Sharks with Penn Senator 14/0

[Reid D]

I have just recently purchased two older Penn senator 14/0. Is there any difference between the old ones and the newer ones? Also I was planning on spooling them with 400 yards of 150 pound power pro and the rest with 150 pound mono. Unless I can do 130# braid and 150# mono for extra capacity ?Should I have more or less braid and is power pro a good brand? Also would you go heavier or lighter on the lines?

Any help is greatly appreciated.
Thanks.

 

[Hoosier06]

I doubt more line wt will help much because of the star drag system. I'd look at upgraded drag stacks for it

 

[Railroader]

Save your money on the braid. If you are land based, just fill em to the gills with 80 or 100 mono.

Senators were and are made for mono. And braid doesn't do well rubbing on the bottom for hours at the time.

Make sure your drags are in perfect order.

Good luck!

 

[Reid D]

Save your money on the braid. If you are land based, just fill em to the gills with 80 or 100 mono.

Senators were and are made for mono. And braid doesn't do well rubbing on the bottom for hours at the time.

Make sure your drags are in perfect order.

Good luck![/QUO

Save your money on the braid. If you are land based, just fill em to the gills with 80 or 100 mono.

Senators were and are made for mono. And braid doesn't do well rubbing on the bottom for hours at the time.

Make sure your drags are in perfect order.

Good luck!

I’ll make sure to change to the Ht-100s

 

[hrstille]

Do not buy Power Pro braid over 30lbs. Its junk. For shark fishing go with straight mono & a fluoro leader.

 

[Reid D]

Do not buy Power Pro braid over 30lbs. Its junk. For shark fishing go with straight mono & a fluoro leader.

Is there any braid anybody would recommend I could use? I would like to use braid. But don’t have to.

 

[Railroader]

Is there any braid anybody would recommend I could use? I would like to use braid. But don’t have to.

If you are land based shark fishing, you need to skip the braid entirely. Shells, sand bars, live bottom, and wave action will saw you off.

Also, on such a big spool, it is near impossible to get braid wound tight enough and evenly enough to prevent "waves" in the line and it WILL dig into itself and bind up bad enough to break you off.

On a 14/0, with a good drag, a full spool of 80 or 100 mono will serve you better.

Not trying to sound like a know it all, or tell you what to do, but I have been there, done it, and respooled with straight 100# mono... ?

 

[Reid D]

If you are land based shark fishing, you need to skip the braid entirely. Shells, sand bars, live bottom, and wave action will saw you off.

Also, on such a big spool, it is near impossible to get braid wound tight enough and evenly enough to prevent "waves" in the line and it WILL dig into itself and bind up bad enough to break you off.

On a 14/0, with a good drag, a full spool of 80 or 100 mono will serve you better.

Not trying to sound like a know it all, or tell you what to do, but I have been there, done it, and respooled with straight 100# mono... ?

I’m 15 so I’m new to this, but I wanted to have a way to put 150# mono for my top shot could I have a lighter mono to a heavier one?

 

[Railroader]

I’m 15 so I’m new to this, but I wanted to have a way to put 150# mono for my top shot could I have a lighter mono to a heavier one?

Don't complicate things, man. Just fill the 14 with 100 mono...

 

[Reid D]

Don't complicate things, man. Just fill the 14 with 100 mono...

Yes sir

 

[dang]

The reason a lot of folks load braid is to squeeze line capacity out of smaller reels. Like others have said, don’t over complicate it. You should get around 1000 yards of capacity out of that reel with 100lb mono, which is plenty. You don’t need a top shot if you spool mono. Guys do that to help combat the lack of abrasion resistance with braid, and to add stretch and shock absorption. Most rigs go steel, to a rub leader longer than the biggest shark you’re targeting.

 

[Stonewall 2]

If you are land based shark fishing, you need to skip the braid entirely. Shells, sand bars, live bottom, and wave action will saw you off.

Also, on such a big spool, it is near impossible to get braid wound tight enough and evenly enough to prevent "waves" in the line and it WILL dig into itself and bind up bad enough to break you off.

On a 14/0, with a good drag, a full spool of 80 or 100 mono will serve you better.

Not trying to sound like a know it all, or tell you what to do, but I have been there, done it, and respooled with straight 100# mono... ?

I have heard about the the shell bar being abrasive on the braid but where we do it SGI we haven’t had a problem. What we did have a problem with is stretch in the mono when cranking down the drag for the set. Also I think the 15’ off 300lb mono we have attached to the
Steel leader helps with that.

 

[jmac7469]

I know a thing or 2 about catching big sharks from shore. I like 80 or 100 mono on a 14/0 check the drag washers, find new drag washers online and order a back up set for each reel. Trust me you will wear the drag out at some point. For the beach we like a longer rod in the 80-130 class. Glow sticks are also you friend when sharking at night. As far as bait goes almost anything works but stingray wings work the best. Theres 1000 diffent ways to make your rigs we use a mudhook instead of the ole brick break away system. Im happy to answer any questions or point you in the right direction. I can promise you railroader and I both have a lot of knowledge on this stuff.

 

[Railroader]

I have heard about the the shell bar being abrasive on the braid but where we do it SGI we haven’t had a problem. What we did have a problem with is stretch in the mono when cranking down the drag for the set. Also I think the 15’ off 300lb mono we have attached to the
Steel leader helps with that.

Funny thing, there's a house on the beach right up the road at Alligator Point that we used to rent just to go sharkin'.

Great spot for sharks, but that little stretch of beach is the worst I ever saw for destroying braid. Lots of shells, and little skinny coral stuff on the bottom.

Used to like SGI too. I was there to assist (tail roper) on a 12' Tiger with some boys from Texas, and I caught a 10' even Great Hammer there. Also caught the prettiest Lemon I ever saw at SGI. A bright yellow and white 8 foot FAT female. Thing was twice as fat and heavy as a lemon should be...

Heck, my wife even likes catching sharks...

 

[Railroader]

I know a thing or 2 about catching big sharks from shore. I like 80 or 100 mono on a 14/0 check the drag washers, find new drag washers online and order a back up set for each reel. Trust me you will wear the drag out at some point. For the beach we like a longer rod in the 80-130 class. Glow sticks are also you friend when sharking at night. As far as bait goes almost anything works but stingray wings work the best. Theres 1000 diffent ways to make your rigs we use a mudhook instead of the ole brick break away system. Im happy to answer any questions or point you in the right direction. I can promise you railroader and I both have a lot of knowledge on this stuff.

Well, look what the cat dragged in...

Hope all's well with ya my Ol' JBP Bro!!!

 

[jmac7469]

All is good my friend ready to start slinging arrows at a few deer.

Well, look what the cat dragged in...

Hope all's well with ya my Ol' JBP Bro!!!

 

[acurasquirrel]

The max drag you’ll get out of a 14/0 is 24lbs. The older senators you could add a couple drag washers and get close to 40lbs. At that point you would need to upgrade to stainless main gears as the bronze gears can’t handle it.
I run 80lb braid and a top shot of 250 yards of 100lb mono on my shark setup.

If you are fishing Florida make sure you take the land based sharking class online. There are very specific regulations on the type of tackle you can use. Also certain sharks are to remain with their gills in the water the entire time. The picture above would no longer be legal as that is a Lemon shark and it must remain in the water the entire time. Good luck!