Though heavy tackle would seem necessary to tackle sharks, truth is that you’ll have more fun with light big-game tackle. Because sharks are usually caught in open-water situations, an angler who takes his time playing his quarry can get by with 20- to 30-pound-class tackle. Larger sharks may require heavier tackle—makos, for example, 50-pound gear; whites, tigers and giant makos, 80—but using heavier gear than is necessary really takes away from the fun of the fight.
No matter how light you go, however, respect the sharp teeth that contribute to the fierce mystique that sharks evoke. Larger sharks, especially, require the use of 15 feet of single-strand wire in sizes 12 to 15. To avoid kinks or twists, however, you may wish to useheavy monofilament as the top of your leader, then tie on a swivel to which you should connect a few feet of the wire at the terminal end.
Glenn Sapir
Shrub Oak, New York