I have been fishing most of my life but mostly inshore stuff. Fluke, Blackfish,blues. Iwanted to start going offshore maybe for sharks and such. I was wondering if TLD 25's were good for that. Could someone point me in the right direction. Thank you.
Getting Started Sharking
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Big Rick,
Nothing is out of the question, but the 30TW or 50tw Penns will get the job done most of the time.
Your biggest factor to look at is the "what if???"
For instance, "what if you hook into a 300 plus lb mako???"
If you are looking just to fool around with lazy blue sharks, then that real is just fine. I have a video somewhere of myself catching a 150lb blue dog on a 20lb test spinning rod and a 100lber one on a fly rod! (sometimes there are just so many blue sharks around that we have to invent new ways to entertain ourselves while waiting for the elusive mako to show face).
Don't let the smaller size tackle stand in your way of trying.
Nothing is out of the question, but the 30TW or 50tw Penns will get the job done most of the time.
Your biggest factor to look at is the "what if???"
For instance, "what if you hook into a 300 plus lb mako???"
If you are looking just to fool around with lazy blue sharks, then that real is just fine. I have a video somewhere of myself catching a 150lb blue dog on a 20lb test spinning rod and a 100lber one on a fly rod! (sometimes there are just so many blue sharks around that we have to invent new ways to entertain ourselves while waiting for the elusive mako to show face).
Don't let the smaller size tackle stand in your way of trying.
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Reels
Rick ,
if your looking to invest in reels I would look for a 50 class reel.You should be able to handle anything you hook up with that size reel.30's will handle all of your smaller sharks but, what if???
Rick ,
if your looking to invest in reels I would look for a 50 class reel.You should be able to handle anything you hook up with that size reel.30's will handle all of your smaller sharks but, what if???
Stay light, it's more fun!
Most East Coast fishermen chase sharks with equipment which is far to heavy. Most sharks encountered in our waters can be easily handled on 16 to 30 pound equipment.
I'm going out Saturday, and I'll be fishing 2 16S Internationals, and 2 Shimano Stellas (spinning tackle). At least you can get a little fight out of those blue sharks that way!
Most East Coast fishermen chase sharks with equipment which is far to heavy. Most sharks encountered in our waters can be easily handled on 16 to 30 pound equipment.
I'm going out Saturday, and I'll be fishing 2 16S Internationals, and 2 Shimano Stellas (spinning tackle). At least you can get a little fight out of those blue sharks that way!
I have both single speed and two speed and personally they do the same job. The nice thing about the two speed reel is that you can shift into low gear and crank a big fish up from the depths. Most of the fish you will encounter in the inshore grounds will be under 200 lbs with the occassional 300 plus pounder coming. I fish mostly 30 pound class reels for sharks because its alot more fun and they can handle these fish with no problems, only during tournament time will I use the heavier gear. So basically with two speed reels if you want them its more of a want than a need. Back in the day thats all they had were single speed and they landed plenty of big fish. Good luck
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To each his own. I think two speeds are the cats meow when you have a big fish dogging it down deep. I also use heavier equipment as "standard" if we want to play with the blue shrks on light tackle we break out the light tackle and hand feed them. You know as soon as you put a bait blind in the water in a 16 pound spinning outfit a 300 pound mako is going to find it 
I fish 50s spooled with 50 and 80s spooled with 100, when that big mako comes calling I want to be prepared.
I fish 50s spooled with 50 and 80s spooled with 100, when that big mako comes calling I want to be prepared.
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True ,True...
You can catch loads of sharks on the 16 and 30 internationals,years ago I took a 100 lb mako on a shimano tld 15.It was wild and I landed the fish but like MakoMike said,he doesn't do it on the blind.When small makos and bluesharks come up to your boat then you can hand feed them the baits for fun and excitement.But when you send out your rods in the deep,I wouldn't want that to be the time the mako or thresher that I've been waitng for for years to show up.Those little reels will have a bare spool in seconds and there will be nothing you can do about it but watch.Within 50 miles of shore(and alot closer) theres some HUGE sharks roaming around.I use Shimano 50 2 speeds spooled with 80 lb big game.You never know....
You can catch loads of sharks on the 16 and 30 internationals,years ago I took a 100 lb mako on a shimano tld 15.It was wild and I landed the fish but like MakoMike said,he doesn't do it on the blind.When small makos and bluesharks come up to your boat then you can hand feed them the baits for fun and excitement.But when you send out your rods in the deep,I wouldn't want that to be the time the mako or thresher that I've been waitng for for years to show up.Those little reels will have a bare spool in seconds and there will be nothing you can do about it but watch.Within 50 miles of shore(and alot closer) theres some HUGE sharks roaming around.I use Shimano 50 2 speeds spooled with 80 lb big game.You never know....
I guess for a novice angler maybe the heavier equipment should be used to make up for any angler error. Remember technique is what lands the big fish and I know I have lost some big fish
(Shark and Tuna) on heavy tackle because I got impatient and cranked up the drag and the next think I know either the line snaps or I pull the hook right out of the fishes mouth. I agree with Makomike and B.Attidude and to play it safe go with the heavier equipment. One question, do you guys fight a large mako or thresher from a stationary boat or is there someone at the controls?
