We were up around Pimlico in the rice fields a few weeks back and I witnessed about a 6 to 7’ bull shark cruising through the rice field. I assume he was up there having his way with the coots. Has anybody else seen bull sharks up this far in the cooper before? I have seen dolphin numerous times all the way up to the tailrace but never a shark.
Never seen one. My parents live on the Rice Hope Plantation rice field. I have caught crabs, redfish and flounder in that rice field. Bull Sharks have been seen as far as 800 miles up the Mississippi River. I am sure they are around. Wish I could see one. I know the Bald Eagles are giving the coots a ton of trouble. Now sharks? Poor coots !
Key West 1720 115 HP Johnson Saltwater.
bull sharks are known to make their way all the way into fresh water…
“The Wet Dream”
20’ Pioneer 197
150hp Suzuki 4-Stroke
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njmmjVTwFzI
bull sharks on a golf course in australia
they have also been found over 2000 miles up the Mississippi river
Maybe coots are crap for all species. If I were a bull shark I would be picking off those coots all day long, but the lack of sightings leads me to believe that coots are in fact crap across all species. Poor coots get no respect. It was pretty cool seeing that so far up the river. It’s not just the gators that will get you now! The upper cooper has more apex predators that can put a hurtin on you than dynamite hole.
bull sharks can be a bad hazard in fresh water rivers. they have been found a hundred miles or more up river from the salt water. if there is no dam or lock on the river play it safe they can be there
I know they are up south santee area waters…
miss’n fish’n
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Sea Squirt 16
How far from Cypress Gardens landing are the rice fields? Haven’t coot hunted in years. The daughter wants to go and if they are there now they should be there come next hunting season. Don’t have to sit in a blind early morning in a misty rain or the cold. Sleep in and get there whenever. If done right you can get a limit and be gone in no time.
16’ Bonito 65 Johnson
carolinacoot, do you eat coots?
The Rice Hope Plantation Rice Field is about a 8 minute boat ride from Cypress Gardens. I do not think you will have to hunt coots. They are there by the thousands. They don’t fly off if you idle through them. They just swim out the way. You looking to eat them?
Key West 1720 115 HP Johnson Saltwater.
Years ago(roughly 30) DNR got a bull shark at a landing off hwy 301 near Orangeburg.
Oakridge, Criver man, I was raised on them. The way we hunted them South Carolina says it is against the law. We never hunted a duck blind unless someone asked my dad to get them a duck. He had enough friends that hunted ducks that we could just make a call. They really aren’t that bad. They cook up just like any duck. The meat is dark but doesn’t have too bad of a taste. Then again I grew up hunting and eating them. I like to cook mine on the grill instead of taking time to fry. Have never gone past the bridge next to the landing. Always stayed on the other side of the bridge hunting and fishing. Guess I’ll have to borrow my neighbors boat and take a ride so I’ll know where I need to go.
16’ Bonito 65 Johnson
carolinacoot, Thanks for the explanation and satisfying my curiosity. Throughout my long and colorful life I’ve eaten a lot of critters that other folks say are no good and usually find it acceptable chow. I’ve often thought that our cultural dictates about what to eat are kinda arbitrary.
Oakridge, we grew up eating mullet, turtles, frog legs, nutria aka(marsh rat), rattle snake and raccoon. The say was pretty much if it swims, flys crawls or runs and don’t bite us first.
16’ Bonito 65 Johnson