Tope fishing - first timer

Hi,
I got one more question. I bought TEK700 reel that has star drag. How should I set the drag while trolling for the shark? Do I have to quickly adjust the drag to strike properly after fish going to take bait?

Tommy,
Just caught up with your thread. I use braid for all my fishing (very occasionally mono on fixed spools). I have never had a problem with braid for either sharks or tope. My reels are set up with either 32 or 45lb braid, either green or grey in colour. I tend to use a very long trace for shark fishing. I suppose this keeps the braid away from the shark.

Some people prefer mono. I don’t see the need as a good rod will make up for the lack of stretch in the braid and the “feeling” with braid is infinitely better than mono. It is unlikely that you will use the rod/reel combo for sharking only. Fishing deep water for congers or drifting using 40lb mono is not pretty!

You mention trolling for shark. You won’t see many skippers trolling. Most shark fishing is done on the drift. I nearly always use a star drag. I find them easier to adjust while fighting a fish than a lever. I would normally leave my reel in free spool with the ratchet on while drifting. When the run happens I will disengage the ratchet and strike the fish. I will then either tighten or loosen the drag depending on the strength of the run.
:)

Jim,
thank you for your post. That particular rod/reel combo is dedicated to shark fishing, unless I found it not suitable for the job on my first (or second or next) sharking trip.

Ok. So are you saying that engaging the ratchet while on free spool is enough to prevent line from being taken by tide? Guess, that wouldn’t be enough while trolling though. However if you saying that trolling is not the proper way of shark fishing in Irish waters that probably that’s what it is.

Thanks again for your explanations!

tomaszek,

The conventional wisdom on this is to use 30lbs test mono. For example, there is a big shark tournament off Long Island, New York every year where all competitors must use this setup

One boat on the third and final day this year for instance,
‘Eldorado’owned by larger-than life Mike O’Reilly, boated a staggering
44 blue sharks, with several others lost. The largest landed and
released, estimated at over 400lbs [the British record stands at
230lbs remember] fell to the rod of Brit Mark Williamson, a veteran of
all five past tournaments. Several other large blues between 250 and
300lbs were also taken on the other boats and the average overall size
easily topped 100lbs. Spectacular fishing indeed when you consider
that under tournament rules, everyone used just 30lbs test mono
stand-up outfits.

you might get away with braid on your own boat, but not on a charter.
there will be the inevitable tangles which will weaken it, the gulls will tangle in it and
you will have a hard job to get them out, there is no good way to rig the float,
and johnny shark will be left swimming around trailing your setup after him

The only real advantage of the braid, is that it will drift differently if the guy
beside you is using mono and slice through his line if he getts a hookup
:evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:

jw, I heard many times that mono is better for sharking than braid. This includes your own posts on a previous page. And that’s why for a beginning I’ll be using mono. May be I will try braid as well (some day) as for me fishing is all abut experiments. But just for now, as a beginner I’ll stick to common rules ;)

I’ve already sorted tackle, now I’m thinking how to use it. I just do not understand the idea of setting drag so low, that fish would take bait and swim with it – not being alerted. And than, while fish is swimming off, quickly adjust the drag to strike. From other side, I’m afraid that ratchet alone, would be not enough to prevent reel’s spool from spinning, while on free spool.

you might get away with braid on your own boat, but not on a charter

It will be charter, but chartered by myself and two (max. three) other friends. We are going to learn how to fish for shark :cool: