This article is designed to provide the new angler an introduction to big tackle used to fish the surf environment, including piers, jetties, and the beach. New anglers face quite a challenge in selecting the right tackle for the type of fishing they are pursuing. Many times a new angler will spend quite a bit of money and several years of fishing before they get it right. This article should provide information to push the new angler rapidly through the learning curve to gaining the most from each dollar spent on fishing tackle.

This article will focus on rods and reels for three styles of angling:

(1)  Heavy Surf Tackle for medium sized sharks, also big tarpon and jewfish;

(2)  Big Shark Tackle for sharks over 8 feet in length.

(3)  Surf Casting Tackle for jacks, bull reds, kingfish, black drum, and tarpon under 6 feet.

When a new angler walks into a real fishing tackle shop, seeing hundreds of thousands of dollars in shiny, beautiful tackle, the experience can be overwhelming. The equipment seems incredible, price tags can be shocking, and everything seems exciting. I think of this as the “candy store” experience. Many of the sales representatives are friendly, but not many have really fished the surf.

How do you sort all this out?

To be rather blunt, I am going to describe the equipment for each of our angling categories and give you a short list of what to get to accomplish the mission. The key is to maximize the bang for the buck. Cheap gear is too expensive in the long run and the most expensive “Swiss watch” quality gear does not function well when invaded by sand.

A word of caution: good things are not cheap and cheap things are not good. It is better to pay a little more than you expected than a little less than you should. If money is a critical issue, sometimes you can find quality used tackle and save 25% to 40% off new retail prices. If you keep your eye out for bargains, they pass from time to time.

Sticker Shock

Most decent fishing rods cost at least $70 and most decent reels cost better than $125. A $50 rod and reel combo from Academy is usually not going to land you a 5 ½ foot blacktip shark. A new surf kayak with a nice paddle and a back support will cost $550. Each big shark rig will start at about $400-$500 for an 80# class set up. A good belt will cost you $125, and the back belt will cost you $100 more.

This sounds like a lot until you consider what the weekend bass fishing warrior in a boat spends. A bass/bay boat can cost $15,000 or more. He can blow through $40 in fuel during a weekend. A good surf-fishing outfit with a kayak can be obtained for about $1,000. That surf fishing outfit can put you in reach of gamefish the typical bass fisherman will never see. Now, let’s move to the details of this subject.

Medium Surf Tackle

The general fishing model here is kayaking a one-pound bait two to four hundred yards off the beach to reach the water 8’ to 15’ feet deep. Another twist is kayaking bait out from a jetty or a pier. This tackle can comfortably handle sharks from 5 to 7+ feet. Fifty-pound class line is the minimum entry point due to the abrasive nature of sandbars on the beach. Reels must hold 600 to 700 yards of line to reach the deep water and still have some line in reserve when the big boy shows up.

The Reels:

My favorite reels for this class of angling are the Penn 114HLW 6/0 Wide Spool Senator, the Penn 115L 9/0 Senator, and the trusty Daiwa 900. I prefer the 6/0 Wide Senator because it is easier to handle than the other reels. These reels run between $150 and $180 dollars and will last years and years.

Why these reels?

• Each of these reels is relatively easy to service;
• Cheap to maintain;
• Can function in the corrosive and sandy surf fishing environment.

The Rods:

I prefer short ‘boat’ type rods around 5’6” to 7’ tall with a MINUMUM rating of 50lbs.  Many people prefer 9’ and 10’ rods for this class of tackle, but longer rods give the fish more leverage. A second point is to look at the reel seat before you buy. Metal alloy reel seats are superior to graphite. Large graphite reel seats will work, but alloy reel seats are superior. Smaller graphite reel seats are a disaster waiting to happen. I have seen some Calypso rods rate 30# to 80# with the reel seats for a trout rod.

Another question comes up is rollers versus regular guides. Rollers are important when you are going after tuna and marlin, but not that important for the beach. Rollers can get corroded by the sand and salt as well. Therefore, standard rod guides will work just fine.

I like a rod with BACKBONE. Flimsy rods will not allow you to fully use the strong drag of your 6/0 wide. I own two Penn Senator 9/0 rods rated 60# to 80# class. They are SOLID FIBERGLASS. They sure come in handy when you are trying to lift a 250 pound gamefish to the surface. The Penn Senator 9/0 runs just $90.  Another handsome rod is the Penn Mariner 50# to 130# for about $90. These rods come with strong guides, alloy reel seats, and backbone.  My other recommendation is the Shakespeare Tidewater standup rod rated #50 to #130 going for about $60 at Academy. It has a large graphite reel seat, some roller guides, and is an outstanding value. There are 30# to 80# class rods available for the Tidewater and the Mariner series, which do very well. The 40# to 60# class Penn Senator is also a good choice.  Note, the 30#-80# and 40#-60# work fine for game in this class, the heavier 50#-130# and #60-80# will let you really hammer your fish with all your strength.

The Fighting Belt

After you have purchased your heavy rod and reel and are ready to put some seven footers on the beach, don’t forget the most important piece of gear you will need for the battle…A good fighting belt. A belt will make the difference between the big ones making your photo album and getting away.  The minimum fighting belt is the Numark belt with the steel gimbal pin for about $35 dollars. I purchased a Braid Power Play tuna belt after I wore my Numark belt out. The Braid Belt cost me $119 two years ago, but has always been there as the lever to move mountains when I needed it. This Braid Power Play belt is unquestionably the most valuable piece of gear I have ever purchased. You will love this belt the first time you go for a thirty-minute battle with a stud.

Spooling Up

My favorite line value for the surf is 50# green Berkley Big Game. Suffix Tritanium #50 is a little more expensive, but if you have the money, is very, very tough line. I always fish with dark green or clear lines. Yellow or bright colored lines will get hit by kingfish and Spanish Mackerel. I like to attach 50 to 100 yards of 80# class line as a “topshot” when I spool up. I change line every ten fishing days.

For the folks that want to extend the capacity of their reels upwards, spooling up with spectra fiber lines like Power Pro can add to the capacity of your reels. By spooling up with 500 yards of 100# test Power Pro and adding another 400 yards of 50# Big Game on top of it, you have a combo that can handle sharks to 300# to 400# ranging to 8’ and 10’ under favorable conditions. Just remember that your drag is still a 6/0-9/0 class drag that can sustain drag pressures of 12-17lbs under extended fights and is not a Penn 12/0 which can sustain drag pressures of 20-25lbs under extended fights. Always fish with a 80#  mono topshot when using with spectra lines.

Final Note: Stay away from Dacron…I have learned the hard way. Use hard mono.

Big Shark Tackle

Fishing for big sharks in the surf is one of the greatest angling challenges. All the tackle is heavy and expensive. Each big rig costs $400 to $1,200 depending on your tastes and financial situation. I would recommend a new sharker spend money on gear for medium sized sharks and experience some success before investing in the big gear.

The model here is running large baits from the size of a 14”-17” horse mullet to a 15# section of jackfish 300 to 800 yards from the surf. The bait deployment vehicle may be a kayak, jetski, or Zodiac. Minimum line size is 80#, with 100# and 130# test preferred. Reels hold from 800 to 1,500 yards. 

The Reels:

The minimum entry point for this reel is 80# class. For the beach, you cannot beat the value of the big Penn Senators. The Penn 12/0, 14/0, and the 16/0 are the standard ‘big shark’ reels for the beach. They are easy to maintain, and can handle sand invasion and still perform. The Big Senators offer serious line capacity. The other good thing about the Big Senators is you can often find them used at a 30% discount to the new retail price.

The Illustrious Penn International, Everol, and Shimano Tiagra series are next step up on the price tag. These elegant gold reels feature huge drag surfaces, lever drag, and optional two-speed gearing. They can sustain drag pressures greater than 30 pounds for extended battles. They are like Swiss watches, with very tight mechanical tolerances. These reel start at $800 and run to well over $1,200.

Rods

Any rods used for this class of tackle must have an alloy reel seat. Short stand up rods from 50# to 130# are popular for the Penn 12/0 Senator. The preferred rod for this class of tackle is the 80# test rod. 130# class rods require a fighting chair.

Fighting Harness

A quality fighting harness is essential for using the larger gear. I have seen people showing up at Bob Hall Pier in Corpus Christi, Texas with $1,000 of big shark rods and fish with a $12 dollar fighting belt. The poor guys could not even pull the weights in without straining. The fighting harness is one place where you do not want to cut corners.

There are two schools of thought on fighting harnesses. The old school thought advocates a shoulder harness to support the rod and reel during the action. This places a lot of strain on the back muscles and upper body. The new school of thought advocates a tuna belt for the gimbal and a ‘kidney’ or lower back harness. This set up moves the center of gravity to the hips and legs where we are strongest.  You can fight a good fish for a long time with this type of set up long after the man with the shoulder harness has passed the rod. A Braid Power Play belt goes for about $125 dollars and the back belt goes for about $115 dollars. A lot of money to spend at the tackle shop, priceless during the moments of glory.

Spooling Up

In the surf, the general rule for line is heavier is better. Many people choose to go with 100# test line on 80# class reels because there is a big difference in line resilience. The heavy 130# class line is three to four times as resilient to a single seashell cut as 80# class line.  A good 30# cut into your 80# line reduces the strength to 50# test. A 30# cut into your 130# test line reduces its strength to 100# test. As you fish the beach, the brand new 130# class line is eventually reduced to 80# class line for breaking strength due to wear and tear. The regular 80# class line gets torn up sooner. The 50# class line wears down after only 50-75 hours of fishing time when run out from the beach.

Enough theory, 100# test is best for the 12/0 when fished from the beach, 80# test will work from a pier or jetty. The 14/0 can be fished with a lot of 100# test if you fish from a pier or jetty, but if you fish primarily from the beach, go with the 130# test.

