Shark Fishing

[Schoe]

Can anyone tell me if the Shark fishing is any good in the Gulf off the Panhandle this time of year? I would like to try fishing for them if they are here now.

I have never brought the subject up in the Tackle shops here or when talking to the locals.

Any info would be appreciated. Schoe

[Soupy_1us]

One sure way to find out ! Go down to the edge of the water and stick a toe in it, wiggle it....and if ya git it back...they ain't bitin'.



Yeah I know...........I'm goin' back down to my thread where I belong... Sorry

[TDawgNOk]

Not sure Schoe, I'll have to check with a couple of friends down that way.

[wild bill]

Not sure bout your area but along the Gulf coast close to me from Surfside to Bryan Beach (my favorite place to surf fish) the bull sharks can be caught close to the beach at night. Also on Bryan or any other beach where a river dumps into the Gulf you can find bull sharks this time of year because they chase bait into the brackish water. No real big sharks but up to 5' on whole or cut whiting and horse mullet. Below are a couple bull sharks that are common size for this time of year. Great eating!!!

How bout starting a surf fishing thread? Spring & Summer are on the way and I plan on wetting a line on Bryan Beach a few times, yeee haaaw!!!

1060

[Schoe]

Wild Bill you may be just the man to get this surf fishing thread started and I'm sure others will follow.

I have been catching a lot of Lady fish and thought they would make some good cut bait to use for Shark fishing. What do you think about them? Schoe

[wild bill]

Ladyfish has worked for me in the past cut fresh and kept in a bucket of water. Frozen chunks did not get a bite the few times I tried it in the past.

My fav baits are bull mullet (head split and tail docked), whiting (live or cut like mullet), live piggy perch, jack fish strips, sting ray and also hardheads fished live with the barbs snipped off.

[Schoe]

OK thanks Bill, I think I can come up some of the baits you mentioned. Do you think a Ambassador 7000 Combo with 30 lb. line is strong enough to tangle with the sharks?? Schoe

[wild bill]

Hee, hee, get ready to be spooled with the big boys!! That combo will definately battle some bull reds and puppy sharks. When the water warms and sharks are agressive, it will be hard to stop anything over 4' in length with that combo. In the cooler months they don't put up much of a fight. I would reccomend spooling some FINS spectra, it has a smaller diameter and some of the toughest braided line I have yet to use.

I fish with 11' surf rods hand cast Penn 268 wide spools from the 2nd or 3rd sandbar and then use the zodiak to run out my big Newell 646's that have leaders I make up to 12' long. Leader length is important for shark fishin because they can tail whip that line and break off.

I use an Ambassador 7000 to catch specks under a popping cork and also to catch live fish to use whole on the bigger lines.

1082

[capt.kirk]

Schoe, The way i read it was DONT GO BEAR HUNTIN WITH A SWITCH,
Better stick to the Flat Heads on Steroids over at WEWA.:D kIRK

[Schoe]

Oh no Captain, I have my big gun Penn's and broomstick rods in the storeroom for the Shark attack.

A couple of local fellas fish at night off the pier for Black tips at night. I just have to find out what nights so I can observe. Schoe

[ladymohawk]

good luck schoe i hope you get some big ones ladymohawk