Tie-at-home extras · Catch and release only, by law

Tope trace

A long mono rubbing trace to resist the tope's rough skin, ending in a short wire bite section and a circle hook.

Size 1/0 swivelRubbing trace100–150lb mono, ~1.5mSwivelWire bite trace 30cm100–150lb, crimpedCircle hook 6/0–8/0hooks in the jawHalf mackerelor a whole flatfish
Targets
Tope, and other sharks
Where
Inshore boats over sand and gravel, summer
Use it for
Tope

What you need

Rubbing trace
100–150lb mono, ~1.5m
Bite trace
30cm of 100–150lb wire, crimped
Swivels
2, size 1/0
Hook
In-line circle hook, 6/0–8/0
Bait
Half mackerel or a whole small flatfish

Build it

  1. Crimp a swivel to one end of the wire and the circle hook to the other.
  2. Tie or crimp the mono rubbing trace to that swivel.
  3. Add the top swivel to the mono.
  4. Fish it on a running boom, and let the tope run before you tighten.
On the beach

With a circle hook, don't strike. Just wind down until the line is tight. Unhook in the water. It's illegal to land a rod-caught tope in England, so every one goes back.

Knots for this rig are in Knots. Line strengths, hook sizes and weights are starting points: scale them to your tackle, the ground and the tide. Diagrams are schematic and not to scale.