Sharking from the surf is the beach’s heaviest game. Northeast beaches hold brown (sandbar) sharks, sand tigers and the occasional thresher within casting range, and landing one means launching a big bait, holding bottom against the current, and going toe to toe with a powerful fish, on tackle built to take it.
The rod
The heaviest rod in Daiwa’s surf line, the Blackline Surf BL1102XHFS (11 foot, extra-heavy, fast), handles typical beach sharks and big baits well. For the largest sharks, or when you want more lifting power, step up to a dedicated big-fish surf blank like the ODM DNA 11-foot (3 to 8 oz), which has the backbone for serious fish.
The reel
You need capacity and a strong, sealed drag, so go big: the Van Staal VSX2 300 is the largest of the range, a fully sealed, submersible sealed-drag reel with the line capacity and stopping power for a shark that will take a long, hard run. The sealed design is essential for a reel sitting in a sand spike in the surf.
Line, leader and rigging
Run 50 to 65 lb braid, a heavy mono or fluorocarbon leader, and, critically, a wire or heavy cable bite trace, shark teeth cut everything else instantly. Fish a big cut or live bait on a strong circle hook, on the bottom, and use a sand spike while you wait.
Knots for it
Join braid to a heavy leader with a slim beauty or Albright (the Albright also ties line to wire), and snell the circle hook for a strong, inline bait connection.