Are we fishing too heavy?

[Craig Van der Poll]

I am mainly talking sharks here but the eds guys that are struggling to break the 'bakkies may find it interesting...

Are you fishing too heavy?

All this talk over the last while is about 2mm SS cable for traces and 1.5mm wind on leaders etc. etc.

The most basic guidelines of angling, as taught to me by my father and refined since entering the competitive arena, tell you to present the bait as naturally as possible. If you aren't getting the bites or are getting them slower than the next guy then scale down your tackle..... so why are we faced with people using up to 0.70 main line and 2mm leaders? surely that is going in the wrong direction? Where is the skill involved in winching a fish, with nay impossible to break line, to the side! I watched a Blackfin DVD where they, with 0,70 mainline, landed a 50kg Bronzie in under a minute. Set the hooks, locked the drag and just ran up the beach and the Bronzie came straight out!!! WTF!!!

All this filters down as far as the beginners that are loading Torium 30's with 0.50 to go and catch cob and Steenbras.....WTF.....go lighter on the tackle lads!!! One can easily target both Cob and Steenies with 0.40 line! Hook snoots do not need to be heavier than 0.55, leaders should be 0.60....MAX!!!

 

[ants]

Craig Van der Poll wrote:

I am mainly talking sharks here but the eds guys that are struggling to break the 'bakkies may find it interesting...

Are you fishing too heavy?

All this talk over the last while is about 2mm SS cable for traces and 1.5mm wind on leaders etc. etc.

The most basic guidelines of angling, as taught to me by my father and refined since entering the competitive arena, tell you to present the bait as naturally as possible. If you aren't getting the bites or are getting them slower than the next guy then scale down your tackle..... so why are we faced with people using up to 0.70 main line and 2mm leaders? surely that is going in the wrong direction? Where is the skill involved in winching a fish, with nay impossible to break line, to the side! I watched a Blackfin DVD where they, with 0,70 mainline, landed a 50kg Bronzie in under a minute. Set the hooks, locked the drag and just ran up the beach and the Bronzie came straight out!!! WTF!!!

All this filters down as far as the beginners that are loading Torium 30's with 0.50 to go and catch cob and Steenbras.....WTF.....go lighter on the tackle lads!!! One can easily target both Cob and Steenies with 0.40 line! Hook snoots do not need to be heavier than 0.55, leaders should be 0.60....MAX!!!

How to lose that dream fish..1,2,3!!!

I will not slide with mono below 0.55 mm for sharks.

Will not throw a bait with mono below 0.47 mm

Will not fish for sharks with a wind on leader below 1.2 mm

Will not swim a bait with mono below 0.60 mm

My slides are Extra strong and of good quality

Use power swivels always and thimbels.

Service your reels regularly especially the drag system.

PS: I learnt from THE BEST!!!

 

[sakkie7116]

Spaner in the works..........

Does it really mater what thickness your leader is when fishing for in-eds? The leader is only there to protect your main line. The bait is hanging from monster hooks tied to a piece of steel cable. How natural is that? I dont think a shark will swim past a chunky piece of bait in the water.
For in-eds i use .50 to .55 with a 1.3 mm leader.
For eds I use .35 main line with .50 to.60 leader.
Regarding edibles I am with you CVP. The lighter i believe the better.

 

[Moeghoes]

I'm with you Craig. Fishing light is the way to go.

0.35 - 0.45mm with up to 0.65 mm leader for edds is adequate.
Although this is a bit extreme... I've absolutly slaughtered edds on 0.17mm mono my ultra light in clear water while others are barely getting bites. In addition to the light tackle, natral looking baits make a big difference.

In terms of sliding and throw baiting,
0.5 - 0.55 with 1 - 1.3mm leader is addequate. Anything stronger is like harpooning in my opinion. Fish have to have a chance

 

[Def-e-nition]

Moeghoes wrote:

I'm with you Craig. Fishing light is the way to go.

0.35 - 0.45mm with up to 0.65 mm leader for edds is adequate.
Although this is a bit extreme... I've absolutly slaughtered edds on 0.17mm mono my ultra light in clear water while others are barely getting bites. In addition to the light tackle, natral looking baits make a big difference.

In terms of sliding and throw baiting,
0.5 - 0.55 with 1 - 1.3mm leader is addequate. Anything stronger is like harpooning in my opinion. Fish have to have a chance

Hmmmf .

 Or so i Thought .

After today - I'm not so sure anymore of myself ..........

eina .

sorry.

Arm slipped out of the slings preventing my knuckles to drag on the floor ,  I've tied to the roof , so i can type something ...

 

[Dorado75]

In my opinion i would say that its in the sharks best interest to fish as heavy as possible, as the longer you fight the shark the more chance it has of dying of exhaustion during or after the fight.

 

[tuna]

Fish heavy, land your fish and get it back for another day

 

[Angus]

tuna wrote:

Fish heavy, land your fish and get it back for another day

ditto.....

 

[roland]

How would you rate .50 and 1mm leader on the beach? Reading this makes me think im light lol

 

[tuna]

you are a bit light, i will still go with 1mm leader on a sandy beach but on .55

 

[roland]

tuna wrote:

you are a bit light, i will still go with 1mm leader on a sandy beach but on .55

My volgende re spool sal dan .55 wees

 

[tuna]

dis maar persoonlike keuse as dit vir jou werk dan werk dit, die kans is net betjie groter dat jy wel meer gaan verloor

 

[JasonF]

Def-e-nition wrote:

Moeghoes wrote:

I'm with you Craig. Fishing light is the way to go.