(Shark and Tuna) on heavy tackle because I got impatient and cranked up the drag and the next think I know either the line snaps or I pull the hook right out of the fishes mouth. I agree with Makomike and B.Attidude and to play it safe go with the heavier equipment. One question, do you guys fight a large mako or thresher from a stationary boat or is there someone at the controls?
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We idle the boat when the fish is getting near the boat but this year I'm going to idle the boat as soon as the fish is hooked to keep an angle on the fish at all times.That way theres no going under the boat and turn the boat to the fish when he circles.
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As soon as we know its a good fish I start the engines and manuever the boat to keep it off one corner of the transom. When we're ready to land the fish I just put the gears in neutral, so if something goes wrong I can still just resume the battle.
Trust me on this one !! Your TLD25's are just fine for just about all your going to fish for off shore here in the east. I fish for sharks with a pair of TLD 25's and a pair of 30's both single speed. I have a pair of 114LH senators for back up. I spend all summer and fall in the canyons trolling with TLD 25's and TLD50LRS's. I also use Penn 30's and this year I'm going to chunk with an Everol 12/20 Super. 90% of us here in the east fish way to heavy. I boated a 188# YFT in Mexico with a TLD25(factory)and continued to boat Allison(over 100#)with the same reel. The past two seasons here in the NY Bight we have managed 4 Mako over 225# and 2 over 270# all brought to boat side with 30's and a 114LH Senator. Don't waste your money going heavy around here, it's not needed. On your best canyon trips you may see YFT over 100#, last season was one of the best in years, everyone broke 100#. Most of the YFT we see are 30 - 60# with a few around 80#. Most guys will tell you," what if a Bigeye takes the bait"? Well have fun with it. I have boated my share of them and have never ever used anything as heavey as a 80. Save your $$$ for safety equipment and keep the tackle scaled down. Those international 50 & 80's look pretty in the gunwales but not needed. SAFE FISHIN!!!
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Its all your desire?
I love the big Newell?s 646 3:1 gears. I have boated 265LBS. big eyes and 300+ lbs. makos. Remember the man at the wheel as well as the rod is more important as the gear!!! Last year we had a 300+ mako at the tower and with all the equipment and me at the wheel lost the fish due to a poor inexperienced gaff man who swore up and down he has done this before. Well his swearing lost the fish he never held the rope on the flyer and when he set the hook it never went into the fish so Mr. Mako did a full leap over the 17' wide transom and landed on the line and bam pop gone!!! . The moral to the story is it's not always the equipment.
I myself had a Tld 25 and it blew up on me in 1988 on a tuna. When the reel blew up on me the gears jammed and pulled me into the gunnel I was stuck in the corner. Then the reel seat continued to exploded and twist from the pressure of the fish. By this time I didn't realize the 5" gaff was through my knee and out the other side. So I personally would not recommend Tld's. I prefer the Penn's or Big Newell?s. Yes I know people have used them without any problems but from my experience with them they don't impress me at all! Now you got guys I know that won't fish with anything but a 130 international? So it is a preference you need to seek out for your self? I f your game fishing for sport then use your tld's. But if you want to winch them move up to handle the problems. But don't forget equipment is only half of the battle good luck and tight lines
I love the big Newell?s 646 3:1 gears. I have boated 265LBS. big eyes and 300+ lbs. makos. Remember the man at the wheel as well as the rod is more important as the gear!!! Last year we had a 300+ mako at the tower and with all the equipment and me at the wheel lost the fish due to a poor inexperienced gaff man who swore up and down he has done this before. Well his swearing lost the fish he never held the rope on the flyer and when he set the hook it never went into the fish so Mr. Mako did a full leap over the 17' wide transom and landed on the line and bam pop gone!!! . The moral to the story is it's not always the equipment.
I myself had a Tld 25 and it blew up on me in 1988 on a tuna. When the reel blew up on me the gears jammed and pulled me into the gunnel I was stuck in the corner. Then the reel seat continued to exploded and twist from the pressure of the fish. By this time I didn't realize the 5" gaff was through my knee and out the other side. So I personally would not recommend Tld's. I prefer the Penn's or Big Newell?s. Yes I know people have used them without any problems but from my experience with them they don't impress me at all! Now you got guys I know that won't fish with anything but a 130 international? So it is a preference you need to seek out for your self? I f your game fishing for sport then use your tld's. But if you want to winch them move up to handle the problems. But don't forget equipment is only half of the battle good luck and tight lines
Keep it simple !!! Remember the heavier you go the more hurt it will be to you !!
You let a mako run so whether it be 50# or 100# test, you have to let it run !!
If you use the 50# which I do, as soon as the fish stops his run you can turn his head around and bring him in. And it's much less pain on the angler especialyy the stand-up guys, you don't have to hold on for dear life simply let him run !!
TIGHTLINES>>>
You let a mako run so whether it be 50# or 100# test, you have to let it run !!
If you use the 50# which I do, as soon as the fish stops his run you can turn his head around and bring him in. And it's much less pain on the angler especialyy the stand-up guys, you don't have to hold on for dear life simply let him run !!
TIGHTLINES>>>
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