HillbillySims Posted April 15, 2009 Report Share Posted April 15, 2009 Anyone give me some pointers?... I tried REALLY hard last year to catch a shark off the beach where we were staying (at night) We caught some fresh fish & cut them, used shark hooks with a steel leader. Sat out there every night from about dark til about 10pm or so. This year I am going for the week of June 26th through July 4th. We will be staying on the far WEST end of Panama City, right at the edge of town (where the condos stop) I really would appreciate any pointers that would help my luck this year!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terogator Posted April 15, 2009 Report Share Posted April 15, 2009 We catch them pretty regulary here in Pensacola. I've had the best luck within the last 3-4 hours of sunlight. I catch fresh bait, bluefish or ladyfish. Slice them up so they get really bloody. I toss it out and wait. Not much to it for me. A few guys use kayaks to get baits out further but I havent found a need for that just yet. Stick with it. They are there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minivin5 Posted April 15, 2009 Report Share Posted April 15, 2009 Anyone give me some pointers?... I tried REALLY hard last year to catch a shark off the beach where we were staying (at night) We caught some fresh fish & cut them, used shark hooks with a steel leader. Sat out there every night from about dark til about 10pm or so. This year I am going for the week of June 26th through July 4th. We will be staying on the far WEST end of Panama City, right at the edge of town (where the condos stop) I really would appreciate any pointers that would help my luck this year!! With shark fishing from shore, tides is what you are after not what time you were fishing. The higher the tide the closer the shark can comfortably swim closer to shore. I am in the Fort Myers Beach/ Sanibel area so it is a little different down here, but I can hook up with sharks with people swimming 20 yards from me you should see their faces when 4' Black tips come ashore. I use grouper from bait, my friend takes tourists out to fish fillets the catch and keep the bodies head still attached for me. The thing to think about is big bait= big shark and it helps minimize your by catch. Good luck What you do with your time is more important than the amount of time you have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HillbillySims Posted April 15, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 15, 2009 Im not sure if this matters, but the particular place we stay is fairly shallow. Its almost immediately knee deep. But it stays around waist deep for a good ways. You have to go out about half a football field before it gets up to your chest. Is this going to affect my chances of catching sharks? Or do I need to go somewhere a little deeper? Also, if anyone knows particularly good spots off the shore in Panama City I would appreciate it if you could let me know Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drako Posted April 15, 2009 Report Share Posted April 15, 2009 look for a inlet or a port and fish right outside of it or around it... there are some beaches here in fla that are just to shallow and flat even with a high tide. But this is fla and we have sharks everywhere ....google earth the area you are at and look around. I have found some good spots by doing this... oh don't put yourself in a corner....what i mean by this if you arent yaking baits out and are just looking 4 to 5ft sharks... Try using live pinfish/mullets or any other fish you can catch....this way you open yourself up to catch other gamefish Never know what you might hook up too Semper Fi > Always Faithful"Everytime History repeats itself, the price of the lesson goes up" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HillbillySims Posted April 15, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 15, 2009 Im actually SPECIFICALLY looking to catch sharks only. I've never caught one & have always been facinated by them. But I really dont want the expense of taking out a charter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HillbillySims Posted April 16, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 16, 2009 So, is it a problem that the area where we fish is only about 4-ft deep? Do I really need to go find a place where it drops off quicker to 8+ feet deep? Also, any suggestions on how to hook up the bait for the best chances that it will actually snag when the hook is set Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drako Posted April 17, 2009 Report Share Posted April 17, 2009 Go to Panama city beach or to St andrews state park and fish the inlet or the beach in that park. Don't tell anyone you are shark fishing alot of areas will run you off if you tell them that... you are cobia/snook/bullred or tarpon fishing oh live pinfish and mullets will catch these guys also..plus sharks If you are using circle hooks...make sure to have the point sticking out of the bait and not in in the bait. If you never handle a shark be careful they are strong for their size and even a small one can do alot of damage Semper Fi > Always Faithful"Everytime History repeats itself, the price of the lesson goes up" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HillbillySims Posted April 17, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 17, 2009 Funny you say that. Last time I went to St Andrews. I was standing on the rocks & about 6-7 ft shark swam right by me not even 10ft off shore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drako Posted April 18, 2009 Report Share Posted April 18, 2009 There you go....now go get them Depending on what type of shark they were a 8ft shark is a handful for a regular spinning outfix... all you will hear is zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz zz POP.... Hell even thats fun Semper Fi > Always Faithful"Everytime History repeats itself, the price of the lesson goes up" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billfishhead Posted April 19, 2009 Report Share Posted April 19, 2009 theres a spot on 30a about half way to destin where ive lost 2500 yards of line in a night shark fishing stripped a wide 4/0, wide 6/0 and 50 international,,,,,,,,,,,they all decided to go to cuba i think next time i hooked a 3 footer on a pompano jig and a 712 reel when night fell on the second trip i had a 12/0 2 speed fin nor,,,,,,,,,had something try to pull me in the water fought it for 2 hours but broke off before i got it. watch out there are some big jaws in florida ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,o yea i was sore for a few days Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HillbillySims Posted April 19, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 19, 2009 Is that spot easy to get to & open to public for fishing? We are staying on the far west end of Panama where all the condos are, but no hotels. Im not sure if that is a fine spot, or if I need to go somewhere else. It stays fairly shallow (waist to neck deep) for a good ways out The thing about St. Andrews is you have to be out of there at dusk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squidjig Posted April 19, 2009 Report Share Posted April 19, 2009 Hello, I'm new here, though I've lurked the forum before and decided to join only recently because I found a few threads that are specific to my interest. Once a year, for the past 11 years, I take my family for 3 week vacation to Estero Island, Fort Myers. We live almost dead center of the island, at the "bottom of the bowl" so to speak. I've always wanted to catch a shark myself, but have been afraid to break the law. Perhaps someone can clear a few questions for me? 1- I hear it is illegal to intentionally draw sharks towards a beach with people, I understand why chumming is forbidden, but wouldn't a cut bait do the same? 2- While I admit to being almost purely motivated in relaxing while I fish, thus never try to catch anything specific and try to enjoy myself, but all I catch is catfish, ALWAYS catfish! This time I want to catch something besides catfish. Last year I was fortunate enough to catch a small string of 4 nice Kingfishes (I think they are called Whiteys by the locals), enough to feed the family that night and it was very good fish, but the years before, always catfish. Am I using the wrong bait? I use squid and shrimp, but never used cut bait for the fears I've stated above. I just don't want to be responsible for someone being bitten by an animal I attracted, I would feel terrible. Oh, and where is the best place to catch Snook in the area? Am I in a "bad" place? 3- Lastly, should my bait be suspended in the water, instead of on the bottom? Is a bobber appropriate in such case? My details: I only surfcast, and I have my 11' Okuma two-piece rod with a large TICA GG100 spinning reel, with a 65 lbs. braided line and wire leader with No. 5/0 hook. One last question: I also understand that there are some people who record their shark catches and tag them before releasing them. This sounds interesting. Can I do this too? Thank you. A bottle of Muscadet = HeavenUNPROFOR 1994-1995, IFOR 1996,Metkovic-Mostar-Sarajevo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HillbillySims Posted April 19, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 19, 2009 Interesting questions! I'd like to know these answers too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billfishhead Posted April 20, 2009 Report Share Posted April 20, 2009 big jaws come in a lot closer than youd think,,,,,,,,,,,,usually right around swimming areas too. its a blast to watch tourists see you pull one up to the pier Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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