0.35 - 0.45mm with up to 0.65 mm leader for edds is adequate.
Although this is a bit extreme... I've absolutly slaughtered edds on 0.17mm mono my ultra light in clear water while others are barely getting bites. In addition to the light tackle, natral looking baits make a big difference.

In terms of sliding and throw baiting,
0.5 - 0.55 with 1 - 1.3mm leader is addequate. Anything stronger is like harpooning in my opinion. Fish have to have a chance

Hmmmf .

 Or so i Thought .

After today - I'm not so sure anymore of myself ..........

eina .

sorry.

Arm slipped out of the slings preventing my knuckles to drag on the floor ,  I've tied to the roof , so i can type something ...

I think it is time to take out the weadeater gut after yesterday.....lol

 

[neilg]

I fish .52mm with 1mm to 1.4 leader for sharks

And from .10 up to .40mm with .20 to .60 leader for edds

On the beast I wish 50lb braid with .90 leader for sharks and 20lb with .60 leader for edds

The tackle u use should be determined by the environment and conditions

Lighter = More bites
Heavier = More fish landed

 

[Craig Van der Poll]

roland wrote:

How would you rate .50 and 1mm leader on the beach? Reading this makes me think im light lol

Plenty oomph there! You cannot pull that broken. It would take something to cut your line for it to break! I's all I use off the beaches! I am going to drop my throw bait stick to 0.45 in fact with a 0.90 leader!

 

[Craig Van der Poll]

Moeghoes wrote:

I'm with you Craig. Fishing light is the way to go.

0.35 - 0.45mm with up to 0.65 mm leader for edds is adequate.
Although this is a bit extreme... I've absolutly slaughtered edds on 0.17mm mono my ultra light in clear water while others are barely getting bites. In addition to the light tackle, natral looking baits make a big difference.

In terms of sliding and throw baiting,
0.5 - 0.55 with 1 - 1.3mm leader is addequate. Anything stronger is like harpooning in my opinion. Fish have to have a chance

Agreed on the Sliding tackle. I wouldn't want to go any heavier than 1.3. Maybe someday I will learn a lesson the hard way but till then the only leaders I carry in my box is 0.77; 1mm &1.2mm. My reef jacket has pre-made leaders with 1.3mm Perlon stored in it!

 

[Craig Van der Poll]

neilg wrote:

I fish .52mm with 1mm to 1.4 leader for sharks

And from .10 up to .40mm with .20 to .60 leader for edds

On the beast I wish 50lb braid with .90 leader for sharks and 20lb with .60 leader for edds

The tackle u use should be determined by the environment and conditions

Lighter = More bites
Heavier = More fish landed

Maybe not more fish landed but a higher percentage of fish landed. Also determined by the skill of the angler. It doesn't take any skill to hook the thing with the heaviest tackle and winch it out.

 

[damian27]

i was in a tackle shop on saturday morning. and these two guys were buying tackle for blue fish. and they were asking for 18kg line for BLUE FISH!!!!.i could not believe it, i thought they were joking. but they were not.

when i come to shark fishing it all boils down to the areas you fish and most importantly personal preference.

 

[Angus]

Craig Van der Poll wrote:

neilg wrote:

I fish .52mm with 1mm to 1.4 leader for sharks

And from .10 up to .40mm with .20 to .60 leader for edds

On the beast I wish 50lb braid with .90 leader for sharks and 20lb with .60 leader for edds

The tackle u use should be determined by the environment and conditions

Lighter = More bites
Heavier = More fish landed

Maybe not more fish landed but a higher percentage of fish landed. Also determined by the skill of the angler. It doesn't take any skill to hook the thing with the heaviest tackle and winch it out.

 

Not much skill difference in playing a 100+ bronsie for 2+ hours on lighter tackle and pulling the same fish in on slightly heavier tackle in a shorter period of time by being able and confident enough to apply more pressure. Better for the fish all-round.

 

[Craig Van der Poll]

Angus wrote:

Craig Van der Poll wrote:

neilg wrote:

I fish .52mm with 1mm to 1.4 leader for sharks

And from .10 up to .40mm with .20 to .60 leader for edds

On the beast I wish 50lb braid with .90 leader for sharks and 20lb with .60 leader for edds

The tackle u use should be determined by the environment and conditions

Lighter = More bites
Heavier = More fish landed

Maybe not more fish landed but a higher percentage of fish landed. Also determined by the skill of the angler. It doesn't take any skill to hook the thing with the heaviest tackle and winch it out.

 

Not much skill difference in playing a 100+ bronsie for 2+ hours on lighter tackle and pulling the same fish in on slightly heavier tackle in a shorter period of time by being able and confident enough to apply more pressure. Better for the fish all-round.

You do not have to play the fish for 2 hours because you mainline is thinner! That is the whole point! You cannot possibly pull the 0.50 broken while there is a bend in your fishing rod.....the rod will break first! This is a fact, so please explain why it is necessary to use 0.65mm mainline when you already can't pull the 0.50 broken?