brian21johansen said:
Can anybody recommend to me a good set up for Leopard Sharks from the surf? What is the minimum line I can use? My current set up has 12 lb line and I've realized that most Leopard sharks from the surf aren't too big....is 12 pound test too weak?
It depends how your fishing. If your catching them on swimbaits twelve is fine. If your fishing bait and leaving it out for long periods of time I would go heavier. I like twenty pound on a reel that holds about three hundred to four hundred yards minimum, spinning gear with ten to 13ft Kencor surf rod. If I want to fish heavy I'll switch to a ten ft Harnell and a penn 525 Mag 30 spectra, and take a pole holder. If you want to catch big ones you want to use bait and the best bait is live surf perch. Macks will work so will frozen squid. I've hooked fish of Topanga on surf perch I could not stop on thirty but I would say those were T's or Whites not leapards. My largest leopard I released, though it was maybe just five ft plus they do get to six feet plus. For bigger sharks I also use wire not mono leaders about a foot long section of nylon coated wire albrighted on to the end. You can land a white on wire but not mono though you have to release them. The main problem in the surf is keeping the bait out there long enough for sharks to find it. I use spider sinkers, something we started making back in Texas when I was a kid. They have never caught on out here, don't ask em why, because they work great. Just drill 5/8 hole into a board or better aluminum, stick your wire in it and fill it with the right amount of lead.
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They hold much better then any of the standard surf sinkers. Of course the longer it sits out there the more likely crap will collect on your line and chew it up. Kelp with barnacles is the worst. That's why you need heavier line for long bait sets. If your just starting out go with twenty and fish squid. You'll catch a lot of skates and rays but the will teach you how to work the fish in the surf. Don't force them, instead use the surf to your advantage. Most of the Leopards you get this way will be in the 3ft to 5f range which will put up a decent fight on twenty. Here's one I got on that gear up by point Magu.
I envy you. It's hard for me to make the time to fish for them any more, just too many other things to fish for. Jim
This post edited by Jim Day 05/27/2008
