Author: David Sobiek
Make An Easy Surf Casting Or Shark Fishing Weight
After using weights for 2 years, I finally decided to look for a weight that was easier to paddle out and one that gave me peace of mind in regard to not tangling while I was 700yds off the beach. Time and time again I have struggled to find a weight that I like without breaking the bank by buying lead weights. Eventually I decided to try and make my own. With little effort, I had great sputnik weights for little cost. In this article I will provide links to materials you will need and go into as much detail as I can to pass the knowledge on to you. This way you can make your own weights, keep the bank account full and spend more time fishing!
First we will get into the four materials needed. Everything you will need can be found at either Lowes Home Improvement Store or Home Depot. Starting out you will need the body of the weight. You can use either copper piping or PVC pipe as long as it is 3/4inch diameter. I have used both personally so I can assure you they both will work. Next you will need the legs of the weight for this you will need copper wire. I use # 8 wire but if you want it to be easier to bend out of the sand, you can use #10. Make sure that you get copper wire or they will not last as long as possible due to rust. Additionally you will need something to weigh it down. For this I use concrete. I have also heard of people using lead shot to fill the pipe, but I didn't feel like spending $50 on the shot to fill my weights. Finally you will need a caulk to seal the ends off so the concrete doesn't crack and fall out either end of the weight.
Materials From Lowes Website:
After you purchase all of these items, all you need is about an hour of free time to make roughly 10 weights. What I will do is make a list of steps on what you need to do.
Step 1: Cut the PVC or copper wire into 6" sections.
Step 2: Cut two strands of copper wire 1 24" piece and one 18" piece
Step 3: Take the copper wire you cut and bend them in half. Then take them both and insert them into the 6" pipe. Note: the 24" piece of copper wire is used to form the loop you attach the swivel to so make sure it sticks up out the other end of the pipe. The 18" piece will be inside of the pipe unexposed.
Step 4: Tape up the bottom end with the legs so the concrete doesn't fall out the other side
Step 5: Mix up your concrete and begin inserting it into the top of the weight. Note: as you begin to put the concrete in, make sure to tap the bottom of the weight on you hand so the concrete will settle to the bottom. (don't worry if some leaks out, it will still work)
Step 6: Let the concrete cure inside of the weight. Make sure to let them dry upright so the concrete doesn't fall out the top.
Step 7: Use the caulk and seal the top and bottom with a generous amount. Then let them dry.
After this is all said and done, they will be ready to use in about 24hrs. From personal experience, this is a fantastic way to get baits to stick to the bottom. Depending on the composition of the bottom of the beach you will be fishing at will depend on how well these stick. Sometimes it takes 5lbs to pull the weights out toward the beach and sometimes its up to 10lbs so you will want to target larger sharks using these. Make sure to use 1000lb Grander Leader Coil as well, with the legs on these weights you don’t want to risk them cutting your leader! I hope that this helps you guys out in your shark fishing adventures! Be sure to hit the sand hard and land some big girls! Best of luck from Castle Land Based Shark Fishing!!!!
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