Shark Fishing
Surf fishing for sharks is one of the most fun, rewarding hobbies I've every taken part in. Shark fishing is one of the least appreciated types of fishing especially when you're doing it from a beautiful sandy beach. Most people think of sharks as 'creatures of the deep' or 'man eaters', but they are actually some of the best sports fishing to be had from the beach or boat. If you're looking for something to do while enjoying the beach, shark fishing can provide an adrenaline-filled experience and a picture worth 1000 words.
For me it all started at Hilton Head Island in South Carolina. My dad and I had setup one night on an incoming tide. We were inexperience just hoping for the big one. As the tide was coming in we had to move the poles back to stay dry. As soon as I pulled the bail back my hand felt like it was on fire. When I realized what was going on I could no longer hold the line. Screaming my fool head off my dad grabbed the pole, lock the bail, and set the hook. SNAP! The pole broke in half and needless to say we never saw the creature of the deep. All that to say that hilton head shark fishing is some adrenaline pumping fishing!
Introduction to Shark Fishing
With 5730 miles of coastline in the United States there is plenty of water for sharks to roam. Sharks are found along all coastline in the US, but Florida and gulf coast states see the majority of these magnificent creatures. The pacific coast has their share of sharks cruising the beaches but are generally the larger species including the Great White Shark. I would love to see you hook one of these guys from the beach and manage to land him on the beach.
Millions of people live within an hour of the coast line but few care about surf fishing, let alone beach shark fishing. Hundreds of thousands of people visit coastal regions for vacation every year and little know that shark fishing is even an option. Let's face the facts. There are more sharks on the beaches than anyone would care to recognize. You would be amazed at the number of sharks swimming among beach goers. What's important to remember is that sharks don't purposely bite people. We aren't a natural food source for them. The majority of bites you hear about on the news are caused by being at the right place at the wrong time. Let's say you're out swimming in the waves and below you a school of bait fish (shark bait) has just surrounded you. You don't know it but the 6ft Blacktip or Spinner shark was in the area and has just found its meal for the day. Unfortunately for you, you accidentally got bit!
Beach shark fishing is truly wonderful because you can enjoy the beach and all its beauty, and at the same time have the chance at experiencing one of the greatest creatures that roams the waters. Not to mention an adrenaline rush that is second to none. Keep reading this guide to learn about the best shark gear, the best locations to shark fish, what to use for shark bait, and how to catch and release one of these powerful beasts.
Have a tip or see something I missed? Want to ask a question? Just drop a quick comment below and I get back to you before your next big shark fishing trip.
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Sharks have evolved over 450 million years to be among the ocean’s top predators. They can take many years to reach sexual maturity, almost 30 years in the case of the sand bank shark. Larger sharks may only produce two young in a breeding cycle and only one of those is likely to survive. Shark species often only breed every other year and some have a long gestation period (up to two years). This low reproductive rate means that depleted shark populations can take a very long time to recover, if they recover at all.
How far are you padalling the bait out?
What bait are you using?
What gear are you using?
Whats the best catch?
Sounds wicked! I’ve had the idea of padalling a big hook with some big bait about a mile off sure to see what would come along, but all my mates thinks its crazy.
Would be interested in what your using to get the big ones.
Matt. Australia
tx-sharkfishing.com is the group im part of, you only need to get your bait out a 100-200yds. I use a Penn 6/0 reel with 50lb test and have landed some nice 150lb+ sharks. As far as catch Hammer heads and Tigers are your prize catch. Blacktips, bulls, lemon, and mako all put up awsome fights!
The distance to paddle baits depends on the structure of the beach you are fishing. Some beaches drop off quickly, while others don’t. I would suggest going on Google Earth and observe the beaches you are fishing and look for sandbars, drop-offs (light to dark water), inlets, reefs, and buildings (like powerplants “warm water discharge”).
For bait, use bloody oily fish like Mackerel, Jacks, Bonitos, Bluefish, Ladyfish, Stingray, and other fish. Check with the local laws to make sure you can use the above for bait.
Gear depends on what you are fishing for. If you are fishing for sharks 7ft and under, you can catch them on large spinning reels. If you are hoping to catch a 500lb shark, then 12/0, 14/0, 80w, 130. I would strongly recommend starting small and working your way up.
I think a 1000lb Great White, Mako, or Hammerhead is the ultimate from the beach. Tigers are cool, but don’t fight much.
You can check out my website: http://blacktiphfishing.org for tips & techniques on how to properly shark fish or email me at blacktiphfishing@gmail.com. Or search “blacktiph” on YouTube for videos.
Regards,
Joshua Jorgensen
Shark fishing is not fun it is horrible and murderous. many sharks can not leave water or their skeleton will collapse and kill the shark due to gravity. if you attempt to catch these sharks you are only killing them. The shark is not some mindless killing machine, we are. every year more than 100 million sharks are killed due to humans while at the same time only on average about 4, 5, maybe 6 people world wide are killed by sharks annually. Due to different forms of shark fishing there have been loss and devastation of shark populations around the world. Experts estimate that within a decade, most species of sharks will be lost. Stop this stupid killing of sharks, sharks instead need our help, you would not kill a panda, yet the shark populations for shark in general and certain species are worse off than the panda so why would you kill a shark. If you care about animals then stop this, if you care about the ecosystem then stop this sharks play a vital role, if you care about man-kind stop this many developing countries depend on sharks for food and resources. please stop shark fishing in any way possible. If you still believe in shark fishing or what answers then email me, i will tell you anything you want to know.
