Found this article and thought i’d share with you guys and get a discussion going. Lets try to keep it civil please…
So going by this article… Large gear or not we are all in the wrong for catching sharks from the beach?
I am sure none of us here think Shark fishing is bad. Definitely not my thing…
But at least shark fish like a GIRL!!!
Interesting artical Sir Fish-a-lot, not sure what to make of it.
FollyFisher1989…you do realize I’m just messin’ with ya? Right?
Hey I see spinning tackle in the backround. Somebody call the po-lice.
And look at those birds.
Birds means Baits. 
I love the internet, but I’m starting to hate it at the same time.
Social media just gets everyone riled up about every possible thing and blows everything out of proportion.
Everyone is right, everyone is wrong, everyone is smart, everyone is stupid.
The whole thing is so old and tiring now.
On a some what serious note, I will mention again Horry county S.C. and now Emerald Isle, N.C. Which have banned beach shark fishing/ chumming. If folks keep hooking/landing NICE sharks during daylight hours, the low country could be next. Again, all it would take is the wrong person to see a 8’ Tiger/Bull/Lemon shark thrashing around on the beach, make a few calls to the right/wrong people…no more shark fishing from the beach. And yeah I already know the response…“We only fish at night” if you do, great! Alot of folks do not. Me personally, if I hook a shark bigger than a full sized Sharpnose, we will usually pack it up. Of course this time of year I don’t throw cut bait at all. Really don’t want to catch ANY sharks.
We fish away from people… Other side of the inlet.
Only been surf fishing for bout a year but now every time i go i take a spinning shark rig with me. I get out early in the AM (6-7) before the crowds can come but never really see much of a crowd where i fish. Mostly fishermen and beach combers. Main reason i go early and fish during the day is so i can get a decent place to park. Even when i do get an awesome parking spot i still have to walk 150-200 yards to get where i like to fish. I tried once a couple times in the afternoon and couldnt find a place to park. Id love to night fish but i dont know any of the regulations. Can i set up a tent, what all can i have/not have with me, etc…?
Sir fish a lot- people generally dont want to walk. If youre looking for less people park at the ends of beaches and head away from the people the further you go, the less you find. They just dont want to lug all that stuff. As your walking hunt down the bars and troughs and set up in front of them, this is where the fish hang out. It is always better to go out when the tide is lower so you can see these things then cast into them as the water comes in over the bars, u can also target them when the tide turns on the way out and hit them twice. I dont know about a tent for night fishing but a strong headlamp is needed.
runbabyrun- when i go out i park as far south as your aloud to drive. I am carrying/pulling a load of crap so thats why i only go the 150/200 yrds. Still though I set up in a sweet spot right at a trough with a sandbar not far off. Ill fish all day but i know ill mainly catch at high tide. lately though havent hit on much. I need a nice spot to check out.
Where have you been at Sir?
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Originally posted by dparker677On a some what serious note, I will mention again Horry county S.C. and now Emerald Isle, N.C. Which have banned beach shark fishing/ chumming. If folks keep hooking/landing NICE sharks during daylight hours, the low country could be next. Again, all it would take is the wrong person to see a 8’ Tiger/Bull/Lemon shark thrashing around on the beach, make a few calls to the right/wrong people…no more shark fishing from the beach. And yeah I already know the response…“We only fish at night” if you do, great! Alot of folks do not. Me personally, if I hook a shark bigger than a full sized Sharpnose, we will usually pack it up. Of course this time of year I don’t throw cut bait at all. Really don’t want to catch ANY sharks.
It’s kind of difficult to prove that’s what you’re fishing for isn’t it? Even if they make it illegal, how are you supposed to ensure a shark won’t take your bait? I like to fish, but only do it during the day for the most part and yes I like to sometimes target sharks. The last thing I want to do is cause a scene though. Guess you just have to be careful. When I fish period I try to do it away from people.
