it ate the sinker! Strange thing happened a few weeks ago that's never happened in all my years of surf fishing on South Padre Island, TX. Cast out between 1st and 2nd sandbar using...

padrebino Loc: BROWNSVILLE, TX / SOUTH PADRE ISLAND, TX

Strange thing happened a few weeks ago that's never happened in all my years of surf fishing on South Padre Island, TX.

Cast out between 1st and 2nd sandbar using 20lb fluro leader with a double drop loop on a 4oz pyramid sinker, when a very strong bite nearly doubled my 11 foot rod. (WOW, what an adrenal rush)

For a moment I thought I caught a new PB something. Tried reeling it in but the line went slack. Figured whatever hit it either spit the hook or was swimming towards me, but after reeling in most of the line realized there was no fish and probably lost my rigging. Turns out only the 4oz pyramid sinker was gone, the hooks still had the live shrimp on them.

Examined line and found the leader cleanly severed. That's happened before but usually at the 1st or 2nd hook, by something toothy that liked the bait.

I surmised it was a shark since they'll eat almost anything; but why eat a lead sinker and not the tasty live bait?
Last week the same darn thing happened at a different surf location.

Has anyone had a similar experience? Was it a shark?

This coming week I plan to do some surf fishing with Brownsville Tony, curious to see if it happens again.

saw1 Loc: nor cal Windsor

padrebino wrote:

Strange thing happened a few weeks ago that's neve... (show quote)

Just for the heck of it, maybe you should attach your weight to a steel leader.

Jeremy Loc: America

padrebino wrote:

Strange thing happened a few weeks ago that's neve... (show quote)

I’m wondering if something else is sharp under water. Or if fish was swimming through the area and it bumped it real hard meaning like the line flossed their mouth but maybe never really bit the lead but just got hung up on them and a sharp seashell etc cut the line. Just a guess.

Chuck56 Loc: Texas

padrebino wrote:

Strange thing happened a few weeks ago that's neve... (show quote)

padrebino Loc: BROWNSVILLE, TX / SOUTH PADRE ISLAND, TX

saw1 wrote:

Just for the heck of it, maybe you should attach your weight to a steel leader.

Thanx for the suggestion Saw1. Now you started me thinking......maybe somehow rig a large hook on the pyramid sinker on a metal leader.
There are treble hooks on the market but whatever hit mine sure liked the pyramid sinker.

padrebino Loc: BROWNSVILLE, TX / SOUTH PADRE ISLAND, TX

Jeremy wrote:

I’m wondering if something else is sharp under water. Or if fish was swimming through the area and it bumped it real hard meaning like the line flossed their mouth but maybe never really bit the lead but just got hung up on them and a sharp seashell etc cut the line. Just a guess.

Jeremy, that's creative thinking! Thanx for the input.

I'd like to let my imagination run wild and think that it was my Moby Dick and, as Capt Ahab, must catch it for stealing my sinkers (not my leg at the knee) and releasing it after the satisfaction of knowing what it was.

Sinker Rig Loc: Tampa area

padrebino wrote:

Strange thing happened a few weeks ago that's neve... (show quote)

My guess is a big spanish mackerel, I've had them hit my sinkers and cut the braid

Mr.Wood-E Loc: Franklin, LA

Barracuda maybe ........I've had friends catch them in the surf. Anything shiny will attract a cuda

padrebino Loc: BROWNSVILLE, TX / SOUTH PADRE ISLAND, TX

Mr.Wood-E wrote:

Barracuda maybe ........I've had friends catch them in the surf. Anything shiny will attract a cuda

Hey, Mr. Wood-E
Could have been a barracuda. Come to think of it, the sinker was new with a light silver tone and had not developed the dark patina yet.

flyguy Loc: Lake Onalaska, Sunfish Capitol of the World!

padrebino wrote:

Hey, Mr. Wood-E
Could have been a barracuda. Come to think of it, the sinker was new with a light silver tone and had not developed the dark patina yet.

A barracuda wouldn't get big enough to bend a 11' rod over would it?

Flytier Loc: Wilmington Delaware

flyguy wrote:

A barracuda wouldn't get big enough to bend a 11' rod over would it?

I've seen some pretty big cudas. They're also fast so if they hit it full throttle it could bow it up good.

Remember on time when my brother dropped a bottom rig down and znalbacore hit the sinker on the way down. Went in his mouth and out the gills so it got landed.

Brownsville Tony Loc: Brownsville - Laguna Madre

Anything with a toothy mouth might have grabbed it and ran. Ladyfish hit fast and hard like that and although they don't have big teeth they have small ones about like the tear-off strip on a box of aluminum foil. And they have been plentiful off the beach recently. We'll try to catch some this week and we'll see if any of them has gained 4 ozs in the last couple weeks....lol I use steel drop loops but I always tie the sinker on using mono or flouro, just to give me the breakaway option.

ranger632 Loc: Near Yosemite Park Ca.

saw1 wrote:

Just for the heck of it, maybe you should attach your weight to a steel leader.

That was my line

hippie Loc: Ocean City, Md

Was the sinker new or relatively clean? If so the fish probably thought it was a bait fish from the "shine" the sinker was giving off. As for adding a hook to the sinker-no problem. Get what we call a vampire hook (it's a double hook with a split shaft). The kind used on a mullet rig and slip it through the eye on the top of the sinker. Enclosed is a pic of a vampire hook. I hope this helps.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KdCeZEVYSOkf

padrebino Loc: BROWNSVILLE, TX / SOUTH PADRE ISLAND, TX

hippie wrote:

Was the sinker new or relatively clean? If so the fish probably thought it was a bait fish from the "shine" the sinker was giving off. As for adding a hook to the sinker-no problem. Get what we call a vampire hook (it's a double hook with a split shaft). The kind used on a mullet rig and slip it through the eye on the top of the sinker. I hope this helps.

Hippie, thanks for your input.
I'm kind of leaning toward your theory. In both instances the pyramid sinkers were new and had somewhat of a shiny appearance, hadn't gotten the dark lead patina of a used older sinker.
Googled and ebayd vampire hook, nothing came up. May try to modify new pyramid sinker with hooks and a metal leader on sinker only.
Welcome to FS.