Coming to Georgetown next week on the 30-3rd. Wondering what is being caught and where? Looking to fish and catch whatever but would love to catch my first shark. Where are people fishing and catching them? Is it legal to keep them? Ive enjoyed shark meat but was wondering if id get harassed keeping one. Not trying to keep a monster but would like to get a nice sized one. Anything too big or small would definitely be released. Would love your input.
There are only 3 sharks you can keep under 54" (fork length), Dogfish, Atlantic Sharpnose, Bonnet Head, one per, none of which get “good” sized, 3’ maybe 4’ fuul grown. Sandbar Sharks, which can be good sized and are prevalent here, must be released regardless of size. As far as catching sharks…catch some Whiting, chop them up, put it on a good sized hook, get it out well past the breakers and wait. You will probably need a 50-70 sized reel, at least 30-40lb test and 5’-6’ of strong leader material with about a 12" steel rig of some sorts at the 6/0-9/0 hook. If I fished for sharks on purpse, that would be what I would use.
“There’s a fine line between fishing and standing in the surf like an idiot.”
The problem with keeping a shark, even if it is the 54" minimum ( FL )is KNOWING what type of shark it is, and whether it is legal to keep, or not.
There are 16 types you can keep, and 21 types you can’t keep. Most are to similar to tell the difference of which is which…
Some good advice above. Most of your questions have probably been answered already except for the wondering if you’d get harassed keeping a legal shark… Possibly, if it’s in a populated area there’s bound to be someone with a loud mouth asking if you have to keep it. Try not to pay them too much mind.
Make sure to check out Scdnr online for list of prohibited and allowed species and either google pictures of the sharks or buy an ID guidebook if you are intent on keeping one.
Also, Just try to keep your baits out of swim zones, and use common sense. What kind of reels do you have? You don’t have to have a schmancy fancy reel, but something with line capacity and hefty drag wouldn’t hurt. There’s two schools of thought on rods/reels: casting vs paddling baits out on a surfboard or kayak. I’m in the latter category…
Good luck!
Thanks guys for the info. I already got a good rig. 65lbs braid, 300lbs mono and #19 wire. OVERKILL i know but id rather have too much than not enough. I have been on the DNR website and have seen the page of how to identify the individual species but if im not sure what i got, it will get released. Any other bait recommendations or can i use whatever i catch? I know in the fall alot of people use cut up rays. I will be coming to georgetown but will be rotating between myrtle beach and charleston. I know you cant shark fish purposefully in horry county so i will be strickly fishing for whatever hits the hook. Im not picky, but you got any suggestions for places to go and how to rig up for certain fish. I only go surf fishing a couple times a year so i am not as experienced as most. Normally i rig up a 4oz pyramid on my 6’6 rods and attach a triple or douple hook leader with either shrimp, squid or mullet. Never get much luck though besides the baby whiting or croaker.
Look for structure
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlF_Hy3kNLY
First, Most, Biggest
I want to catch them all
Whole whiting or dinner plate stingray
Mr White best video Ive ever seen. Gotta love a nice trough they reallllllly produce. Find the trough and you find fish. Thanks for that , really really good.
Really awesome video Great White thanks for sharing it helped me out a lot understanding some things that have had me puzzled until now. Thanks again
Philip Snyder II
Great video Great White, who would have thought that, sandbars,troughs, cuts and rip currents would have any thing to do with finding fish in the surf. Post many more vids like that and I won’t have nothin’ to talk about! 
BUT!!! Spot on, when targeting “surf Fish” you’ve got to find deeper sections of water. Call it them what you want. A flat section of beach will probably be full of small sharks and stingrays. I don’t target sharks on purpose, but the bigger sharks will be out past the “sandbar”. Be carefull on Horry county beaches, maybe skip the mullet for bait, stick with fresh shrimp. If you start catching a bunch of small sharks, which will draw a croud, I would move or pack it up. Where down here? IOP, Sullivans, Folly, Edisto…they are all are good. Whiting bite is strong, Pompano are starting to show up, Specks are biting as well, in the right spots, if you can get passed all the baby sharks and Bluefish.
“There’s a fine line between fishing and standing in the surf like an idiot.”
quote:
Originally posted by stlhunrThe problem with keeping a shark, even if it is the 54" minimum ( FL )is KNOWING what type of shark it is, and whether it is legal to keep, or not.
There are 16 types you can keep, and 21 types you can’t keep. Most are to similar to tell the difference of which is which…
I am still pretty new to catching shark, but am interested in keeping them as well so what I did was print out an identification chart for all the common species. I laminated it and keep it in the bottom of my surf bag. I haven’t needed it yet, but it’s there when I do!
Thanks guys. I’ve fished for about 18 years now and decided to make a serious attempt to study fishing this year. Not for lack of production as I’ve only been skunked a time or two in the last 10 years but I felt I needed to hone my skills and diversify my knowledge (hints why I joined CF). I’ve modreately beach fished for about 5 years and kind of naturally followed many of the rules laid out in that video but now that it has been further explained to me I hope to maximize my catching from it. I just stumbled upon it about two weeks ago so I’ve only been able to do a little scouting since seeing it. If anyone know’s some good bars on IOP or SI I would love to know what stations they are at XD.
He has a few more video’s that will be helpful. Check them out. https://www.youtube.com/user/richtroxler/videos
First, Most, Biggest
I want to catch them all
