Had an appointment early Friday morning so figured I’d take the whole day and fish the top and out going. Managed 2 Sharpnose sharks about 2ft, but I think they were the same one.
Saturday took the Mrs. Got out about 1000 to the mid incoming. Figured I’d get a line in to stake my came and while prepping a second rod I had a stingray on. Then about 2 hrs later had another sharpnose, 2ft then 5 min after I let him go had another hit…2 1/2ft sharpnose. Both caught on chunked bonito. Then head hooked a frozen mullet and threw it out. It soaked probably for at least 40 min and when I was bringing in another rod I heard the Mrs calling…the rod next to me was going crazy. When I got to the rod the reel was spooling out non stop. Tightened the drag a little and boy what a fight. I was scared to tighten the drag too much as I had just added a top shot of some Japonese 43lb fluro, real thin but holds knots well. The whole time I thought I had a stingray even though it was way more active. Then I get her into the light surf…and holy cow! The biggest shark for me to date. At least 4ft maybe 4.5. I had her on the sandbar as the tide was going out and you can see she had a good bit of water on her. You can also see that she had some mono wrapped around her and it looked as though it was pulling into her gills at the last slit. So I cut that off and removed it before taking the hook out. Absolutly beautiful fish.
To top it all off, about 20 min animal control rolled up and asked if I was shark fishing saying someone had called and reported I was targeting sharks. I was using squid, chunk ed Bonito and whole finger mullet and setting my bait way past the second sand bar…up to my chest in the water. There were no swimmers in the water when I brought her in and she took a whole mullet. All said, it was an awesome day and I hope that some of the spectators learned something.
sounds like a decent trip and yes that is a blacktip and was probably very fun to reel in on surf gear. spectators can be amusing as well and every time i have an audience while shark fishing i try to teach them a thing or 2 about the shark before i tag and release it but of course someone just had to gripe to animal control about sharks being in the surf. granted shark fishing is 100% legal anyways but did animal control really say anything about it?
Great looking Shark…bycatch though…right? Folly has a new Shark fishing ban that covers 3rd ave.E to 3rd. Ave.W. So I would stay at least 6 avenues away from the pier when “not” Sharkfishing or someone will be calling. The fine can be $500. It is a shame that most visitors to the beach realy have no clue about what things are already swimming around out there. If we don’t do our part to keep the visitors “feelling” safe, the ban could spread to the whole island, or worse yet, fishing from the beach at all during the summer months, and that WOULD affect me, that would suck.
A by-catch yes, I had three lines out at varying distance with whole finger mullet on. When we first got there we set up in an area away from others already on the beach…but anyone who fishes on the beach knows what happens after that. You end up with people right next to you on both sides, and drifting under your lines in the water. The gentleman from animal control asked if I told anyone that I was fishing for sharks and I if I was using"big bloody bait". Of course not, I have common sense and respect for others. We were at the IOP in the 30’s so no where near the pier.
Navynuke, she was A LOT of fun to bring in, there were times I just had to hold on. I really tried to get her in ASAP so I wouldn’t wear her out and keeping her in the water on the first sandbar kept the water flowing over her gills and her skin wet. She only needed a little help getting back into the surf. The sharpnose in the photo took me about 10 min in the water to get him to kick off…I thought I had lost him.
Great catch Walkman your onlookers seemed to be baffled by the fact that sharks are in the ocean, imagine that:smiley: Did I read it correctly that your mono liter was 43 lbs. How is that casting? I’m having issues casting the 80lb one I have been trying out. Twice already it produced a weird line tangling. The only thing I can think of is that the weight I’m using should be fixed and not move. I think it caused some kind of helicopter effect that led to tangling. It’s a learning process, I’ll figure it out hopefully sooner than later. Do you use a fixed weight vs a sliding one?
You would be surprised how many ppl say they didn’t know you could catch a shark on the beach ??? And runbabyrun, you read it right…43lb fluro more like a leader. It’s almost the same thickness as my 65lb braid. I was using 50lb mono but I had a topshot flyoff I think the knot didn’t hold. With the 43lb fluro topshot and 30lb braid I brought her in. And I use a fish finder rig with a sliding lead.
Hahaha sulcataman, that’s funny. Anyone remember when that great white shark satellite pinged from beresford creek? Definitely no sharks in the rivers and creeks
Folks like these irritate me so much. I have seen sharks the size of your black tip in knee deep water. I try really hard not to catch sharks around crowds, but as you said sometimes you set up away from people and then they just aimlessly wander into where you are fishing. Nice catch. All you can do is try your best to educate people who might disagree.
A bad day of fishing beats a good day of work anytime.
Great catch Walkman your onlookers seemed to be baffled by the fact that sharks are in the ocean, imagine that:smiley: Did I read it correctly that your mono liter was 43 lbs. How is that casting? I’m having issues casting the 80lb one I have been trying out. Twice already it produced a weird line tangling. The only thing I can think of is that the weight I’m using should be fixed and not move. I think it caused some kind of helicopter effect that led to tangling. It’s a learning process, I’ll figure it out hopefully sooner than later. Do you use a fixed weight vs a sliding one?
Runbabyrun,
I think its the memory that the mono holds that causes that. I have noticed it with my 50# mono top shot but this 43# fluorocarbon is way thinner and doesn’t hold memory hardly at all. The cast ability is excellent almost exactly as though the leader is attached directly to the braid. I can feel a major difference between it and the 50# mono. Now it has been tested with the 5ft black tip so I know it will hold up well. It also seems to have some stretch…you can stretch it a little by hand but I cant get it to break and the biggest plus is its $5.99 on Amazon for 110yds.
Great looking Shark…bycatch though…right? Folly has a new Shark fishing ban that covers 3rd ave.E to 3rd. Ave.W. So I would stay at least 6 avenues away from the pier when “not” Sharkfishing or someone will be calling. The fine can be $500. It is a shame that most visitors to the beach realy have no clue about what things are already swimming around out there. If we don’t do our part to keep the visitors “feelling” safe, the ban could spread to the whole island, or worse yet, fishing from the beach at all during the summer months, and that WOULD affect me, that would suck.
ive caught rays up to 60# in 1 foot of water fishin for black drum...they REALLY have no clue..lol
Some Fish Some Catch
15.5 glassmaster
70hp evinrude vro