I’m the same way. I hate having to keep telling people I have a line out or have them fuss at me for walking into my line instead of paying attention to a few 7 foot rods spiked in the sand with me sitting right there haha. If the beach is busy when I get there, I wait, if it gets busy after I get there, I leave.
Its all about educating people. If somebody who is new to shark fishing goes to the beach and throws a line out between swimmers thats a problem. Thats whats going to get it banned. I rarely fish Front Beach, its almost always Inlets, away from people where nobody swims. If we decide to cast into the breakers its LATE at night. I also take any opportunity to talk to people about sharks and explain things any chance i get. This normally happens while walking out to our spot with our fishing cart, we get stopped by people asking us what we are fishing for. The truth that people dont want to understand is sharks have been swimming around in the surf zone for millions of years… It has nothing to do with Shark Fishermen “chumming” as they say, the water.
you’re absolutely correct. A little education and people may understand them better. Fact is, if more fish had teeth, then we would be getting bit all over the place and saying all fish are horrible monsters haha. I know back home in VA while sitting in the tube on the lake you would feel the perch/carp sometimes nibble at the toes.
Sharks are just fish looking for food that happen to be at the top of the food chain and have teeth. Not their fault we have people swimming with them and occasionally get bit.
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Originally posted by LucidIt’s kind of difficult to prove that’s what you’re fishing for isn’t it?
So if a DNR guy approaches you on the beach, and you have a Penn 10500 spooled with 600yards of 80lb. braid, a 9/0 circle with a half a Whiting on it. He will HAVE to assume your Croaker fishin’? I have been approached in Horry county, with a 50 class reel, 15lb mono, double drop with #2 hooks and shrimp. And got “Are the Croakers bittin’?” I am definitely not against Shark fishing. They are beautiful creatures that are totally misunderstood. Just not something I can see myself doing. And the general public is total ignorant ( about most things really), especially folks that only see saltwater maybe 1 week a year. The crazy thing about our “Summer Pilgrims” is, after the number of Shark bites so far this year, which made National news, they still wanna swim in chest deep water? I say roll the dice, to increase their odds, put some dead Mullet in both back pockets. And buy the way, that could be considered CHUMMING.
I always educate while I’m out. On a typical day I talk to 2-3 families ( this is Seabrook usually ) - and they thank me for helping them out.
Last I was out, I was fishing with half a whiting for rays, and sharks were tearing it up, right next to where a father and children were swimming - probably a bit too deep - in the Edisto inlet.
I flagged him in, told him, he probably didn’t have to worry, but there were small sharks out where he is swimming, and advised him to come a little closer with the kids.
He thanked me, and I felt better about the whole thing.
quote:
Originally posted by dparker677quote:
Originally posted by LucidIt’s kind of difficult to prove that’s what you’re fishing for isn’t it?
So if a DNR guy approaches you on the beach, and you have a Penn 10500 spooled with 600yards of 80lb. braid, a 9/0 circle with a half a Whiting on it. He will HAVE to assume your Croaker fishin’? I have been approached in Horry county, with a 50 class reel, 15lb mono, double drop with #2 hooks and shrimp. And got “Are the Croakers bittin’?” I am definitely not against Shark fishing. They are beautiful creatures that are totally misunderstood. Just not something I can see myself doing. And the general public is total ignorant ( about most things really), especially folks that only see saltwater maybe 1 week a year. The crazy thing about our “Summer Pilgrims” is, after the number of Shark bites so far this year, which made National news, they still wanna swim in chest deep water? I say roll the dice, to increase their odds, put some dead Mullet in both back pockets. And buy the way, that could be considered CHUMMING.
Haha, point taken 
. I heard once from someone from Horry County that you can skirt the law by telling them you’re fishing for cobia (as improbable as it may be to catch one from the beach), but I wouldn’t chance it. Fishing for large redfish on cut bait you would typically use a rig that could easily land medium to largish sharks as well.
I just got into shark fishing and I’m going to enjoy it for a while before I head back to fishing for other stuff. That said, I’m going to try and do it responsibly. I had no idea what a minefield shark fishin