Jacob, I bet you are pro choice, aren’t you. You lefty environmentalists would walk through fire to save a magget, but at the same time defend a woman’s right to exterminate her innocent unborn child. Sport fishermen and hunters respect nature and are the best when it comes to conservation. People will still be shark fishing long after you are gone…get used to it.
you spelt maggot wrong. just saying.
Dan,
Would you like to try being a shark?
And how are you an expert on Jacob all of a sudden? We all have different views on things, it doesn’t matter if he saves maggots or whatever he does. He’s expressing his views on the exploitation of sharks and you’re finding ways to insult him through totally unrelated topics. If you don’t agree, then simply state that, and why. It’s the same as if I were to say something terrible about your mother. Completely unnecessary and immature.
I agree that you and jacob are both dumbass tree huggers. If you dont like shark fishing dont read the thread, im sure you got better things to like protest against our 2nd ammendment or some other liberal horse shit
You honestly have no clue what you are atually doing to the earth when you kill these sharks. i dont give a shit about any other animals but sharks are so important u dont even realise. soon sharks will be gone which means larger pratory fish will increase such as groupers and snappers which will then over graze on smaller alge eating fish. this will result in sea weeds over growing that will smother and eventually kill corral if that continued the only life that will be left in our oceans would be jelly fish alge and bacteria. so think about what that would do to ur later generations . You know what the sad thing is, you only fish for sharks cause you are scared of them. YOU ASSHOLES!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wow, the lack of facts are stunning from the “save everything” crowd.
- First off, we aren’t catching whale sharks from the beach people. The sharks skeleton will not collapse and crush it due to gravity.
- I have yet to see anyone purposefully kill a shark when shark fishing from the beach. In fact I don’t think I have even heard of happening.
- If your intent is to convince fishermen not to catch sharks, then you need to do a little more research on your target audience. Telling them that with the removal of sharks they will then have access to more and bigger grouper and snapper is plain stupid. Grouper and snapper are some of the best tasting fish and are specifically targeted by these same fishermen.
- An explosion of grouper/snapper will cause the collapse of the oceans ecosystem and end the world? I don’t think so. Based on your assumption that fishermen have the ability to wipe out the worlds shark populations, they also have the ability to control the grouper/snapper population. By extrapolating out your hypothesis, you have just proposed a solution to all the starving people living near the coast. Can I place a standing order for grouper sandwich and fish taco’s now please?
- Fishermen don’t target a species based on fear, they target the species based on the challenge or what they would like on their plate. If your fear theory were correct, then you and those like you are what would be the sportsmans choice of game. Your misguided and ill-informed flock of followers are what really scare sportsmen.
I’d kill a Panda if I could, and I eat everything I kill. I would also suggest stapling baby kittens to the targets on the 25 meter zero range to help toughen up these touchy feely guys.
I beg to differ! Last time I caught (and ate) a shark, I had a blast!
ohhhhhh booo hooooo,, go ride your bike to work and pack your poo droppings when you go camping ,,,
Well , Jacob , let me tell you something . I’m 75 years old , and have been fishing all my life . I’ve caught all kinds of fish , and have eaten , or released 99% of them . Tuna are drasticly reduced in numbers , but I’ll bet you still approve of their capture . Sharks are excellent eating , when cooked properly .Almost no one is going to kill a large shark , and just take 5 lbs. of meat for a single meal .As with all things there is a small percentage of fishermen who just don’t care . They are the same ones who break all the other rules as well . I whole heartedly agree with you that sharks should not just be killed , for sport , or for their fins . There is nothing wrong , with catch and release . Actually I tag and release . Try it . You may find that you like it .
SHUT THE HELL UP!!!! The only law it that we can not fish for sea mammals other then that everything else is fair game. Yes we can not keep great whites but we can still hook them, fight them and let them go. Other sharks actually make for some good eating. I absolutely hate people that make such a hissy fit over someone fishing or hunting but at the same time what they eat is ok because it comes in a package. Well that package of ground beef came from a cow that never had a chance to live free and it was killed in mass along with its family.
We don’t keep more then our friends and family can eat, when we see that we have enough, we quit. And shark makes for a great barbq!!!! So grow up and stop preaching what you learned at Berkeley!
Great website . Very informative . One thing that I did notice is that when you rig your dead baits , you end up with the hooks facing the head . Since all large fish swallow smaller ones head first , these hooks are facing the wrong direction . This is just my opinion , but it makes sense to me . Obviously you are having hook-ups , but I think the percentage would increase if they were faceing the tail . I do this and generally have no problem in hooking the fish . Landing them is sometimes another story . You also asked for info. on shark fishing up north . Many years ago a group of us , fished for sharks , in the surf , at Oak Beach (Located on Jones beach) on Long Island N.Y. We caught mostly sandbars , in the 7 to 8 1/2 ft range . We used eels for bait , as they were crab resistant . Hope this is helpfull . Tight lines , Larry
Leaving this Sunday , for Dog Island , Florida . I have a date with a few sharks , for the next 2 weeks . My brother-in-law , Denny , has a fishing camp in Caribelle , on the bay . It’ll be our headquarters.
Well , I’m back from Florida . Missed several strikes , just wasn’t in the cards , I guess . Did catch nice red fish , though .
Can I go shark fishing with you?
Hi, Lauren . Just now saw your request . Sure , lets go . I’m headed back to Florida in April .
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You guys that think shark fishing kills the shark seriously need help. You know that the shark gets hooked in the mouth right? And then once realesed…it’s completely fine. You’re such a moron. Get your head out of your ass and quit being ignorant.