The two that got away...

[wade]

A good reel for is the Daiwa Sealine 40Sha hands down..Cheap Light & Great.
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My opinion would greatly vary dependent upon his final outcome..By no means am I some reincarnation of Frank Mundus or any kind of expert. maybe a few safety tips to keep in mind when dealing with Mr. T you can get out of this?..Since you mention he is for sport & ultimately he will be released,you can still land these LJ pups-med sized Threshers on the same standard YT live bait rigs & it provides a much more sporting chance..& at the same time but most importantly, you can still catch a much better meal (/) that won't be line shy like having a 80# cable in the water only for sharks..Drags out of a 1-10 rating I would go with a 3-4 to start..take it easy at first, your gonna have to feel him out and finesse it in the beginning..I have landed and cleanly released up to 170#+ Threshers on a 3-5' /30-40# Floro leader/barrel swivel/65 spectra /or 40# mono. Flylined or usually the basic Carolina rig w/1-2 oz egg..You can return to that same spot tomorrow, or go just off that shoulder in one seventy+ for their larger siblings..The day you do keep one, take a smaller one under 90#.They are beautiful creatures, and rightfully so.. They clean up our oceans of the sick. With that said, thats exactly why you want a smaller one with less concentrations of toxic metals ect..(To each their own, but I Only release my sharks. I don't even have one kill for all Sharks I've caught from Belmar NJ all the way down the East Coast to Miami, and all the way around & up the Gulf coast of Florida to date.)Most sharks here will take a 5-150 yard dash upon hookset.Then when they realize once again that this is their playground and not yours, they eight out of ten times turn a 180 and head in the direct direction of the resistance, just to see who the hell you are, wizzing by u @ 30 mph!?! This is when your line is going to go super slack & you'll need to wind like a mad man!..Hopefully you have a 6:1 ratio, and not my vintage reels' ratio of -.9:1 I experienced just the other day..He will probably zip right within inches of you now, or even bust an aerial feet from your bow once you go tight again..watch out for that damn tail at all times..or he may sound and start doing the spins on ya!..
I finally grab their tail the second or third time I'm able bring them around, to test out how green they still are before attempting any hook removal..(Pay attention not to grab someone elses iron previously embedded in it..)If he is tail hooked the chances of him dying multiply ten fold..your drowning him fast..So if you really plan on releasing him, hopefully you can break off or quickly & cleanly remove the rig & release immediately.. They need forward movement to breath..Try to identify asap where he is hooked from the start. The fight game plan will change.. The faster the better..aim for under 30 seconds.(once yak side) have pliers ready to go..Be safe & ready for anything..They are alot of fun but they demand respect, take extra care( of him) if u really intended on releasing them..











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