Some people tell me that you have to have a lot of capacity to fight big sharks. Others swear by new and improved high tech. drag systems reaching up to 100lbs and it's more important then capacity. Sharks swim 24/7 and your not going to turn them with a few 100 extra yards of line. Braid can be the equalizer in this equation but braid is not for everyone in every situation. The other school of thought is an angler is not going to utilize the super drag correctly or have the endurance to finish the fight.
What's your choice?
TEAM GETCHA GETCHA SHARKON
Combo of both. Penn 50 tw with 1446 yds of 150 lb power pro....
few sharks can pull drag on a 12 or 14 very far----its the big hammers that will give you the problem--i think they both work--its only the biggest sharks that you need to be concerned with
the 11 foot tiger joey caught did not even come close to spooling him--it was a tuff fight but it was stopped with plenty on line left on the spool
but my pick is heavy mono----- on a big reel
sonny 
I think both would be the equalizer.
I have an avet 50 exw 550 yards of 100 lb braid, 150 yards of 125 bull buster top shot.
hunker down slam it in full and dig your feet in the sand.
then, fly like super man.
j.k I'd nail him with atleast 30 lbs to start off.
all the reels have drag....and i will choose capacity because a big monster will pull drag no matter what so i think i will need line to give him and let him run and see what happens
It doesn't matter how much drag you have on your reel, if you hammer down 100lbs of drag successfully on a big 12ft hammer and none of your terminal tackle gives way, the fishes biology will give way, hooks will pull most of the time, i have seen it many times.
Giving a fish steady medium drag is a great solution because eventually the fish will build up lactic acids within its muscles, tire out, and turn towards you to be reeled in some.
I've only seen one time where the angler truly needed to tie in to another reel and he was fighting his fish with 50-60lbs of pressure constantly on a 12/0 with dacron and had to tie in to a 14/0 (shannon), other than that most fish do not have the ability to strip a big reel.
I was told by hammer that he has never been stripped before and he fishes straight mono on all of his reels. So until I get spooled I see no reason to have such a ridiculous rod snapping drag as 100lbs of pressure.
Just an average fisherman.
It doesn't matter how much drag you have on your reel, if you hammer down 100lbs of drag successfully on a big 12ft hammer and none of your terminal tackle gives way, the fishes biology will give way, hooks will pull most of the time, i have seen it many times.
Giving a fish steady medium drag is a great solution because eventually the fish will build up lactic acids within its muscles, tire out, and turn towards you to be reeled in some.
I've only seen one time where the angler truly needed to tie in to another reel and he was fighting his fish with 50-60lbs of pressure constantly on a 12/0 with dacron and had to tie in to a 14/0 (shannon), other than that most fish do not have the ability to strip a big reel.
I was told by hammer that he has never been stripped before and he fishes straight mono on all of his reels. So until I get spooled I see no reason to have such a ridiculous rod snapping drag as 100lbs of pressure.
You made some very good points!And I agree with Sonny, the biggest problem is when one happens to run into a 1200lb plus monster hammer.That just doesn't happen everyday, it's the fortunate few who put in the time and get lucky!
i think it is all on preference some people like braid and some only fish mono. personally i like braid combined with a good drag system but you will have to choose on what you prefer
My INTERNATIONAL 130 packed with 2200yds of #200 tuff braid helps me sleep at night...P.S....That day I got spooled at the pier with that reel was because of my 200lbs topshot was weak........'FOR ALL YOU REEL NERDS' 
I hooked a shark, had to be a monster 1000+ hammer, out at ft desoto pier that stripped well over 500yds of 200lb braid on over 100lbs of drag. he was slowing before i got cut on the shipping channel buoy. This was on my modified 12 everol, if this was on a 14 or 16 senator i would have had an empty reel. Senators will bring in monsters in the right conditions, but most of the time conditions arent perfect. People say new leverdrag technology compared to old school senators, well my 12/0 everol is from the 70s and was designed in the 50s. Then people say senators are superior line capacity, well my 12 holds only about 100yds less of 130mono than a 14/0 senator. I reeled from my 12 packed to my old 14 senator. Price is the only advantage i see to senators, and like timmy said....fun. I drag in sharks under 10ft with no issue on my everols, so it isnt as fun. But i want that record monster, so i will fish with the best in preparation for my meeting again with him.
It seems to me, and I don't know this for a fact, that having a high powered drag reel would help you get the shark landed quicker? Which would lead me to believe it would help the sharks survive after the release, since it would be less tired. What do you guys think?
Yea i'd say.....
It seems to me, and I don't know this for a fact, that having a high powered drag reel would help you get the shark landed quicker? Which would lead me to believe it would help the sharks survive after the release, since it would be less tired. What do you guys think?
True 
if you have a fish that strips 500 yards + of line with 50 or up to 100 lbs of drag,he deserves to fight another day.
either that or someone's going to have to change their lower unit seals and lube.
if you have a fish that strips 500 yards + of line with 50 or up to 100 lbs of drag,he deserves to fight another day.
either that or someone's going to have to change their lower unit seals and lube.
I'd love to hook a fish and hold on for dear life and feel what that kind of drag feels like.