“We’re going to need a larger boat,” is a favorite line from one of our favorite movies. It’s impossible to forget Jaws, Steven Spielberg’s classic shark fishing movie. You don’t need a boat to catch sharks! Surf fishing is also an option. There are many species that can be found close to shore. For large, massive sharks, you will need to travel further. This Beginner’s Guide to Shark Fishing will show you where to fish for sharks and how to hook them. You can also hire a professional charter captain with extensive experience in fighting these sharp-toothed trophies. They’ll be happy to show you the ropes.
Where can you fish for sharks?
Sharks can be found all over the ocean, from the shallow flats to deep blue waters. You can fish from the ocean’s edge with sharks, as they are very close to shore. This method doesn’t require a boat. Simply grab your rod and gear and go to the water’s edge. You can cast your bait into the surf about 250 yards away and prepare for a fight. You should be aware that there are new regulations in place for 2019. Bull sharks and blacktip sharks love to swim in shallow waters. The backcountry is located to the north of the chain of islands.
Many channels and inlets act as a nursery for adolescent gamefish like grouper, barracuda, and jack crevalle. This makes it easy prey for mature shark species. In that shallow water shark fishing can be done more efficiently than surf fishing, you can use bloody bait like mullet to chum the waters. Although Blacktip sharks are a smaller species than other sharks, they can be caught on light or medium tackle and make hard runs. Your set-up should include at least 3-4 feet of wire leader.
Their teeth can rip through fishing lines that are monofilament or braided. You need to go offshore to catch sharks that can reach 8ft to 13ft+. You will find many species in deeper waters such as mako and thresher sharks, hammerheads, tiger, lemon, and many others. Shark anglers are attracted to shark species because they have hypersensitive senses of smell. They can smell blood even from miles away.
To attract these predatory apex predators to your boat, the fishing saying “If you chum they will come” is a great way to catch them. Bonito, a popular bait for chum fishing, is a bloody game fish that can be easily caught while trolling shark fishing grounds. Fishing the Atlantic Ocean for sharks can be a thrilling adventure, from Florida to Maine. Book a charter with us if you are near South Florida. They are a premier shark hunter based in Miami.
He regularly catches 10ft+ Hammerheads, Tiger Sharks, Thresher Sharks, and many more. Although it’s not as popular on the East Coast, shark fishing from the Pacific Coast is possible. The Atlantic shark population is larger than its West Coast counterparts. Florida is the shark capital of this world. If your group wants to have the best chance of landing this amazing creature, then this is where you should start.
How to fish for sharks
Chumming is a method to attract sharks to your waters. We’ve already mentioned it a few times. Chumming simply means that anglers add chopped-up fish pieces, fish juice, and/or fish oils to the water. A shark that is less than a mile away will not hesitate to eat fish oil or fish blood. Their curiosity and gluttonous appetites make it difficult for them to resist an easy meal. You can add live, dead, or cut bait to your line before you cast it into the warm waters. Your rod will soon double in size.
Chumming is not an option if you fish from the shore due to the currents and beach-goers. This makes it even more important to choose the right bait. A large baitfish is essential, and the fresher the fish, the better. Bluefish, mullet, and Whiting are all good options for fishing from shore. Although some shark species can be caught for their meat, we recommend that you practice catch-and-release. After your shark has been successfully caught, snap a picture and carefully dehook the catch. The shark should be released into open water as soon as possible to maximize its chances of survival.
The captain is usually responsible for releasing or harvesting sharks when shark fishing offshore. After being caught, species such as the Sandbar shark must be released quickly. To determine whether the shark can be safely released or harvested, your captain will assess the health of any other landed shark species such as mako and hammerhead. The length of the fight and the depth at which it was hooked up may determine if the shark that you catch is near death.
The article was written by a professional charter captain at Salty Knots Fishing Charters with 15+ years of experience in the Gulf of Mexico. Salty Knots Fishing Charters is a local fishing charter service based out of St. Pete Beach, Florida. “We know what it takes to catch a giant trophy fish!” Salty Knots Is the best when it comes to Deep Sea Fishing St Pete Beach Florida.