Which brand is best? Berkley’s Big Game is cheap and tough. A step up is the Tritanium line by Suffix. Tritanium is a hybrid line with a mono-type core coated by a fluorocarbon exterior layer producing a very tough resilient line. Tritanium easily lasts twice as long a regular monofilament lines. Big Lou, renowned as a world champion distance caster, is very fond of Stren “Original” line for his 16/0. Tests have proven not many lines have surpassed the toughness of the “Original” Stren line.

What to stay way from…Ande lines are soft. Regular Suffix mono is soft. Dacron gets chewed up even when fished from a pier. If you have to fish Dacron, use black so the kingfish do not eat it up. Be careful of what the department store guy recommends, remember most of them do not fish the surf.

Surf Casting Tackle

The general fishing model here is casting a bait and leader 40 to 100 yards off a pier, jetty, or the beach. The line class is generally 30# test and higher for jetties and piers. For the surf, 20# test line is often used to gain additional casting distance. Gamefish sought include Bullreds, Jackfish, Sharks from 2’ to 6’, Kingfish, Tarpon, and BlackDrum. Line capacities recommended start at 300 yards of 30# Test. A good fighting belt and spectra line expands what can be accomplished.

Reels

There are a lot of choices in selecting reels for surf casting tackle. I am going to narrow it down into three classes and make recommendations.

Heavy Surfcasting – Penn Senator 113HLW 4/0 Wide holds 450 yards of 40 test line. This reel retains the quality of being truly castable while having the guts to do some big stuff with. An extreme example is the 10’ tiger shark caught at Bob Hall Pier in the 1990’s on a 4/0 wide. Many 9’ scalloped hammerheads have been brought to the pier on a 4/0 wide. 

Regular Surfcasting – The Penn 555 and Daiwa 50HV stand out for their combination of great castability combined with good line capacity. Each reel holds about 400 yards of 30# test. These are awesome kingfish reels. In expert hands they can cast 100+ yards. When filled with spectra fiber lines, they make a nice light tackle set up for targeting 5’ to 6’ sharks from the surf.

Heavy Spincasting – The Penn 9500 spinning reel holds 300 yards of 30# test monofilament line. It has a very strong smooth drag system. Spincasters mate very well with spectra fiber lines. The 9500 will hold 500 yards of 65# test Power Pro and can handle sharks to 7+ feet.  The 9500 can also chunk some big baits. I have tossed 2# baits 30 yards with this reel. Another good quality of the spincaster is the lack of backlashes. It is very forgiving when casting in the dark, making it a favorite of sportsmen fishing the jetties at night.

Rods

There are a lot of choices in selecting rods for surf casting tackle. Here are my recommendations:

10’ Allstar’s Gulfstream, $120; light, strong construction; good with a Penn 4/0 Wide as the best all around combination.

12’ Penn Powerstick, $85; great with the Penn 9500 spinning reel, very durable. I have busted a lot of studs with this rod.

12’ Ocean Master, $130; great budget surf rod; fast action means long casts, very high quality for the money. Add a Penn 555 or Daiwa HV50 and you are ready to go.

11’9” Breakaway; $200+; this is the real thing, very, very light, casts possible over 150 yards without bait. A joy to fish with. Best with the Penn 555 or Daiwa HV50.

12’6” Breakaway; $250+; the ultimate surf rod; tournament casts over 200 yards. Strong, stout action to land big fish. Provides a lifetime of great catching while others are watching. Able to reach the deep guts from the dry land. Best with the Penn 555 or Daiwa HV50.

Some folks say where are the Ugly Sticks. I own several and have given one 12’ footer away to a friend, they are not my preference for the money.

Fighting Belt

Some folks may ask, “Why a fighting belt for surfcasting gear?” Simple, when the big tarpon show up, or the lifetime ling is greyhounding for the horizon, a belt provides the support to go the distance. With a belt, you concentrate on the fight and not how the rod feels in your side. For battles lasting greater than 20 minutes, the belt is priceless. A $35 Numark belt really lets you get after your fish. I have landed sharks in the seven-foot class on surfcasting gear off the jetty at night because I had the belt. Without the belt, I could have never gone the distance with sharks.

What if I’m on a budget?

Most of us live with some kind of financial constraints. If someone wants to get into shark fishing and has little money, here is an example of what to do. Go to Cut Rate Tackle in Houston to the Gulf Freeway store location. Ask a sales representative where the reconditioned tackle is. There you will find many reconditioned Penn 4/0’s on boat rods going for $110 to $130 dollars. Sometimes they will have reconditioned Penn 6/0’s on boat rods too.  If you need to, I believe they will do a layaway program for you. These rods will get you going if you want to target shark and tarpon in the surf environment by kayaking your bait out.

What if I do not have a kayak? Find a friend on the internet with a kayak that needs a fishing buddy. 

by Chris Deaver

aka "Ultimate Power Fisherman" on the Surf-Masters Saltwater Messageboard