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Do We Worry About Sharks Too Much (or Not Enough)?

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On 2/10/2023 at 11:22 PM, TopStriperAngler said:

Imagine trying to go out and get bit by a GWS without using chum. It would be pretty hard to do. At the same time, they are able to tow seal dummies to get GWS to blast I think South Africa so...

No hard at all, in the right (meaning WRONG) location.  Reseachers don't drag those seal dummies at random, just hoping for a strike.  They focus on known hotspots; areas with high concentrations of predator and prey.  They were doing this with surf boards at the Farallon Islands back in the early '90s.  San Francisco Bay gets its share of great whites, but researchers pick the Farallons for good reason.

 

You could probably get a great white to pop a tuna silhouette at Nova Scotia, Cedros, or Guadalupe.  I doubt that's legal, though.

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4 mins ago, Pendulauncher said:

No hard at all, in the right (meaning WRONG) location.  Reseachers don't drag those seal dummies at random, just hoping for a strike.  They focus on known hotspots; areas with high concentrations of predator and prey.  They were doing this with surf boards at the Farallon Islands back in the early '90s.  San Francisco Bay gets its share of great whites, but researchers pick the Farallons for good reason.

 

You could probably get a great white to pop a tuna silhouette at Nova Scotia, Cedros, or Guadalupe.  I doubt that's legal, though.

 

yeah if you were in the right location you'd have a shot at it. Question now is where on the east Coast are those areas and what time of year do they get up to that danger density. That's where you'd want to avoid putting yourself in the kitchen while dinner's being made, so to speak. 

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On 2/11/2023 at 0:13 AM, phishallways said:

I’vv been pushed off a rock by a seal.. really makes you think about what he’s worried about…

Dear God!  How deep was the water?  I'm guessing you shared the rock?

 

That reminds me of this screenshot from some old Farallon Islands video.  What could be so urgent that this guy wouldn't go the extra 2 inches to reach to rocks?  Who knows, maybe the buoy was nice and warm.  Maybe it just wanted to sit on a buoy.  Or maybe it had no other choice.

 

Farallon_Islands_Seal_bouy2.png.1de3082c9e57c04be90c95e10638f743.png

 

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39 mins ago, Pendulauncher said:

Dear God!  How deep was the water?  I'm guessing you shared the rock?

I bailed as soon as i saw the business end of that seal (horsehead). I’d imagine a bite would make for a very bad day. 6-9 feet deep or so.

I'll ignore your cheap aroma,

and your little-bo-peep diploma,

I'll just put you in a coma,

with some dirty love-

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1 hour ago, TopStriperAngler said:

 

yeah if you were in the right location you'd have a shot at it. Question now is where on the east Coast are those areas and what time of year do they get up to that danger density. That's where you'd want to avoid putting yourself in the kitchen while dinner's being made, so to speak. 

My assumption for the past several years has been Cape Cod, as far as a best bet on the East Coast.  How those densities compare to magnets like the Farallons and Guadalupe, who knows?  My gut says the Cape's numbers are lower.

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I am certainly more aware of sharks now after an incident which happened to me last fall. I was fishing a sand bar at the mouth of an inlet located in Narragansett, RI. It was just before dark when I noticed a commotion in the water about fifty yards to my left. I saw a dark form thrashing around on the shallow bar and as I watched I made out the form of a large shark. I was wading up to my waist but immediately backed up to my ankles after seeing the shark. I continued to fish for a while but left soon after dark.

Edited by VanStaalSteve
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If you’re swimming out in water above your head or with good current and get bite bad by a shark you could easily be a goner. That being said it’s really unlikely to get bit. If you are in a well known shark hot spot I wouldn’t swim out in a wetsuit especially at night. If you get blood on you and fish slime and scales even more of a chance you’ll attract unwanted attention when slashing your way back to land. Again it’s very unlikely you’ll encounter sharks in general but if you’re in a hot spot especially I’d think twice for your sake and others. 

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I was wading in Ct. With 4 guys I know we'll and something heavy hit me on the left thigh from the left side, never saw it just the whoosh as it turned and took off.

That made me not go in the water ever since, this was in 2004.

Needless to say I became a total river angler from then on.

HH

An armed man is a citizen,,,an unarmed man is a subject,,,,,,,,

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On 2/12/2023 at 6:07 PM, Gatr522 said:

The lightning analogy only makes it worse for me. I was never hit directly but have been stung at least a half dozen times. (once thrown into the air). Only had one shark encounter: bull shark at Shark Bight  (I know -right) Big Pine Key. So neither killed or permanently injured me.

I can still do some moderate wading at night- but to me real wading or swimming out any distance at night would be as daunting as walking down the beach -surf rod in hand during a heavy lightning storm.

Statistical logic -blitzing fish-would have no sway on me.

Hats off to the more adventurous

I know that creepy feeling: outback flats, wading thigh-deep in the dark, footing uncertain, you stumble/slide blindly, toeing the slippery edge of that drop off you were searching for, then suddenly you crunch a clam, a jolt of adrenaline, and then that restless/anxious sensation running down my legs, like when you are standing on top of a tall building and peer over the edge.

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21 hours ago, Hi Hook said:

If you’re swimming out in water above your head or with good current and get bite bad by a shark you could easily be a goner. That being said it’s really unlikely to get bit. If you are in a well known shark hot spot I wouldn’t swim out in a wetsuit especially at night. If you get blood on you and fish slime and scales even more of a chance you’ll attract unwanted attention when slashing your way back to land. Again it’s very unlikely you’ll encounter sharks in general but if you’re in a hot spot especially I’d think twice for your sake and others. 

Yeah, agreed. There are a few spots where I won’t fish anymore simply due to the number of sharks and seal. Some spots the perceived risk is just too high.

 

that being said, anytime you’re in saltwater, either wetsuiting out to a rock or wading knee deep in waders, there’s always gonna be a risk of a shark taking a bite out of you. I think the risk is low enough that the reward is worth it.

 

and there are precautions you can take to reduce the chances. Not being overly splashy, not having bait in the water and etc.

 

also, I like to have medical supplies on hand. I keep a large, well stocked med kit in my car, and when I’m wetsuiting and skishing I carry 4 tourniquets on the back of my belt, just incase I ever lose a leg or two to a hungry shark.

 

I have better chances of winning the lottery than being bitten by a shark, but it happens, and I’d rather be prepared just in case it ever happens

Edited by EliasA
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2 hours ago, petespeak said:

I know that creepy feeling: outback flats, wading thigh-deep in the dark, footing uncertain, you stumble/slide blindly, toeing the slippery edge of that drop off you were searching for, then suddenly you crunch a clam, a jolt of adrenaline, and then that restless/anxious sensation running down my legs, like when you are standing on top of a tall building and peer over the edge.

My favorite when wading is getting bumped by a submerged log. I have parted the water a few times.

 

As you describe-there are plenty of adrenaline potentials with the pursuit. I've been on the N jetty of IRI when the waves make the rocks disappear periodically. I'm too old for that now.

Now skishing, deep wading and swimming out to rock piles is more than I was ever willing to do for any fishing.  The hardcore have my respect. 

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7 hours ago, EliasA said:

when I’m wetsuiting and skishing I carry 4 tourniquets on the back of my belt, just incase I ever lose a leg or two to a hungry shark.

You’re not the first guy I’ve talked to who carries tourniquets while wetsuiting. Stupid question but can they get wet or do you need to keep them on your belt in something water tight? I plan to have some with me this year.

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