigers with that size setup. For the most part a big blacktip will take as much line as anything, and 400yards has always been a good standard capacity for me, on casted baits that is.


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## Ihunt (Jan 2, 2022)

James Anderson 11 said:


> Use 65-pound-test braided line for your main line when surf fishing for sharks. Braided line stretches relatively little, which will enable you to achieve a solid hookset, and it will also withstand abrasion better than monofilament lines will. However, you can't simply tie your hook on to the end of your main line.



Mono is more abrasion resistant than braid by a long shot. It’s the reason the land based guys in Florida use a top shot of mono. Braid, rubbing in the sand, will not last very long.


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